CDS helps Kettering Health gain more MRI screenings while boosting efficiencies

Kettering’s healthy breast centers faced a challenge: the process of evaluating the risk of cancer was ineffective and fragmented.
The employees there relied on a separate system based on the tablet where patients or employees have completed risk questionnaires. This setting has been put up many obstacles: The tablets depend on the unstable Wi-Fi network, and the process was taking a long time to explain it to patients, and approval was needed before the evaluation is made.
Challenge
Moreover, the output lacked integration with internal systems, making it difficult to create implementable reports or class photography recommendations based on the estimated risks.
Ultimately, employees had no fixed and consistent process to evaluate, document or work on cancer risk data through the health system.
an offer
The proposed solution to the challenge was to merge the evaluation of the risk of cancer directly into the health information system for the centers, eliminate the need for external tablets and enable a A more efficient and simplistic workflow.
“An interface can also be created with the radiology reporting system for its automatic inclusion of external report,” said Dean Rose, director of health breast centers at Kettering. “This integration will allow documentation and storing risk data directly in it, which improves access to and continuing care.
And she continued, “The permissible reporting interface for a simplified continuation of the results of patients and service providers.” “At that time, many risk models and sellers were being used throughout the institution, which led to contradictions in assessments – some of the collaboration of deaths, others not.”
She added that the unification of one platform at the system level provided an opportunity to unify care, support best practices and simplify the provider’s workflow.
Facing the challenge
Initially, Kettering Hughes – later Use Cra (Cancer Risk Assessment) – on IPAD devices. In the end, the radioactive epic analysts in the organization worked closely with the CRA – which Volpara obtained – to integrate the entire system into EHR EPIC.
“This integration at the level of the system cancel the need for the patient’s approval and make sure that every breast examination of the examination includes a risk assessment, with directly included results in the breast photography report,” Rose explained.
“Access to the tool has been granted initially to breast photography technicians, OB/GYNS, and later extends to Primary care providers“I continued. Questions of risk evaluation were included in the clinical history department in the progress of technical work inside the epic and it is reviewed annually.”
Doctors can complete risk assessments during any meeting. Although the system is not integrated with other external platforms, the presence of a central tool within the EPIC may significantly improve the ability of the centers to assess risk data and work efficiently.
results
Merging risk assessment in Kettering has a frequent manual workflow, collecting simplified patient data and enabling automatic inclusion of risk results in reports. This consistency has improved operational efficiency in general and enhancing communication between service providers.
“On a year, we have seen a fixed increase in the rates of MRI to the breast resonance examination, especially among patients who were identified as highly dangerous,” Rose said. “From 2021 to 2024, the MRI scan for patients for patients who have been identified as a high risk of 47 %, 22 %, 35 % and 19 %, respectively, compared to the previous year.
She added: “The ability to move patients early and more accurately allows us to provide appropriate follow -up, such as genetic advice or additional photography, before the discovery of cancer.”
The use of one risk assessment model in all sites guarantees a constant, Evidence -based practices And the ambiguity caused by varying tools and methodologies. She said that this unified approach helps to ensure that all patients get the fair protective care.
Advice for others
“Start by determining how automation can be resolved in the time of time -consuming manual workflow, especially in large -sized environments such as photography,” I advised Rose. “Integration with your current current is very important – not only to simplify the documents, but it also supports better communication and decision -making through care teams.
“You should also think about whether risk assessments will be provided globally or only for the specific patients of patients, and how the results will be reported and disposed of,” she added. “For patients who have been determined at risk, you have a clear clinical path in place – whether it is through a clinic for cancer prevention or an individual provider management.”
She concluded that success depends on the strong compatibility between the clinical, technical and operational teams to ensure the support of unified care for the patient.
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Email him: bsiwicki@himss.org
Healthcare is Hosz News.
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