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Tag Archives: Teleradiology Services India

teleradiology

Cloudex Celebrates its 10 years of Teleradiology with 6 million patient’s smile curves

A humble start of Cloudex’s teleradiology services in 2012 has grown in leaps and bounds and has reached this celebration point. The journey so far covered has been full of coordination, compassion and patience filled. Each day has passed by with learning, growth and sometimes stumbling’s too. Today, we can share and write on our success stories; and redefine it with growing service demand, advancing technology and addition of sharper minds.

Our success is because of our dedicated team who nurtured Cloudex’s initiation into international presence, helped in soaring the service avenues and winning many hearts and clients.   

The intention of contributing to community has been formulated with care in order to bridge the gap in radiology services – learning & skill upgradation programs apart from setting up radiology service centres and teleradiology service support to healthcare centres. Cloudex has initiated online and offline developmental programs for aspiring radiology clinicians, expanding its service network through partnership beyond boundary. We are intensifying our venture in improving accessible radiology by establishing scan centres under PP partnership where increasing patient scan numbers talks about our investment on people, technology, equipment and customer service.

Our Milestone achievements in past 10 years can listed as

  • Over 6 million patients benefitted with our services
  • Over 100 Radiologists contributing to the smile curve
  • International presence of 16+ countries
  • Team of 40+ roped together with one mission of service

Currently, Cloudex is extending its clinical service to healthcare centres across India including those located in difficult to reach terrains and rural parts. And internationally, some of the centre in African countries like Botswana, Ghana, Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam are benefitting from our services.

In this demanding pandemic time, empowering the health centres with the winning edge seems to be success mantra. And Cloudex accepts it and strives to remain at par with industry trend, match the expectations of the associated healthcare service providers, raise the service delivery standards. And create a conducive work environment for the team which propels to give their best efficiently. At Cloudex, we strive to provide that winning edge or satisfaction and saving life.

Teleradiology Solutions India

How Teleradiology Can Help Early Management of Acute Stroke

Dr. Shriram Varadharajan, Consultant Neuroradiologist (Neuroimaging & Stroke)

Awareness of stroke and immediate arrival to the hospital plays a major role in its treatment and recovery. Unlike acute coronary syndrome (ACS – heart attack) where pain plays a prominent role in patients presenting early, stroke patients ignore the negative signs such as sudden onset weakness or numbness. Often minor stroke or TIA (transient ischemic attack) serves as a warning for subsequent major stroke (CVA – cerebrovascular accident). Stroke patients need to complete timely evaluation with various imaging tools. Treatment decisions in acute stroke require ultrafast imaging. It should be performed immediately after clinical triage and emergency stabilization of the patient.

Teleradiology Reporting Services India

Imaging starts with the very basic question of differentiating Ischemic (clot in the vessels supplying the brain) from Hemorrhagic stroke (bleed) using a simple plain CT scan. Ischemic stroke patients may be given an injection called intravenous thrombolysis (IVT or clot lysis). Plain CT aims to exclude hemorrhage and established large infarcts which are contraindications to intravenous thrombolysis. Additional findings such as hyperdense vessel sign and ASPECTS are helpful to decide on endovascular thrombectomy. Further vascular imaging (imaging of the blood vessels – CT Angiography) is used in Ischemic stroke to detect patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) i.e. clot inside larger blood vessels. They may need additional emergency endovascular thrombectomy (EVT or clot removal) using advanced catheter-based techniques in DSA (cath.) lab.

These treatments are currently offered to patients presenting within narrow time windows of stroke onset (3-4.5 hours for injection – IVT and 6 hours for cath. lab – EVT). CTA involves evaluating routine angiography and additional venous/delayed phases, regarding the site and presence of LVO as well as to estimate collateral status.

However, few patients who arrive late (beyond 4.5 to 6 hours and till 16-24 hours) can also be treated based on their imaging if we can identify salvageable penumbra (affected brain parenchyma but without permanent damage) using advanced imaging techniques that analyze brain parenchymal perfusion.

All of these decisions can also be taken collectively and more accurately using MRI. Ultrafast Stroke MRI takes less than 20 minutes using limited protocols and involves basic sequences as well as Angiography. MRI in acute stroke can be done without having to administer intravenous contrast and is especially very useful in differentiating from other mimics. Parenchymal and vascular information both can be obtained. MRI involves DWI for infarct core and MRA for LVO while FLAIR mismatch can be used for IVT in stroke patients with unknown time of onset or wake-up strokes. SWI can help detect thrombus/clot burden in RBC rich clots and serve as a penumbral marker by demonstrating vessels with raised oxygen extraction.

Teleradiology can thus be very effective in acute Stroke if reporting can be accelerated to avoid time delays. Simplified reporting formats can be developed based on local logistics. Although CT and CTA are widely practiced in acute stroke, MRI provides a non-contrast one-stop solution in the emergency especially if reported immediately by dedicated, trained tele-stroke Radiologists. Structured reports for such time-based emergency situations like acute stroke help avoid medico-legal consequences especially in the era of evidence-based medicine and helps guide the referring physicians in making treatment decisions.

References

1. Varadharajan S, et al. Computed tomography angiography in acute stroke (revisiting the 4Ps of imaging). Am J Emerg Med. 2016 Feb;34(2):282-7

2. Varadharajan S. ASAP In Stroke Imaging – Need to Simplify and Standardize in Emergency. Accepted for publication in Neurology India

Teleradiology Services India

Quality in Teleradiology Reporting

Quality is the extent to which the right procedure is done in the right way at the right time, and the correct interpretation is accurately and quickly communicated to the patient and referring physician.” Hillman et al

Teleradiology is playing a crucial role in delivering patient care with its prompt and quality service.

The quality of radiological reporting depends on multiple parameters apart from the internal review and external feedback system like

  • Communication between the reporting radiologists and referring physician for better understanding of the case
  • PACS and workflow management
  • Operational team (CTC)
  • Access to reporting tele-radiologist for clarification / discussion

The Internal Parameters can be listed as –

1. Internal Quality Assurance Team sets up an auditing system involving methodology on random review of the reports and peer reviews at regular intervals. The key performance indicators (KPIs) are prepared by the team in alignment with the organization’s objective and external auditor’s standards (if involved). The experts evaluate the reporting by carrying out random double reporting, peer review, and discuss the discrepancies with reporting radiologists.

Evaluation of the discrepancies, formulation, and implementation of corrective measures followed by evaluation of implementation is a cyclic process in order to improve the quality of report and service delivery. The option of contacting the reported tele-radiologist for further clarification and discussion on prognosis is available. 

The new recruits are initially engaged in preliminary reporting for familiarization with the tele-reporting system and are supported with constant review and feedback. This also involves eLearning, teleconferencing, telemedicine, and other technological processes.

2. Procedure Protocol indicates the Right Procedure & Right Way which impacts many other parameters. The protocol includes a checklist drafted by the team on imaging procedures, image uploading/transfer, availability of support documents, defined TAT for emergency & regular cases, filled request form, to & fro communication between the referring physician and reporting radiologists, assigning of images to radiologists, etc.

3. Credentials of the tele-radiologists including the sub-specialization and experience per se augment the value of the report. In critical cases like emergency / STAT reporting, the unique skill of picking up the hidden markers in a short time plays a critical or decisive role. Their clinical focus in reporting improves referring physician’s proficiency to advise or decide on suitable investigations/management of patients. 

4. TAT is variable and crucial for referring physicians in taking control of the situation, be it for emergency or regular cases. Today, because of the technological benefits, the TAT for an emergency case is approximately less than 30 minutes whereas for any inpatient or outpatient 4 to 8 hours is maintained. Especially in teleradiology, the other factor which determines the TAT is mutual agreement between the service provider & referring center and considering cost factor as well.

5.  Miss Rate is determined by continuous reviewing of reports at regular intervals by the review panel and a lot of measures are undertaken to keep it low. The positive culture of the review panel establishes an environment that is instructive, supporting cognitive debiasing and retrospective analyses. Clients are also encouraged to report “misses” by categorizing them based on their implicating severity. Feedback and discussions with referring physicians help in the process. 

The External Parameters which can be considered are

1.  Client’s feedback system serves two purposes – understanding the quality of report and reporting services although both (service provider and referring center) would have laid down the SOPs to be followed at either end. The upload of images of other recently conducted investigations, along with other laboratory, pathology reports and previous documents like discharge summary / clinical and operational notes helps in the accurate and detailed interpretation of the images.

2.  Accreditations by the authoritative body confirms compliance with protocols set by the authority matching the industry requirement and benefitting every stakeholder. Inspections are conducted to check the protocol implementation and service delivery at regular intervals and the certification is renewed accordingly. If any discrepancy is noticed, a Plan of Correction (POC) is provided with the timeline for implementation.

Cloudex Solutions ensuring the right procedure, the right way, right time, and correct interpretation

A team comprising of qualified experts like radiologists, clinicians, and technologists who are well supported with state-of-the-art RIS PACS technology, round the clock (24 x 7 x 365) reporting services complement to the client’s advantage.  The objective of doing the right thing at right time in the right way is achieved by integrating programs to adhere to protocol, utilize the quality improvement tools, and conduct of skill up-gradation workshops.  

Cloudex brimming with experts and a wide range of tele-reporting services ensures delivery of the correct interpretation at right time in the right way; enabling the healthcare service provider to deliver quality patient care without delay and assuring proper treatment saving on time and money.

At Cloudex, we support you to have that winning edge. 

Teleradiology in India

Teleradiology Reporting Services: Do You Really Need It? This Article Will Help You

The ever-evolving medical world keeps bringing out solutions to the challenges posed by the fast pace populace. Radiology is keeping pace with modernity and has very well integrated technology and telecommunication to formulate a remote mode of extending services – Teleradiology.

Today, Teleradiology has enabled the clinician in providing the best of patient care and saving lives and thus becoming an indispensable healthcare service. Teleradiology supports the clinicians/hospitals/healthcare service providers with many solutions, compensating the shortage of radiologists and reporting for all imaging modalities – X-Ray, Ultrasound scan, CT scan, MRI Scan, PET scan, Nuclear Medicine, Interventional imaging.

1. Round-the-clock Reporting service supports the healthcare service providers with radiology services round the clock for all days irrespective of no. of radiologists on-site or subspecialty reporting requirement.

The defined reporting TAT ensures a quick TAT of as early as 30 to 60 minutes for all modalities of imaging both in cases of emergency and regular cases. In this competitive and fast-paced environment, Teleradiology enables hospitals from remotest places to small or mid-size hospitals to provide patient care effectively irrespective of time.

2. Nighthawk Reporting services work out as an ideal option for many healthcare service providers who cannot afford to recruit a radiologist beyond regular working hours and get benefitted from after-hour radiology services.

Nighthawk reporting allows the radiology department to exhibit its duty of quality reporting without any delay. This late-night radiology coverage empowers the hospitals in extending patient care to a high level with better outcomes, and in a bigger perspective improves the face-value and bottom-line score of Hospitals. 

3. Subspecialty Reporting services help in identifying the subspecialty pathologies apart from identifying the common findings, normal variants quickly. The accuracy of reporting and detailed interpretation of the images (expertise in particular anatomy or type of reports/modality) improves the prognosis by facilitating the early diagnosis and proper treatment planning. Subspecialty reporting adds value eliminating the need for a second opinion; and improves the productivity and reporting TATs also.

Subspecialty reporting can be categorized into the following specialty

·       Thoracic Imaging

·       Breast Imaging

·       Cardiac Imaging

·       Abdominal Imaging

·       Musculoskeletal Imaging

·       Neuroradiology

·       Neuro-interventional Radiology

·       Vascular Interventional Radiology

·       Emergency Radiology

·       Pediatric Radiology

·       Nuclear Medicine

4. Emergency Reporting services ensures the early intervention and initiation of required action for emergency case. The involvement of expert radiologists reduces the TAT duration and contributes to the immediate diagnosis of acute conditions and patient care.

5. Weekend / Holiday Reporting services ensure the regular radiologists are able to utilize their break productively and return to job energized without any of the radiology reporting being stalked/trailed at the health center.

6. Second Opinion Reporting service is access to expertise for getting detailed imaging reports to facilitate a better understanding of the situation or decide on the course of treatment or to understand the progression of disease or treatment outcome. Experts are able to contribute through their experience and make a value-added difference to disease management/treatment.

7. Access to Radiology by healthcare centers present at geographically challenged areas either by altitude or distance. Primary or secondary healthcare centers have benefited from teleradiology which diminished the need for on-site radiologists and have benefitted from subspecialty reporting too. This has improved patient care services through quality and timing.

Benefits of Teleradiology reporting:

· Availability of radiology services round the clock (24 x 7 x 365) including night-time and on weekends/holidays

· Access to subspecialty radiologist’s reporting

· No backlog/delay in imaging reports delivery (improved TAT)

· High-quality patient care without delay

· Reports checked by more than one radiologist (preliminary/final reads)

· Better time management of radiologists due to login enabled cloud-based system (saves on commuting)

· Software enabled workflow helps in timely delivery of reports

Cloudex Radiology Solutions offers a plethora of Teleradiology Services:

The team of experienced, expert and qualified radiologists at Cloudex’s panel extend teleradiology services encompassing all type of reporting services to fulfill the growing demand of radiology services of health providers by defying the distances and time zone. The quick TAT, accuracy, standardized report protocol, coordination network between the reporting radiologists, clinician/surgeon/technician, and administrator contributes to the delivery of services benefitting the hospital and patient.

At Cloudex, we support you to have that winning edge.