To ensure optimal data flow and the accuracy of the EPR (Electronic Patient Record), there is a need for perfect integration between general databases (HIS, PIS, EPR) and department oriented applications (RIS, LIS, CIS, PACS, endoscopy software, gynaecology software). The HIS proposed by Osor is both global and customizable. It prioritises the improvement of the medical workflow and the facilitation of all the data transfers in the hospital.
When considering the integration between the RIS and the PACS the main goal is synchronizing the viewing of images and data/texts, and to make both accessible via an optional portal.
The proposed LIS (laboratory information system) is oriented to the collecting and transmission of a complete range of biological results, but as well to the integration with the general database (EPR, HIS,) and with some particular applications (RIS, CIS, endoscopy software) for the specific queries issued by those systems.
In the case of pre-existing systems (for instance: obsolete concepts, incomplete systems or obstructive procedures), a communication platform can be necessary.
This is achieved by communication in HL7 and DICOM, with or without overlapping and redundancy in archiving, with or without master patient index.
The transfer of medical data between institutions is not yet fully digital and remains sometimes physical: films, CDs or DVDs, printed reports, prescriptions for further examinations. It is critical for hospital workflow to acquire, archive and distribute this information quickly and correctly.
The global system Osor proposes archives all sorts of data, acquired from various media in multiple formats. Some examples among many others:
The priorities that are focused on with this global documentation are communication, where the relevant users access the data by application clients and/or by web solution, and the integration with other systems (HIS, PVS). When needed the multimedia platform can still export its data on physical media: paper, film, CD/DVD by direct burning or via a robot.
Too often the medical viewing suffers a multiplication of different specialized applications, and the dissociation between the diagnostic viewing, and clinical documentation. This problem is solved by the Osor PACS, which links application and web solution; both systems have a diagnostic quality, use the same database, are located on the same server, and allow an interactive teleconferencing even between application user and web user.
The radiologist uses the application in his department, and the web solution during his night or week-end duties. The clinician uses the web solution but this one provides a diagnostic quality. A session of interactive teleconference can be settled between a radiologist using the application and a clinician using the web solution.
The security concept of the software is in accordance with the requirements of data privacy of the German law (Bundesdatenschutzgesetz, BDSG), with the regulations of the German Federal Bureau of Information Technology Security (BSI) and with the techniques of data security defined by the European Commission in the IT Security Manual.
The safety level of the software exceeds the existing standards, and preserves the handling, the transfer and the storage of the data from the risks of external insight, of intentional or unintentional modification, or of external falsification.
Our software fulfils the most modern requirements:
The archiving can be done on server, SAN, NAS, with or without virtualization, with or without architecture of failover, with or without back-up of the data on tape, with or without back-up or long term archiving on a remote datacenter.
The archiving can be done on server, SAN, NAS, with or without virtualization, with or without architecture of failover, with or without back-up of the data on tape, with or without back-up or long term archiving on a remote datacenter.
The tools for image handling, provided by Osor PACS, include: drawings (annotation, freehand line, region of interest), measurements (distance, angle between lines), zoom. The drawings and measurements can be DICOM-burnt, and the reconstructed images can be sent, exported, or stored, besides the original images.
The radiologist can freely customize his viewing, by the use of hanging protocols, whose configuration is easy and can be based on multiple selected parameters.
In the interactive sessions, the pointer, the zoom, and the drawing tools can be shared by both users. With the Osor PACS, such an interactivity is possible between 2 viewing stations using the application, or between 2 web viewers, or even between a web viewer and a viewing station using the application. The hardware, the software and their configuration, are adapted to the usage:
The data needing to be acquired, archived and viewed, are relating, not more to radiology only ("classical PACS"), but also to other departments: endoscopy, gynaecology, cardiology, nuclear medicine, operation rooms, dermatology, ophthalmology ("PACS2"). To have one dedicated system per department, requires multiple integrations between different subsystems. It is more and more recommended that at least the archiving would be global. It means a homogeneous management of the identification parameters of the patients and of the studies across the entire hospital.
Besides the pictures and their attributes, an enterprise PACS stores other data (reports, waveforms, measurements).
This centralized model eliminates cross server data flow and bottlenecks, and reduces all the investment costs (in hardware, software, installation, integration, maintenance and support). Additionally, such a system can easily include additional units once installed.
By its logical storage and distribution of the medical info, the enterprise PACS speeds up the diagnosis and improves the medical workflow. By grouping and structuring the administrative data relating to the studies, it procures on a safe way a massive gain of time, which preserves the human and economic resources of the hospital.
The digitizing process is reducing the past effects of the distance in many regards: for obtaining a second opinion from an external expert, for running a safe immediate viewing during the night duties, for sharing any info inside a multi-site hospital group.
In order to improve the diagnosis, speed up the workflow and reduce the costs, our PACS uses, when possible, the same software and hardware for the teleradiology as well as for the diagnostic reporting, the web distribution and the archiving.
Teleradiology can use different types of features and modules, like:
Teleconferencing allows of a cooperative session between application user and web user. During such an interactive session or teleconference, all the tools of measurement, drawing and annotation are synchronously shared between the cooperative partners.
A portal of telemedicine can be proposed, it integrates images, reports, and other documents, includes a gateway, and works bilaterally.
Provides cost savings by minimising the ordering and storage of unneeded materials and by reducing the man hours lost on inventory assessment. This procedure also makes the ordering and billing of materials easier and more predictable, and the budgeting more precise.
The material management provides a quicker response time in patient care as necessary materials can be located quickly. It increases the focus of nurses and doctors on patient care, by reducing the frustration of searching for lost materials. It reduces also the risk of missing equipment in the OR and the need for improvisation is such circumstances.
The solutions of process optimization that we propose are relating to: