Diagnostic Reading #6: Five “Must Read” Articles on HIT and Radiology

Reading Time: 4 minutes read

Remote patient monitoring and the case for data scientists are in the news.

This week’s articles in Diagnostic Reading include: the status of digital healthcare in Italy; the importance of data scientists in healthcare; primary care providers and breast density laws; improving radiation safety for children; and patient devices might not improve health outcomes.

Digital health in Italy: the race is on – HIMSS Europe Insights

Although Italian healthcare may not be at the level of digital maturity of some other European countries, it’s made significant progress in the past year. However, Italian citizens—used to having digital services such as banking and online shopping—are not satisfied with the digital services that their healthcare system provides.

Using it or losing it? The case for data scientists inside healthcare – NEJM Catalyst

With as much as 30% of the world’s stored data generated in the healthcare industry, this trove has obvious clinical, financial and operational value. This article spotlights the authors’ view that the healthcare industry currently does not appreciate the inherent value of this data, which can only be fully harnessed through better data analytics. The authors also maintain that if appropriate investments in data science are not made in-house, then hospitals and health systems will run the risk of becoming reliant on outsiders to analyze the data that ultimately will be used to inform decisions and drive innovation. Read the blog to understand the meanings of AI terms and their roles in diagnostic imaging.

Breast density laws mystify primary care providers – AuntMinnie

Almost half of primary care providers don’t feel prepared to respond to patient questions about breast density, according to a recent study published online in the Journal of Women’s Health. Although most are aware of their state’s density notification legislation, they remain uncertain about what is required to comply and whether supplemental imaging for women with dense tissue is truly effective.

Informed imaging improves safety for children – Image Gently

Children with complex diseases—such as congenital and acquired heart disease—frequently have complicated medical needs and are often exposed to many procedures involving ionizing radiation. Although the procedures are important for making an accurate diagnosis and planning the most effective course of treatment, ionizing radiation itself is potentially harmful and can lead to an increased risk of cancer over a patient’s lifetime. Clinicians are advised to “take a step back” to ensure that a procedure is performed for the right reasons and that it’s the best possible procedure for evaluating the patient’s condition.

Study finds limited evidence that remote patient monitoring improves outcomes – Healthcare DIVE

Despite growing enthusiasm for remote patient monitoring devices there is little evidence to support claims they improve health outcomes, according to a recent study in Digital Medicine. Using trackers to improve outcomes for patients with select conditions like hypertension, Parkinson’s disease and low back pain showed some promise, while goals such as increased physical activity and weight loss yielded mixed results, the study says.

Blog of the week: SERAM: Guidelines for renewal and technology update in radiology – Everything Rad

The Spanish Society of Medical Radiology (SERAM) recently published its “Guidelines for Renewal and Technology Update in Radiology,” in which it analyzes the situation of medical imaging equipment in Spain. In this interview for Everything Rad, Dr. Miguel Ángel Trapero, strategic manager of SERAM, explains some of the most relevant aspects of this report, with special emphasis on issues such as the obsolescence of X-ray equipment and its fundamental role in diagnosis.

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