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SPECIAL FEATURE State-of-the-Art Technology O Enhances Convenience for Patients and Physicians SINCE 1986, CROUSE RADIOLOGY ASSOCIATES MEDICAL IMAGING (CRA) HAS BEEN A LEADER IN REGIONAL DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING SERVICES, PROVIDING PATIENTS WITH EXCEPTIONAL CARE AND EASY ACCESS TO THE MOST UP-TO-DATE MEDICAL IMAGING TECHNOLOGIES. NE OF THE largest diagnos- tic imaging practices in New York, CRA boasts a staff of 28 physicians who see patients at multiple locations to enhance convenience. By utilizing a regional picture archiving and com- munication system (PACS), physicians are able to collaborate with one another and ensure a rapid turnaround for imaging results. Meeting a Community Need CRA began using PACS in 2002. Originally implemented to help balance the workload of physicians working at CRA’s satellite locations, PACS has become an advantageous tool for patient and referring physician conve- nience and enhanced quality of care through ease of specialty consultation. “In 2002, we implemented PACS to better balance the workload, allowing physicians at multiple locations to assist each other remotely,” says Colleen Rudy, Director of Information Technology (IT) at CRA. “Not only did PACS help us meet this immediate need, but it also provided us with the opportunity to implement other types of cutting-edge technology.” The Benefits of PACS At CRA, PACS has enhanced physi- cian efficiency and collaboration. Referring physicians also benefit, as they are able to receive their patients’ imaging results more quickly — almost always on the same day diagnostic tests are performed. “PACS has greatly enhanced our ef ficiency, as we are now able to assist each other when there are high influxes of studies at one location,” says David Wang, M.D., radiologist at CRA. “Taking that concept one step further, Radiologist Zella Small, M.D., works at one of CRA’s reading stations at its Brittonfield Parkway location. Dr. Small can review images from CRA’s affiliate hospitals and referring physicians and provide a diagnostic report. PACS also allows us to offer patients increased access to our team of special- ists. For example, when a case requires a specialty consult at one location and that specialist is seeing patients at another location, PACS makes it easy for the specialist to view the images remotely and provide diagnosis and treatment recommendations.” “As a group, we have a wide variety of subspecialty expertise, with many physicians having performed addi- tional training in multiple areas, such as neuroradiology, musculoskeletal radiology, interventional radiology, nuclear medicine, breast imaging and diagnostic radiology,” adds Richard Rozanski, M.D., attending radiologist at CRA. “Using PACS, we can ensure that the most appropriate specialist interprets the studies. Prior to imple- menting PACS, we were somewhat separated. If I was in Fulton seeing a patient whose study would be best interpreted by a neuroradiologist, for example, I would have had to pack up the films and drive to the office loca- tion where one of our neuroradiologists was working. Since we began using PACS, this process is much more streamlined. I can now call three of our neuroradiologists who might be located at one of many offices throughout the region, and together, we can all view the images and discuss the diagnosis and treatment recommendations while the patient is still in the office.” PACS also makes it easier for phy- sicians to reference past imaging