Radiology Today: How to Enhance Veteran Care Access for Radiology
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is continually working to improve both clinical and administrative workflows to enhance Veteran care.
However, inefficiencies in radiology, particularly related to paper-based protocols and appointment scheduling, have long posed challenges. Fortunately, modern electronic solutions are helping streamline these processes to ensure more timely and effective care.
These were the key themes of a recent Radiology Today guest article by Ricky DeLeon, Product Line Manager at DSS, Inc. At a high-level, Ricky discusses how DSS’ Order Tracking Manager (OTM) for Radiology is a modern electronic solution that enhances Veteran care access for radiology. Following are the key highlights from this guest article.
Addressing Paper-Based Inefficiencies
Historically, the VA relied on paper-based radiology protocols, which often resulted in misplaced or lost documents, leading to delays in scheduling. Medical Support Assistants (MSAs) frequently had to manually track down radiologists or wait for protocols to be printed and retrieved, creating unnecessary bottlenecks.
Additionally, many Veterans must travel long distances for appointments, sometimes requiring multiple visits to different clinics in a single day. This increases the risk of overbooking, further complicating the scheduling process. When overbooking occurs, patients may face extended wait times, appointment cancellations, or rescheduling – delaying their treatment and making it difficult to meet clinically indicated deadlines.
Leveraging Electronic Protocoling Solutions
To address these challenges, the VA is adopting electronic protocoling solutions like OTM for Radiology that provide clear visibility into the status of radiology protocols. This solution offers unique filters to identify which exams require protocols and which have already been processed, allowing MSAs to schedule appointments more efficiently and avoid overbooking.
OTM for Radiology’s electronic display also helps MSAs by providing a comprehensive view of all clinical appointments scheduled for the current day and beyond. This enables better coordination and prevents unnecessary scheduling conflicts.
Streamlined Reporting and Real-Time Access
Beyond scheduling, OTM for Radiology’s electronic reporting capabilities allow radiologists to track protocol completion with timestamps and digital signatures. Radiologists can create and manage progress notes, ensuring all protocols requiring attention are easily identified and signed off.
Furthermore, timely communication of critical diagnostic imaging results is essential for effective Veteran care. OTM for Radiology incorporates real-time diagnostic imaging result views, highlighting critical findings with color-coded filters. For instance, urgent reports are marked in yellow to ensure they receive immediate attention, helping providers prioritize care effectively.
Integration with VA’s Legacy Systems
OTM for Radiology’s electronic workflow enhancements integrate seamlessly with VistA, the VA’s legacy Electronic Health Record (EHR) system, and the VA’s Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). This ensures that radiology information is easily accessible and shareable across departments, fostering improved care coordination.
Supporting the VA’s High Reliability Organization (HRO) Goals
A key priority for the VA is its transformation into a High Reliability Organization (HRO), a model that emphasizes minimizing errors despite operating in complex and high-risk environments. By implementing OTM for Radiology, the VA promotes a culture of safety and efficiency, ensuring that patient care decisions prioritize Veteran well-being above all else.
These solutions also track user actions, allowing for error analysis and the implementation of quality control measures to prevent future issues. This contributes to the VA’s overarching mission of continuous improvement in patient safety and care outcomes.
Conclusion: Putting Veterans First
At its core, the VA’s adoption of OTM for Radiology is about putting Veterans at the center of care, which is the overall conclusion of this guest article. By eliminating inefficiencies, reducing scheduling conflicts, and ensuring real-time access to critical radiology information, OTM for Radiology is transforming how the VA delivers care.
Read the full Radiology Today guest article here. In addition, Ricky discusses OTM for Radiology further in this DSS Q&A blog post.