lifeIMAGE Powers Medical Image Exchange for Northern Ohio Trauma System
Boston, Mass. – February 2, 2011 – lifeIMAGE (www.lifeimage.com), which enables the secure, on-demand exchange of medical imaging information among hospitals, physicians and patients, announced that its technology will help the Northern Ohio Trauma System (NOTS) eliminate the many barriers that currently exist in sharing medical imaging information in trauma situations. lifeIMAGE will improve the speed and efficiency of patient care by quickly sharing diagnostic imaging results electronically with relevant NOTS medical teams to identify patients with urgent transfer needs, and allow receiving trauma centers within the NOTS network to review and understand patients’ conditions prior to transfer from the incident site or community hospital.
NOTS, led by level I trauma center MetroHealth Medical Center, also includes three level II trauma centers and seven non-trauma hospitals in the Northern Ohio region. NOTS selected lifeIMAGE to solve three main trauma challenges:
· Reducing unnecessary repeat imaging exams to both decrease patient radiation exposure and eliminate costs and delays associated with re-imaging patients due to missing or incompatible CDs.
· Providing a clear understanding of patients’ conditions prior to transport to determine if transfers are necessary, and which NOTS facilities are best equipped to receive patients.
· Creating more prepared receiving teams built to meet the care or surgical needs of the incoming patient.
lifeIMAGE, through its cloud-based LILA DropBox technology, helps trauma units collect diagnostic imaging information early, and instantly share it with surgical teams and other care providers. By electronically receiving imaging data before a transfer is even initiated, trauma centers have more time to prepare and avoid repeat exams when the transfer patients arrive. Once information is in a DropBox, physicians can remotely review image and report data, download it to their local environment and, if desired, push it to the PACS or EMR.
“I am very excited about this initiative,” said Jeffrey A. Claridge, MD, medical director of the Northern Ohio Trauma System. “We hope that utilizing lifeIMAGE improves efficiency and decreases radiation exposure to our patients.”
“NOTS is committed to providing lifesaving care to patients in Northern Ohio, and lifeIMAGE is excited to be a vital piece of that mission,” said Hamid Tabatabaie, president and CEO, lifeIMAGE. “The ability to electronically exchange diagnostic images in advance of a trauma transfer can make a drastic difference in care delivery. It better prepares medical teams, and prevents interoperability challenges from complicating an already hectic time.”
lifeIMAGE allows patients, physicians and hospitals to electronically network, collect and share diagnostic imaging records from any facility. Its services include:
· LILA InBox, which helps physicians and support staff efficiently collect and share the contents of patient CDs as the media is presented in an office or clinic.
· LILA DropBox, which lets physicians collect outside exams through a remotely hosted service.
· LILA OutBox, a service that enables broad-based image data sharing to the outside community.
About lifeIMAGE
lifeIMAGE provides an Internet service for universal e-sharing of diagnostic imaging information. The service is designed to connect hospitals, radiology groups and physicians to their patients everywhere. lifeIMAGE makes it possible to securely deliver or receive patient imaging information wherever needed from wherever the information originates. The goal of the lifeIMAGE platform is to help avoid duplicate exams and eliminate unnecessary patient exposure to excessive radiation. In an era of concerns about rising healthcare costs, lifeIMAGE is investing in a platform that helps advance patient care, while reducing $10-to-$15 billion of unnecessary costs. lifeIMAGE was named one of the most innovative technologies by The Wall Street Journal as part of its international 2010 Technology Innovation Awards. For more information, visit www.lifeimage.com.
