9 ways cardiovascular IT systems can improve your day-to-day workflow
Modern cardiovascular information system (CVIS) platforms improve efficiency by automating tasks from the point of care, reducing manual data entry work and integrating data into a single, streamlined workflow.
To identify examples of how newer CVIS systems can help improve workflows, Cardiovascular Business spoke with Chad Franklin, RN, senior cardiology solution specialist at GE Healthcare IT solutions. He said there are several considerations hospitals and cardiology departments should consider when shopping for these systems.
“The goal is to do it once and then do multiple things with it,” Franklin explained, emphasizing a shift toward single-point data entry that feeds multiple downstream processes. “Anything we can automate or make it easier will help them improve their charge capture rates as well as the inventory.”
Franklin outlined 9 key areas where these systems can greatly improve cardiology workflows:
1. Single-point data entry and automation
Documentation entered during the procedure should automatically feed into other IT systems to reduce the need for duplicate data entry. These features allow more time to be focused on patient care and clinical decision-making.
2. Automated charge capture and inventory management
The integration of barcode scanning improves speed and accuracy in recording supplies using during procedures that can automatically be linked to billing for that patient and inventory management systems. Inventory management systems also should be sophisticated enough to flag expiring inventory.
3. Structured, auto-generated reporting
Data entered during procedures should automatically convert into physician-ready narrative reports that they can read through and make edits to speed their workflow. This automation also saves time by reducing manual clicking and typing.
4. Intelligent reporting
Systems that automatically interpret measurements from procedural data or imaging and automatically generate standardized clinical statements in reports can save a large amount of time. These systems should be based on guideline-driven thresholds to pre-populate reports. However, physicians need to always be able to override and edit any automated text.
5. Visual documentation linked to reports
Most CVIS systems use interactive coronary diagrams the physician can annotate and move as needed. These diagrams can also show stenosis location and/or severity and provide added context in a number of other areas. Images showing pre- and post-intervention should be able to be embedded directly into final reports.
6. Enterprise imaging and a unified viewer
Efficiency is greatly improved for clinicians when all imaging results are made accessible in one place. This can be accomplished using a universal viewer or an enterprise imaging system that collects the data in one location for easy access, eliminating the need to search across multiple data silo systems. Also, leveraging shared worklists and integrated data flows, systems can automatically link imaging from modalities such as intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), fractional flow reserve (FFR) and X-ray angiography into a single patient record. This eliminates the need for clinicians to manually search across systems and ensures all relevant data is available during procedures and review.
7. Seamless modality integration
Data from different technologies should all be able to link to the same patient to keep clinicians from manually pulling information from separate datasets.
8. Easy access to prior studies
Previous reports and images should automatically be available for side-by-side comparisons. “Bring-forward” functionality lets clinicians copy prior findings and only update changes. This is a major time-saver, especially for longitudinal care.
9. Measurable time savings
Systems should be able to help easily track data through an analytics program. This allows the ability for comparisons over time, costs by procedure, average times and outliers in procedures, the ability to clearly identify bottlenecks or redundant workflows, and how much time various IT features, techniques or devices save or increase time.
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Dave Fornell has covered healthcare for more than 17 years, with a focus in cardiology and radiology. Fornell is a 5-time winner of a Jesse H. Neal Award, the most prestigious editorial honors in the field of specialized journalism. The wins included best technical content, best use of social media and best COVID-19 coverage. Fornell was also a three-time Neal finalist for best range of work by a single author. He produces more than 100 editorial videos each year, most of them interviews with key opinion leaders in medicine. He also writes technical articles, covers key trends, conducts video hospital site visits, and is very involved with social media. E-mail: [email protected]