ECR 2013.indd - Agfa HealthCare

ALLEGIANCE HEALTH, JACKSON, MICHIGAN, USAOn-the-go bedside imaging bringsbetter care to patients in ER and beyondMoving technology to ‘critical areas’ as needed lets doctors and technologists obtainimages and share results more quicklyInterviewees Robyn Pulliam, Director of Imaging Services · Dr. Samir Parikh, Vice Chief Radiologist · Amy Helton, Manager of ImagingPerformance and Qualityproducing about 230,000 procedureseach year.Immediate access to interpretimages from anywhereOne of the key drivers in the hospital'sdecision to add mobile DR to this rangeof services was the need to receiveand share images, especially in criticalcases, more quickly. "It's importantto have direct digital technology incritical areas, so that the image can beviewed and evaluated immediately,"says Amy Helton. For Dr. Samir Parikh,Vice Chief Radiologist, the speedyimage access that is enabled by theDX-D 100 solution is vitally important.Allegiance Health has played an integralrole in south-central Michigan for morethan 90 years, growing from a 100-bedfacility to a full-service acute carecommunity health system, now with411 beds and a broad range of specialtydepartments. In its continuous effortto improve patient care and processes,Allegiance Health recently implementedtwo DX-D 100 mobile DR solutions fromAgfa HealthCare.Allegiance Health interprets'community' broadly, extending thedefinition to include an emphasis oneducation, both on the medical side andcommunity outreach. It will become ateaching hospital in 2014, bringing 140new physicians to Jackson. The hospitalalso strives to educate its communitythrough initiatives like the SpeakersBureau, offering experts to speak to24 THEREgroups on topics such as diabetes,health and wellness, or palliative care.For imaging, this focus on educationtranslates into a collaboration withlocal colleges. Allegiance providesa clinical experience for students ofgeneral radiology, ultrasound andnuclear medicine. "Having students inthe department supports an atmosphereof professional growth for all of us,"says Amy Helton, Manager of ImagingPerformance and Quality at AllegianceHealth. "They're able to learn in avariety of settings, on both older analogand the newest digital solutions."Imaging services at Allegiance Healthinclude about 170 staff members,operating 20 departments thatinclude MRI, CT, general radiology,nuclear medicine and mammography,“The DX-D 100 solutions werethe choice for us, meeting thecriteria, providing overall valueand ensuring the best use of ourresources.”Robyn Pulliam, Director of Imaging Services