Boston Medical Center

Ensuring Complete Imaging Histories are Available Throughout the Patient Journey

Boston Medical Center is a 496-bed hospital in Boston, MA. It provides a full range of pediatric and adult care services, from primary to family medicine to advanced specialty care, and it is the busiest provider of trauma and emergency services in New England. As the largest safety-net hospital in the region it is committed to providing high quality care for all, and doing so in a cost-effective manner. With these factors in mind, BMC needed to give its clinicians faster access to medical imaging exams performed outside of its network.

The Challenge

Provide physicians with a more efficient way to access outside exams.

• Critical care teams were struggling with imaging CDs sent by satellite facilities

• Specialists in outpatient clinics lacked reliable access to imaging histories

• Forced to perform repeat procedures that aren’t always eligible for reimbursement

“A number of services lined up wanting to use Life Image. The neurology department, with the large number of patients they see on a daily basis, and the fact that virtually every patient has some type of imaging study that they bring with them, has been an early adopter… ENT also found out about this technology, saw it as an essential need and quickly became enthusiastic users.”

Alexander Norbash, MD, Chairman of Radiology

The Solution

Utilize the Life Image platform to view and internalize outside exams.

• Instantly upload and view patient CDs from anywhere in the hospital
• Receive exams electronically from referring facilities
• Readily perform secondary reads for reimbursement

“Image sharing is a difference maker because it gives us a leg up. It gives us a head start on knowing what the patient has before they get here and therefore that gives us the advantage of anticipating what services they might need next.”

Joseph Blansfield, NP, Trauma Program Director

The Results

13,684 Exams Uploaded

With Life Image, BMC uploaded 13,684 exams in 2014.

Better Trauma Workflow

Critical care teams now receive exams electronically before the patient arrives, a valuable head-start that reduces the likelihood of errors and safety risks.

Enthusiastic Adoption Across the Enterprise

Many image-intensive specialties stepped forward to roll out the solution for uploading outside studies and getting desired exams into PACS, including: Neurology, Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonary, Head and Neck Cancer, Otolaryngology, Trauma, and Urology.

Improved Clinical Efficiency

Busy clinics have a better process for handling the exams that arrive on CD, allowing them to see more patients.

Enhanced Patient Safety

Less radiation, more informed physicians and faster care paths for patients leads to better patient care.

New Revenue from Secondary Reads

Life Image facilitates order creation and the import of outside exams, so in addition to curbing costs, Boston Medical Center is now being reimbursed for a portion of the overreads its radiology staff performs.

“Life Image isn’t a luxury; it’s an essential item that we utilize on a daily basis. It’s part of our book of business.”

Alexander Norbash, MD, Chairman or Radiology