IU, GE launch Institute for Digital Radiology Imaging Education and Research

By Pam Perry

Radiology programs and hospital systems throughout the country are rapidly replacing X-ray films with digital images to provide faster and more accessible imaging results to physicians and their patients.

The migration to digital imaging and archiving systems is creating a need for training and education among physicians, technologists and administrators of imaging programs who anticipate using the new systems. The need to know is facing a steep upward curve as health care technology consultants estimate that 60 percent of U.S. hospitals will have adopted digital imaging systems by 2006.

Cohen

The IU Department of Radiology, its affiliated practice group, IU Radiology Associates and General Electric Medical Systems (GEMS) Information Technology, have created a matrix within this technology stream by forming the REWARDS Institute at the IU School of Medicine. The REWARDS Institute will support a research program, a customer learning center, and a showcase site for the GE Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS). This type of collaborative education and research program is the first of its kind in the country and will offer courses beginning in March.

IU Radiology Associates and GEMS are jointly funding and developing the REWARDS Institute’s customer learning center. This new center will develop image management educational and training programs for hospital and a free standing imaging center for executives, administrators, physicians, technologists and other health care personnel interested in improving clinical radiology productivity, workflow and healthcare quality. In addition, the REWARDS Institute is funded by GEMS for research projects related to behavioral and technical aspects of radiology information technologies.

"A picture archiving and communications system provides the foundation for a virtual radiology department by facilitating the rapid transfer of computed radiography and digital information, allowing high quality images to be rapidly accessed, viewed and shared by radiologists and referring physicians," said Dr. Mervyn Cohen, Eugene C. Klatte Professor, chairman of the IU Department of Radiology and president of IU Radiology Associates.

"The impact on patient care will be very positive due to the rapid accessibility of current and historical images with PACS," said Cohen. "We are very happy to have created this joint venture with General Electric."

When using film images, a patient’s X-rays have to be manually located and delivered to a radiologist. With digital imaging and archiving, current and historical images can be accessed and examined within seconds. In addition, the images will not become lost, borrowed and not returned, or damaged from handling.

Lori Rumreich, director of the REWARDS Institute, said the IU radiologists’ extensive capabilities in research and education and their experience in moving from conventional to digital radiography position them to offer a superior learning experience. "IU and GEMS aim to offer customer-oriented education that provides solutions for successful digital imaging implementation, productivity improvements, change management and leadership," she said.

The IU group’s experience results from implementing a hospital-wide digital imaging system at Clarian Health Partners, a multi-hospital system served by the IU faculty. Clarian Health is currently using the GEMS PathSpeed PAC system at Methodist Hospital and used it at Riley Hospital for Children this week. They anticipate that the system will be in operation at IU Hospital early next year.

The collaboration between GEMS and the IU faculty allows both to offer learning opportunities in a clinical setting to health-care organizations. "We identified GEMS as our strategic partner not only because of their innovative digital imaging product line, but also because of their strong focus on customer education and responsiveness to customer needs," said Rumreich.

The REWARDS Institute is housed in a new $7 million facility owned by IU Radiology Associates, located in downtown Indianapolis’ emerging technology park. The facility offers the latest in audio-visual and remote learning technology, training rooms, clinical reading rooms and a learning lab for digital imaging education and demonstration events.

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