“Like any change, switching to Enterprise Imaging has been a learning curve,” says Dr. Rawah, but enhanced workflow and productivity benefits are already being felt. “For the radiology staff, Enterprise Imaging has made working ‘on the go’ and at home much simpler. Collaboration is also easier. For instance, radiologists can share cases, create teaching files and discuss findings and issues via chat, all remotely.” The ability to confer with colleagues in real time about specific findings reduces reporting time, while improving the quality of the information.

Enterprise Imaging tools and hanging protocols make analyzing and comparing studies – or even CDs from other facilities – more efficient. “We can specify a layout according to a study’s planes and type, which improves the speed and consistency of reporting. It also makes it easier to detect new small lesions in our cancer patients. Creating a macro or text template is easy, and encourages systematic evaluation of the scans. And it helps for the training of our junior colleagues,” adds on-call radiologist Dr. Mohammad A. Bokhary.

Furthermore, as cardiothoracic radiologist Dr. May Bejad Alsharif explains, “The Enterprise Imaging software is designed to facilitate the radiologist’s workflow, by creating an overview list according to required tasks such as order reviews, scan protocoling and reporting.”

The radiologists themselves have noticed the improvements in their workloads, thanks to the remote reporting workflow, for instance. “Enterprise Imaging supports a better work/life balance for the radiologists, even as they continue providing the highest level of patient care, quality of service and reporting,” Dr. Rawah says. “In addition, the remote access enables faster response for critical cases during nights or weekends, even when the on-call radiologist lives 100 kilometers away from the hospital.”

The new tools available in Enterprise Imaging are also improving patient care. Specialized applications, including advanced visualization and 3D, provide information that help support confident diagnoses. Dr. Rawah specifies, “These tools help our radiologists to pick up small and fine details that were less easily discovered with the previous system. Furthermore, the platform provides us with direct access to other tools we use, such as SPECT and PET, which definitely adds a new level of interpretation and accuracy.”

“Viewing large-sized studies, such as multiphasic abdomen CTs, is now much faster and more reliable for the urgent detection of life-saving findings during on-calls,” adds Dr. Bokhary.

The embedded, advanced clinical tools also facilitate quantification and qualification assessments of cardiovascular structures. “To give one example, with the pre-procedural CT Evaluation of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) workflow, the advanced clinical application can estimate the aortic valve anatomic and detailed measurements, before intervention, supporting informed decision-making,” says Dr. Alsharif.

KAMC’s decision to continue the relationship with AGFA HealthCare, from 2011 to the present day, is a clear testimony of the support provided by AGFA HealthCare to the hospital, before, during and after the implementation of Enterprise imaging.

As Dr. Rawah explains, “AGFA HealthCare engineers are available both via a hotline and in person, and technical support is always provided when we ask for it.”

Dr. Alsharif adds: “AGFA HealthCare’s support team is always available to deliver high-quality, effective services, 24/7. Furthermore, they are proactive in approaching radiologists and radiographers for new services, and to show us valuable ways to optimize our use of the system.”