Seven Reasons Why the DRX-Revolution is a Rad Tech’s Dream Machine
Reading Time: 3 minutes read
Don Thompson, Digital Capture Solutions, Marketing Manager, Carestream U.S. & Canada
The social media phenomenon of sharing motivational quotes has infiltrated our professional lives. Yesterday on LinkedIn a connection posted an image with this statement:
“The most dangerous phrase in the language is
‘We’ve always done it this way.'”
— Grace Hopper, American computer scientist and United States Navy rear admiral.
A simple and poignant point about challenging yourself and your organization to break from tradition and create better ways to work.
One aspect of a radiology department that, until recently, suffered from stagnation was portable imaging. People did things in mobile imaging for so long that they believed there was no other way to do it.
When we developed the CARESTREAM DRX-Revolution we wanted to do something that had never been done before. We really wanted to design the DRX-Revolution from the ground up to be a digital portable x-ray system that was more efficient for radiologic technologists.
To do this we not only went to more than 50 healthcare sites, but we also observed rad techs conducting exams. We even returned to the sites to show them design sketches and get their input.
With the DRX-Revolution portable rounds are now different. Finally technologists have an easy mobile DR system that was designed for the way they want to work, not the way they’ve always done things.
So in the spirit of motivational quote sharing, here are seven reasons – told in quotes from DRX-Revolution users – why a portable imaging system that challenged norms is now most likely to be the machine in a rad tech’s dreams:
- “Technologists stand in line waiting for the DRX-Revolution to come back from a portable because they want to use the Revolution. The collapsible column allows the technologist to see over the portable machine so we are certainly able to see anyone coming down the hallway.” – Mike Foley, Director of Radiology, Physical & Occupational Therapy, Tufts Medical Center
The moveable, collapseable column is one of the many benefits rad techs love about the DRX-Revolution.
- “An image recall feature allows technologists to pull up the last three exams for each patient and copy the techniques that were used to help ensure consistency. Two technologists conduct 20-25 inpatient exams each morning in just 45 minutes. It used to take four technologists 1.5 hours with CR-based portable systems.” – Chief Technologist Chris Vineyard, University Health System, San Antonio
- “With wireless technology, they no longer have to watch out for the various cords that once tethered detectors to the X-ray machine. Wireless, digital X-ray technology makes our jobs a lot more efficient and a lot easier. There’s less running between patients rooms, and if we get a bad image, we can retake it immediately.” – Susan Moody, Radiologic Technologist and Clinical Manager of Portable and OR imaging, University of Rochester Medical Center
- “Thanks to its powerful 32kW generator and DRX detector, we have lowered exposures—and the tube and grid alignment system simultaneously enhances image quality by facilitating grid use.” – Chris Schneider, Director of Radiology Imaging Services, Brookhaven Memorial Hospital
- “DRX-Revolution systems contain an automatic radio frequency identification (RFID) reader that signs in technologists using RFID chips in their badges. This automatic process ensures that we have an accurate record of which technologist is using the machine for each exam. It’s also much more convenient for the techs. By the time they touch the machine, they are already logged in for use.” – Todd Stanley, Administrative Director of Radiology, IU Health Methodist Hospital
- “DR technology made it easier to keep the images attached to the correct patient, even when they came into the hospital without identification. While everyone was double-checking patient IDs on exam orders, the portable digital systems also allowed the techs to edit the exam information, if it needed to be corrected, before sending the images to radiologists. There wasn’t a lot of handoff of paperwork and handoff of cassettes. Because it was digital, it really cut down on errors.” – Elisabeth Grady, General Diagnostic Manager of the Radiology Department, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- “Having two review screens comes in handy when the technologists are working by themselves. If they are on the far side they can select what they need to right on the tubehead without leaving the patient’s bedside.” – Kathy Morreale, Charge Technologist, Hamilton General Hospital
Are you ready to get the DRX-Revolution out of your dreams and into your department? Learn more and contact us.
