MDNews - Central New York

+ Elastography + Fetal MRI + Inhance, noncontrast MRA + MR arthrography + MR urography + Spectroscopy + Stroke a nd a dva nced neu rof u nc- tional imaging Patients who have a specialty scan at MDR of CNY can be confident they will receive an accurate reading of their images, as one of the organization's key differen- tiators is its team of 47 board-certified, fellowship-trained partner radiologists from two of Central New York's largest radiology groups, CRA Medical Imaging and St. Joseph's Imaging Associates. These radiologists possess subspecialty train- ing in a variety of fields, including breast imaging, neuroradiology, musculoskeletal imaging and body imaging. "Our team has many years of experi- ence performing subspecialty reads," Dr. Buckingham says. "That's important because patients whose images are read by a radiologist with specific training in an MRI subspecialty and high-volume experience tend to enjoy more accurate results." PRIORITIZING SAFETY Patient safety is paramount for MDR of CNY, which is why its technologists and other members of the team take all necessary steps to safeguard patients before conducting scans. Those steps include verifying that patients' medical implants are MRI compatible, analyzing records of patients' previous studies and evaluating kidney function, as the use of a gadolinium- based contrast agent during an MRI can cause problems for certain patients, such as those with diabetes or chronic kidney disease. When appropriate, the MDR of CNY team uses a handheld device called i-STAT to conduct a point-of-care blood analysis that can reveal kidney function. "Patients can undergo testing with i-STAT in the office at the time of the scan rather than having lab work at a different facility," Dr. Buckingham says. "That's a much more convenient way of determining whether a patient is suitable to receive a contrast agent because it doesn't require separate office visits and eliminates unnec- essary cancellation of studies." If a patient needs an MR angiogram but has suboptimal kidney function, the MDR of CNY team can perform his or her study using Inhance, a technique that allows technologists to capture images of the renal arteries without using a contrast agent. CONVENIENT AND COMPASSIONATE Providing a seamless, one-phone-call scheduling experience for referring provid- ers is a point of pride for MDR of CNY, as is the organization's ability to accommodate urgent imaging requests and commitment to scheduling appointments within a two- week timeframe. When needed, MDR of CNY can accommodate STAT requests. When patients arrive at one of MDR of CNY's nine locations, they encounter an atmosphere designed to allay any anxiety they may feel about undergoing an MRI. The staff sets the tone. "Patients have never met a kinder or more compassionate staff," Floyd says. "Our technologists truly understand how to calm and reassure patients. If a patient is feeling exceptionally anxious, we may give him or her the option to visit the office a day or two before the appointment to talk with our staff about the scan and observe the machine. Our experienced technolo- gists ensure that the patient feels safe and comfortable, and they stay in voice contact throughout each exam." For patients with claustrophobia, a wide-bore MRI scanner and an open unit are available at neighboring locations on Brittonfield Parkway in East Syracuse. "We do what is best for our patients," Floyd says. "Our technologists treat every patient with compassion and professional- ism, which is why we routinely receive comments in our patient satisfaction surveys singing their praises." n Visit mdrcny.com for more information. C li ck o n " Re fe r r in g Phys i c i an s" to request an appointment for a patient or call 315-454-4810 and press 1. Timely Communication S W IF T COMMUNICATION W ITH referring providers and seam- less transmission of scan results is a priority for Magnetic Diagnostic Resources of Central New York. That is why the organization, its partner radiology groups CRA Medical Imaging and St. Joseph's Imaging Associates, and their associated health systems use a shared picture archiving and communication system. Referring providers receive nonurgent image reports within 24 hours. Providers receive urgent results as soon as a radiologist finishes reading the images. The patient experience and excellence in quality starts with an experienced and professional leadership team. Highly trained radiologists at MDR of CNY are board certified with the American Board of Radiology and considered experts in their field. Pictured: MRI technologist Stephanie Labulis and radiologist David Wang, MD M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S C E N T R A l N E W Y O R K ■ 2 0 21 1 5

• Cover