Diagnostic Reading #8: Five “Must Read” Articles on HIT and Radiology

Reading Time: 2 minutes read

Top news: multimedia reports enhance tumor tracking; and public clouds not secure.

Diagnostic Reading summary includes: NIH study shows multimedia reports enhance tumor tracking; cloud survey finds patient data might not be protected; what providers can learn from the hospitality industry; radiology as a business is becoming increasingly complex; and patient engagement reduces readmission from chronic conditions.

Multimedia radiology reports enhance tumor tracking – Auntminnie

Multimedia radiology reports that provide hyperlinks to annotated tumor measurements and include graphs that show treatment response can improve how these lesions are tracked over time, according to recently published research. In a retrospective study involving nearly 500 lesions, a team from NIH found that multimedia reports significantly improved concordance between radiologists and oncologists in selecting and measuring target lesions, compared with text-only radiology reports. The result is fewer discrepancies between what radiologists are measuring and what oncologists are using to evaluate how tumors are responding to therapy.

Cloud survey: quarter of healthcare organizations put patient data at risk in public cloud – Health Management Technology

A recent cloud survey analyzes healthcare organizations’ use of public cloud, the utilization of public cloud implementations, and how data is protected in these cloud environments. The survey of 51 healthcare and biotech organizations found that 25% of healthcare organizations using the public cloud do not encrypt their data. The survey also found that 63% of healthcare organizations say they intend to use multiple cloud vendors, and 38% of organizations with data in a multi-cloud environment are not using any form of encryption.

What providers can learn from the hospitality industry – Health Data Management

Patient satisfaction is not just about whether a patient is pleased with the treatment being received. More important is whether the patient really is having a good clinical experience that will translate to improved outcomes. A HIMSS presentation described how a hotel chain provided guests with digital engagement tools to enhance and personalize their experience.

Reimbursement, billing in radiology: updates and issues – Diagnostic Imaging

Radiology as a business has become increasingly complex as regulatory demands grow and revenues decrease for hospitals and physicians. Doing more with less has become a common theme. The commoditization of billing as well as the implementation of ICD-10 codes have played an important role over the past year, according to industry experts.

Patient engagement reduces readmission from chronic conditions – Clinical Innovation+Technology

A West Virginia hospital implemented a patient engagement and education system that has reduced readmission of patients with chronic conditions such as congestive heart failure (CHF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The system uses smart TVs, software platforms, mobile applications, and interactive videos to educate patients and increase their engagement in their own care. The system also goes one step further with condition-specific tools, activity reports, and patient monitoring.

Check back next Friday for a new issue of Diagnostic Reading. #healthIT #HIT #radiology