Radiology transcription companies help physicians ensure integrity in electronic health records (EHRs) by providing accurate text-based radiology reports. However, there is a new demand – physicians now want image-enabled EHR. Streamlined, perceptive medical imaging services can provide physicians with access to critical patient information. This will allow them to gain new insights, engage in collaborative care, and save lives.
According to a 2016 Healthcare IT News report, an increasing number of physicians want more than just transcripts of radiology reports. They want to access medical images via the electronic health record. The specific benefits of having actual diagnostic images in the EHR are as follows:
- As patients tend to move through various settings such as imaging centers, primary care, and surgical units, physicians need technologies that will facilitate the sharing of image files
- By allowing physicians access to patient imaging, image enabled EHRs would reduce duplicate test orders and radiation exposure
- Medical imaging services would help providers place and receive an order, and browse archived imaging for all previous imaging related to a particular patient in their network
In a peer60.com survey, 68% providers stated that cloud networks are the ideal technology to facilitate the sharing of image files. Today’s EHRs can create custom URLs or links within the patient record. An encrypted image link within the EHR would automatically launch a feature-rich, footprint-free medical image viewer.
Radiology and imaging reports that a medical transcription company provides contains details such as
- The body area under study
- The reason for the study
- The type of imaging study conducted
- The number and type of views recorded
- Contrast materials or medications used
- A description of the test process
- The results of the study
- Conclusions and recommendations
Radiology transcripts along with access to imaging within the EHR would ensure physicians of comprehensive and accurate healthcare records to improve patient care and safety.