Radiology information system software: 30% improvement in operational efficiency

Innowise developed a radiology information system (RIS) for a leading center of imaging diagnostics, enhancing scheduling and reporting processes.

Customer

Industry

Healthcare

Region

Client since

2023

Our client is a pioneering medical institution nestled at the heart of Europe. They utilize advanced technology and collaborate with a wide network of referring physicians to offer innovative imaging solutions.

Detailed information about the client cannot be disclosed under the provisions of the NDA.

Challenge

Creating a patient-centered and future-ready radiology information system

Over the years, as our client’s center grew both in reputation and scale, its legacy radiology information system began to show signs of obsolescence. The challenges were multifaceted: increasing patient volumes strained the system, creating appointment mismatches and scheduling bottlenecks. The legacy software was ill-equipped to manage patient information efficiently. Moreover, the radiologists faced hurdles in accessing critical patient data, which delayed decision-making. The inability of the old system to provide efficient reporting emerged as the proverbial last straw.

This dated infrastructure began to exhibit:

Performance bottlenecks: The system struggled with the increased patient volumes, leading to scheduling mismatches and delays.
Inefficient data management: Radiologists found it challenging to access and utilize patient data promptly.

Reporting challenges: The radiology information system lacked the capability to produce timely reports and visualizations, a vital aspect of diagnostics.
Security concerns: In light of Switzerland’s revised Data Protection Act, vulnerabilities such as lack of password policies, outdated hashing algorithms, and unencrypted data transmissions became evident.

Given these challenges, the client approached Innowise to create a comprehensive, patient-centered, and future-ready radiology information system to:

Enhance the efficiency of the staff by automating crucial processes.
Address and rectify the legacy system’s performance, usability, and architectural issues.
Prioritize security and ensure compliance with local regulations.

Solution

Radiology information system software with streamlined appointment management and data visualization

Our team created a radiology information system software for the diagnostic center that delivers streamlined appointment management, enhances data visualization, and optimizes workflow efficiency. Designed to scale with the center’s growth trajectory in diagnostic imaging, the system offers the flexibility to incorporate future technological developments and diagnostic modalities. A robust Security & Compliance layer is integral to our solution, ensuring the protection of patient data across all modules. In compliance with EU MDR guidelines and under the risk classification of class 1 as defined by Art. 3 Para. 1 MepV, the software was developed with adherence to the stringent standards of IEC 62304, ensuring the highest levels of safety for medical devices. The RIS software facilitates specific functionalities for each user group involved in the patient care and administrative process.

Radiologists

Radiologists benefit from an enhanced platform that streamlines their workflow through:

Examination planning: The RIS software offers advanced sighting tools for examination planning, enabling radiologists to define protocols with intelligent software that suggests the most efficient scanning sequences.
Report generation: Integrates with PACS for a streamlined imaging-to-reporting process, allowing radiologists to generate reports directly from the imaging data, with automated template suggestions based on the type of examination.
Data accessibility: The radiology information system provides a smart data pre-selection mechanism that anticipates the radiologist’s needs, ensuring all relevant information is at their fingertips without overwhelming them with unnecessary details.
User-friendly interface: Designed for high usability, the interface minimizes loading times and streamlines workflow with fewer clicks, using predictive algorithms to anticipate the radiologist’s next steps and simplify navigation.
Digital compatibility: Optimized for voice input and tablet use, this feature accommodates the radiologist’s preference for multi-modality interaction.

Front desk employees

For the Front Desk employees (FD-Employees), the radiology information system software is designed with targeted features to enhance their daily operations:

Streamlined appointment management: Empowers FD-Employees to schedule and modify appointments with minimal steps.
Rapid patient reception: The system instantly provides patient details upon check-in, facilitating a personalized welcome without bottlenecks.
Telephony integration: The integrated telephony allows staff to pull up patient records during calls for efficient communication.
Workflow-optimized reminders: The system’s reminders are intelligently scheduled to prompt staff on essential tasks without interrupting their workflow.
Customizable worklists: The system allows personalization of worklists with options for individual sorting.

Medical technical radiology assistants (MTRA)

For MTR staff, the radiology information system is engineered to streamline their workflow and enhance patient interaction:

Patient history access: MTRAs can retrieve patient histories, including risk factors and demographic data, enabling personalized examination strategies.
Examination protocol clarity: The platform ensures MTRAs have immediate access to radiologist-defined protocols, facilitating the correct execution of examinations.
Examination customization: During history taking and examination, MTRAs can input and access real-time information on the patient’s condition to tailor the procedure to the patient’s specific needs.
Organizational tools: The interface equips MTRAs with organizational tools that reduce unnecessary clicks and loading times.
Examination management: The system offers solutions to streamline the renaming and management of examinations, reducing the potential for errors and confusion.

Administrators

Administrators in the system are equipped with robust tools tailored to optimize system performance and data management:

Error correction tools: Administrators have advanced features to identify and rectify system errors.
Master data management: The system provides sophisticated parameterization and master data maintenance capabilities.
User support optimization: Tools are designed for high usability and workflow support, enabling administrators to provide effective assistance to users swiftly.
Rapid information access: Administrators receive immediate notifications regarding system errors or changes in parameterization, enabling quick action.
Continuous support: The system is designed for constant availability, catering to the administrators’ need to offer uninterrupted support.
Error traceability: Enhanced traceability functions help administrators track and analyze errors, leading to better system stability.
System performance monitoring: We included real-time monitoring capabilities to oversee performance, addressing the core need for a reliable system.

Back office employees

Back Office employees leverage a comprehensive suite of tools aimed at information management and case follow-up:

Case management system: A streamlined interface for tracking and managing various cases, with a focus on ease of follow-up and insight generation.
Data insight and analytics: Tools that provide in-depth data evaluation.
Workflow optimization: Features designed for high usability and workflow support, allowing BO staff to work efficiently across multiple tasks.
Data reliability assurance: Systems in place to verify the accuracy of data input, reducing the occurrence of incorrect data entry.
Change traceability: Enhanced features that ensure all changes in data are traceable, maintaining a clear audit trail.
Custom reporting tools: Capabilities that allow BO employees to generate statistical evaluations.
Error and communication management: Improved messaging and notification systems to facilitate communication across all teams, addressing one of the pain points in the previous radiology information system.

Technologies

Back-end

.Net6, C#, EntityFramework, SQL Server, ASP.NET Core Web API

Front-end

HTML, CSS, TypeScript

Framework

Angular

UI Library

Angular Material

State Management

RxJS

Routing

Angular Router

Package Manager

npm

Build Tool

Angular CLI

Testing Framework

Jasmine

Process

In the creation of RIS software, our methodology unfolded through several phases:

Requirement gathering
System design
Agile development
Testing
Training & handover
Continuous support

In crafting radiology information system software, Innowise executed a process augmented by technology choices.

After requirement gathering and system design emphasizing scalability and user experience, we embarked on agile development, implementing a robust back end in C# (.NET 6), complemented by Angular for a dynamic frontend. Our testing approach included automated and manual tests to ensure code quality and optimal performance.

For deployment, we leveraged Azure’s cloud services, hosting the Angular web app on Azure Web App service, secured with Private Endpoint. Back-end services can be accessed via Azure Functions, with Azure AD handling authentication. Network security was maintained via NSG, while Key Vault safeguarded sensitive data. Monitoring and insights were powered by Log Analytics Workspace and Application Insights, with APIM facilitating API management.

Team

Project Manager

DevOps Engineer

Front-end Developers

Back-end Developers

QA Specialists

AQA Specialist

Business Analyst

Results

35% reduction in patient wait times after RIS software development

The implementation of the new radiology information system software significantly elevated the center’s medical care delivery. Radiologists now experience streamlined workflows with quick access to patient data and improved reporting capabilities. Report generation sped up by 70%, garnering positive feedback from physicians for their clarity and detail. Front desk operations saw a remarkable improvement with patient wait times cut by 35% and a 50% drop in scheduling errors, streamlining patient flow and improving satisfaction. MTR personnel are empowered with targeted tools to tailor and expedite patient care. Administrators can swiftly resolve system issues and optimize performance, while back office teams manage data and evaluations more effectively, facilitating smoother operational workflows. Overall, the system has set our client apart in medical diagnostics, marking a leap in operational efficiency and patient services, fortifying its business robustness in the healthcare market.

Project duration

January 2023 - August 2023

70%

faster report generation

35%

reduction in patient wait times

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