[caption id="attachment_2659" align="alignleft" width="122"] Helen Titus, Marketing Director, Digital Capture Solutions, Carestream[/caption] Creating exposure ranges for pediatric patients is an important goal—with action taking place on several fronts. Researchers from six children's hospitals in the U.S.are collaborating to build the first pediatric CT dose index registry.
Read More[caption id="attachment_745" align="alignleft" width="184"] Anne Richards, Clinical Development Manager, Women’s Healthcare, Carestream[/caption] Q: Are you seeing more young radiologists going into mammography services? A: At mammography conferences and continuing education courses around the world, I’ve been seeing younger participants than in the past. In fact, I'd say
Read MoreCongrats to Jeremy Enfinger, who was this month's "Guess The X-Ray" challenge winner! Jeremy correctly identified the image as an ipod. Place your guess in May's image challenge in the comments. This month’s “Guess the X-ray” challenge runs until June 4. The first person to correctly identify
Read MoreNorm Burgess is entering his 28th season of imaging professional football players. Today he’s Lead Radiology Technologist for the Dallas Cowboy’s home games--a dream opportunity for many rad tech sport fans. Burgess gives us a quick look into game time imaging of professional football players. Q:
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Boris Alvarez, project consultant, Medical Technology School, Universidad San Sebastián
Editor’s Note: Boris Alvarez, project consultant for Medical Technology School, Universidad San Sebastián , in Santiago Chile, shared his thoughts with us on the difference between public and private healthcare, digital x-ray technology and the importance of continuing education and networking.
Q: Having lived in both the United States and Chile, can you give us a snapshot of the differences you see in planned healthcare reforms?
In my opinion, healthcare reforms in both countries address the need to achieve better access to care, especially for those more vulnerable citizens.
On one hand, the USA has been the most important country in the development of technologies for the whole world. This is increasing healthcare costs by transferring research costs to American patients. The US government expects to use strategies that reduce healthcare prices for the population with fewer alternatives to pay for it.
In contrast, the Chilean government is addressing healthcare access through a framework that allows public and private investment to give access to better technology to the people who can not afford it.
I think the biggest challenges for healthcare institutions are in their capacity to adapt to the new scenario. In the American case, institutions must be able to fit their cost structure in order to be more competitive. In the Chilean case, institutions must follow the technologic vanguard, in spite of the limitations in budget of the Chilean market.
Gary Allbutt, visiting relief radiographer in North Dandenong, Victoria, Australia
Editor’s note: We sat down with Gary Allbutt, who is currently a visiting relief radiographer in Cath Labs, Angiography and General Radiography, in North Dandenong, Victoria, Australia. We asked him a few questions to get his thoughts on changes in radiology over the past 40 years, observed from his vast experience across commercial and regulatory roles as well as administration, training and other specialties.
Q: You’ve been involved in radiology for nearly forty years. What was radiology like when you embarked in this profession 38 years ago?
I entered Radiography in 1975 as a student in the Royal Melbourne Institute of Radiography (RMIT) three year course for “External Studies Students,” who were employed outside of metropolitan hospitals across Australia.
From day one, students undertook an apprenticeship, working side by side with experienced Radiographers, absorbing the culture and work practices. Logbooks listed required examinations and procedures to be observed and conducted with a progression through general radiography of extremities increasing in complexity to procedures such as Angiography, in the final year.
Modalities such as CT and Ultrasound had just started to appear. Early Angiography was undertaken by “Direct Stick” in Carotids and Trans–Lumbar Aortograms. The Seldinger Technique and selective catheterisation was just emerging overseas and major metropolitan departments here inAustralia. Manual cassette changers and rapid serial film changers acquired sequential images of the contrast bolus’ passage through the vessels.
Looking back the introduction of new technologies and techniques has been dazzling and un-abated. Take radiographic support in theatre for a hip pinning — radiographs from two mobile machines and manual film processing! The advent of Mobile Image Intensifiers made the guidance of internal fixations more accurate and reduced the patient’s time under anaesthetic.
Compound that now with the advent of hybrid theatres with systems supporting neuro surgeons, as well as vascular, orthopaedic and others. This is just one phenomenal area of growth let alone Ultrasound, 3D and Cone Beam technologies. From my early days in 1975 these developments would have been almost inconceivable.
[caption id="attachment_1462" align="alignleft" width="144" caption="Greg Freiherr, Medscape and Diagnostic Imaging Europe contributor, and consultant to the medical imaging industry."][/caption] Guest Post: Greg Freiherr, a frequent contributor to Medscape and Diagnostic Imaging Europe, as well as a consultant to the medical imaging industry The medical community goes through
Read MoreEditor’s Note: Houston Healthcare in Warner Robins, Ga. recently installed six CARESTREAM DRX Systems to streamline image delivery. We asked Tim Sisco, Director of Cardiovascular and Imaging Services at Houston Healthcare, to talk about the impact converting from CR to DR systems has had on their dose reduction
Read MoreEditor’s Note: Encompass Medical Group recently installed a CARESTREAM Vue PACS to serve its eight locations in the greater Kansas City area. Susan Stidham, Director of Ancillary Services at Encompass Medical Group shares her thoughts on PACS support for breast imaging modalities and how it impacted their PACS selection
Read MoreSam Friedman, M.D. is our March radiology image challenge winner. He correctly identified the x-ray as a CABBAGE. Thanks for all the great guesses! Here's the image for April's challenge: This month’s “Guess the X-ray” challenge runs until May 7. The first person to correctly identify the subject
Read More[caption id="attachment_2521" align="alignright" width="163"] Jeremy Enfinger, BS, RT(R), Radiology Lead Tech at Scripps Health[/caption] Editor's Note: We sat down with Jeremy Enfinger, BS, RT(R), Radiology Lead Tech at Scripps Health and Adjunct Radiography Instructor at San Diego Mesa College, to get his thoughts on the evolution of the radiography profession, digital
Read MoreAccording to the World Health Organization, two-thirds of the world lacks access to basic X-ray services. Because 60 percent of medical conditions seen in first-referral, primary care settings require X-ray to properly diagnose, the lack of X-ray capabilities hinders the delivery of effective, quality medical
Read More[caption id="attachment_2492" align="alignleft" width="104" caption="Michael H. Brown, vice president, sales and service, United States & Canada, Carestream"][/caption] Healthcare reform is the new normal. Change will be constant with continuous adjustments to projected regulations, but one mandate is here to stay: Pay for Performance CMS style…popularly known
Read More[caption id="attachment_2484" align="alignleft" width="94" caption="Julia, Weidman, Marketing Manager, Women's Health & Healthcare Information Solutions, Carestream"][/caption] The 22nd Annual National Interdisciplinary Breast Center Conference sponsored by the National Consortium of Breast Centers opened yesterday in Las Vegas. A global audience of nearly 1,000 attendees will participate in more
Read MoreIn two years, Carestream has cut its energy consumption in half. Much of that savings came from conservation efforts at manufacturing facilities, but we also focused on reducing energy at our office buildings around the world. Our employees take satisfaction in knowing that our efforts
Read MoreFebruary’s x-ray—a TOASTER—stumped our Everything Rad readers. But there are still plenty of images! Here’s the image for March’s challenge. This month’s “Guess the X-ray” challenge runs until April 2. The first person to correctly identify the subject of the x-ray will be the winner. Happy guessing! Sorry… Carestream
Read MoreEditors Note: We collaborated with Andreasz Diesenreiter, part of ESR’s ECR2012 team, to put together this guide of social networking tips for the upcoming congress. ECR2012 is the perfect opportunity to not only connect with us at Carestream, but to also use of social media
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