OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE PROVIDES READY ACCESS TO PATIENT HISTORIES

In the quest for better use of patient histories, a team from the University of California, San Diego has devised a unique system that gives them access to the hospital information system on their PACS. They are using an open-source software program, Autohotkey, to synchronize the PACS and the HIS, allowing them to open up patient records for a more thorough understanding of the imaging studies they review.

The system allows them to automate any program by sending keystrokes and mouse clicks, according to the macro's creator, Dr. Amilcare Gentili, a clinical radiology professor at UCSD. It is also possible to write a macro and compile it into a small executable file that can be run from any directory, without any need for installation or registry modification.

The macro can be found on Gentili's website at http://gentili.net. The sole caveats are that the macro works only for the Windows platform and that it was tested only with Agfa Impax 5.2 and CPRS, according to Gentili.

Most residents and fellows at UCSD are using the open-source software if their workstations are connected to both the PACS and the HIS.

"It speeds up checking the clinical history and increases the number of times that the clinical history is reviewed. In a few cases, knowing the clinical history has changed the interpretation of the images," Gentili said.

STUDY PINPOINTS KEYS TO VOICE RECOGNITION SUCCESS

Radiology facilities have struggled with the adoption of voice recognition technology. It should have been yielding big improvements in efficiency, but, too often, the results have been less than expected.

A study conducted at the University of North Carolina, in its 700-bed academic hospital, found that the issues were less technological than human. The amount of time and energy a radiologist or radiology team is willing to devote to learning the new system is one key factor.

The study used report turnaround times before and after the adoption of voice recognition as the benchmark for improvement. Results among the facility's 30 radiologists varied widely. Reductions in turnaround time ranged from 93% to –33%, with two radiologists actually extending their report turnaround times under voice recognition.

One of the researchers, Dr. Arun Krishnaraj, summarized the main problems in the adoption of voice recognition by tapping radiologists who:

• did not invest time to refine the voice recognition vocabulary for better speech recognition;
• did not contact and work with IT support to learn more about the workflow improvements afforded by voice recognition;
• frequently reverted back to the legacy system when frustrated by the voice recognition system;<
• did not use the voice recognition system interface to finalize reports; and
• lacked patience.

"Any new technology will take some time getting used to," Krishnaraj said. "Those with less patience in learning how to alter their workflow to benefit from voice recognition fared worse than those who initially were slowed by the system but persevered."

PINEAPPLE CONTRAST PLEASES PATIENTS AND SAVES MONEY, TOO

Researchers from Italy are saving money and delighting patients by using pineapple juice laced with gadolinium as a negative oral contrast agent for secretin-enhanced MR cholangiopancreatography.