Tidelands Health Enhances Patient Care with New Mobile X-ray Systems

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Nov. 17 — Tidelands Health, a growing healthcare provider in South Carolina, uses Carestream Health’s DRX-Revolution Mobile X-ray Systems to deliver improved patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mobile units have helped the healthcare system to keep Patients Under Investigation (PUI) and COVID-19-positive patients isolated by attending to their X-ray needs at the bedside.

“It’s been a rough year and being able to take these mobile X-ray units directly to a patient’s bedside has been critical,” said Kimberly Cook, Director of Inpatient Imaging at Tidelands Health.

Tidelands Health uses five DRX-Revolution units across two hospitals. “When the pandemic started, our policy was that every X-ray exam for a PUI or a COVID-positive patient was done at bedside,” said Kathleen Stier, Imaging Supervisor at Tidelands Health.

Carestream’s DRX-Revolution Mobile X-ray System has additional features that help reduce contamination, including flush-mounted displays that provide a smooth surface for better disinfecting and wristband barcode scanners for easier workflow and limited equipment interaction.

Mobile systems at Tidelands Health also are used in intensive care, labor and delivery and post-operative care units, conducting exams such as chest X-rays, line placements and extremity imaging. “The mobility of these units allows us to go into rooms that aren’t really set up for mobile X-ray exams, yet they move around the room with ease,” Mrs. Stier said.

Designed to quietly navigate hallways and operate in tight spaces, the DRX-Revolution (see video link) uses a wireless detector.

“Because our staff cares for COVID-positive patients, they wear a lot of protective clothing. These lighter detectors along with the ease of mobility make it a lot easier on our staff,” Mrs. Cook said.

The user-friendly interface has enabled quicker training and technologists can troubleshoot issues themselves, if needed. An easily maneuverable system with a collapsible column has been beneficial. “You don’t have to twist around to see where you’re going,” Mrs. Stier added.

The DRX-Revolution has a lighter, balanced tube head and collimator with responsive display screens located at both the tube head and main display. Technologists now have another point of visibility with new functional LED lighting, a feature that has been a boon at Tidelands Health. “You don’t have to walk around the unit to see your image, and you can stand on the other side of the patient and still see it,” Mrs. Stier said.

Tidelands Health has observed the advancements and new features in mobile imaging systems over the years. “One of the great features is that these mobile units don’t diminish the quality of the imaging, even at bedside,” she said. “Especially with this unit, it doesn’t compromise quality at all.”