In a move that expands its technological capabilities and further differentiates Memorial Hermann as an innovative leader in the greater Houston area, the hospital system has implemented a cutting-edge, cloud-based medical image sharing platform that vastly enhances image management, distribution and data exchanges between referring physicians and hospitals in southeast Texas. Memorial Hermann is among the first in Texas to employ this image-sharing technology.
Powered by DICOM Grid, provider of a cloud-based platform for medical imaging management applications, the technology greatly increases the quality of care, patient safety and business continuity between Memorial Hermann's hospitals, Imaging Centers, affiliated physicians and other providers in the community. Memorial Hermann's enterprise-wide technology initiative improves service and promotes tighter integration with facilities that refer patients to its Level One trauma center and physicians that utilize any of the 28 Memorial Hermann Imaging Centers.
"DICOM Grid eliminates the need for CDs and traditional radiology film because authorized facilities can now easily and instantly transmit images to our Level One trauma center or receive radiology studies from our Imaging Centers, including MRI and CT scans, via the system," said David Bradshaw, Chief Information, Marketing and Planning Officer at Memorial Hermann.
"This technology has the potential to revolutionize patient care," said James McCarthy, MD, emergency medicine physician at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center/UTHealth. "The image sharing capability accelerates diagnosis and treatment and helps avoid unnecessary imaging tests. Images can now arrive to our emergency center well-ahead of patients, allowing the studies to be read and the clinicians to be prepped and ready-to-go as soon as patients come through our doors."
According to Bradshaw, Memorial Hermann selected DICOM Grid because its functionality, flexibility, scalability and cloud-based architecture best enable the healthcare system to meet the clinical and business demands of a rapidly evolving health system. The solution sharply improves imaging management, distribution and data exchange, offering radiologists and physicians 24/7 access to images captured within the network of providers that use the service. He added that it significantly streamlines workflow and quality care, especially for trauma patients, across the system.
"As one of the country's top health systems, Memorial Hermann is truly an innovator that continues to seek out ways to improve care and reduce health costs for patients and the overall health system," said Mike Wall, DICOM Grid's CEO. "We are honored that our cloud-based technology is a part of the health system's vision of collaborative, efficient and cost-effective care, and we look forward to helping its facilities continue down the path of innovation as they prepare to transition to an integrated care delivery model."
The image-sharing technology is just one component in the innovative Memorial Hermann Information Exchange (MHiE) infrastructure. The exchange is an encrypted electronic network that will give authorized users access to real-time patient information, including medical images and clinical data.