The Top 10 Reasons for Veterinarians to go Digital
Reading Time: 3 minutes read
Heidi McIntosh, Marketing Manager, X-ray Solutions, Carestream
Radiography is a jargon-heavy environment filled with terms and acronyms that can be hard for anyone to follow. The last thing you want to worry about is being confused while taking care of your patients. There is no doubt that technology is changing the way we work and many facilities are upgrading from film-based radiography to digital, but some are still on the fence.
A veterinary practice on the coast of Southern England recently showcased the advanced medical care now available for beloved pets and their owners. Raddenstiles Veterinary Surgery upgraded to digital to deliver access and management of high-quality imaging studies for the 3,500 patients the practice sees each month. Going digital has enabled the practice to engage in remote consultations to better treat their patients.
In a recent case, a Jack Russell Terrier fell off a 150-foot seaside cliff and was rescued by the Coast Guard. The veterinarian at the local practice determined the dog had a broken hip and digitally transmitted the images to the on-call vet at the Raddenstiles practice. There, they were able to devise a treatment plan and successfully repair the injury once the dog was stable and fit for surgery.
V-Inside: A magazine from Carestream about veterinary radiology trends.
There are many benefits that come from making the move to digital from both a business and patient-care perspective. Here are 10 of the best ones:
- Speed: Imaging exams are faster and smoother than ever before. X-ray images are displayed almost instantly, enabling veterinarians to accept or retake an image if needed, adding up to faster diagnosis and early treatment.
- Quality: Digital imaging provides superb quality, which can mean a higher level of confidence in the diagnoses and potentially, an increased standard of care.
- Waste: No more film, storage, toxic chemicals, fumes/odors, or long processing times.
- Versatility: Flexible and versatile software enables veterinarians to capture both soft tissue and bone detail in the same image, eliminating the need for multiple exposures with film cassettes.
- Sharing: Digital imaging supports increased clinical collaboration because images can be quickly and easily shared electronically.
- Application: Digitally captured exam images can be enhanced and manipulated to aid in interpretation.
- Space: Save valuable floor space since there is no need for a dedicated darkroom or storage for files because all images can be archived digitally.
- Savings: Advancing technology is making the initial cost of digital systems even more affordable. Over time practices can enjoy a lower cost of ownership and operation.
- Transition: The transition is smooth and easy with little to no disruption. Digital imaging fits into existing workflow with an easy-to-use interface, minimizing training time.
- Intuitive: This state-of-the-art technology can differentiate practices from the competition and enhance professional image.
The latest edition of An Inside Look magazine further discusses how Raddenstiles Veterinary Surgery benefits from going digital, along with “RAD 101: Know Your Modalities,” and a closer look at the TDR Detector. You can read the latest edition of the magazine here and subscribe to never miss a new version here.
How can going digital help your veterinary clinic be at its very best?
Lynnea David
VETERINARIANS are not the only one who needed to go digital, in fact many of the arab countries which previously relied on old media now are shifting to digital media after realizing its importance.
Olivia Gilman
Great ideas about why vets should use more digital technologies. Your story about the clinic was able to get the digital x-rays of the Jack Russell Terrier that fell off of the cliff is a great example. Thanks for sharing.