This 3 Part Executive Brief explores key reasons image- empowering the enterprise has become one of the most significant “frontiers” to address in the healthcare eco-system. Image Sharing, IT system interoperability, and Data Analytics are three critical business enablers that healthcare C-Suites are discussing. Learn more at http://www.mach7t.com/

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Interoperability
Learn how an image-empowered enterprise fuels collaboration, enables cost savings
and helps healthcare delivery organizations meet business and patient care goals.
EXECUTIVE BRIEF
This 3 Part Executive Brief explores key reasons image-
empowering the enterprise has become one of the most
significant “frontiers” to address in the healthcare eco-system.
Image Sharing, IT system interoperability, and Data Analytics
are three critical business enablers that healthcare C-Suites
are discussing. Yes, business enablers that have a direct and
measurable impact on a healthcare delivery organization’s
revenue, reimbursements, care efficiency and quality, and patient
satisfaction.
Beyond the CIO’s office, the CEO, CFO, CTO and even the CDO
(Chief Data Officer) are evaluating strategies to strengthen their
data foundation including image-empowering the enterprise.
According to HIT analyst Frost & Sullivan, healthcare providers
are shifting spend significantly with an increased focus on
monitoring, diagnosis and prevention and a decrease on
treatment.1
This shift means that providers are closely examining IT
system interoperability, patient-centric care collaboration, and
enterprise-wide patient data sharing. These foundational data
elements are pivotal to achieving operational goals, clinical goals,
and patient-engagement goals. Image-enabling the enterprise
also unlocks critical analytical benefits for providers. Imaging
analytics are important tools aimed at improving clinical quality,
patient experience, and value.
Vendor-Agnostic Solutions in Demand
“More than 50 percent of healthcare providers do not have a
healthcare IT roadmap, although they acknowledge the role
of digital health in enhancing healthcare efficiency,” notes
Shruthi Parakkal of healthcare analyst firm Frost & Sullivan.2
Interoperability standards like HL7, XDS, and DICOM provide the
guidelines for interoperability. But without a clear HIT roadmap,
most providers can’t optimally utilize these standards to connect
disparate systems, a significant consideration when updating
legacy systems, deploying new IT systems (EMRs) or growing
through mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
Before government mandates drove deployment of electronic
health records (EHR) systems, healthcare IT was departmentally
siloed. Legacy solution providers have attempted to re-tool
department-specific systems and create enterprise-wide options
resulting in frustration, delays, and escalating migration costs.
Analysts now recommend that healthcare providers focus on
workflow and engage vendors who offer “vendor-agnostic”
solutions3
for enterprise-wide sharing, collaboration, and
integration.4
Reason #2: (Lack of) Interoperability
across HIT Systems
Healthcare consolidation is on the rise with increased merger
and acquisition activity every year since 2008.5
From 1998 to
2013, more than 2,500 hospitals in the U.S. were involved in M&A
3 WAYS IMAGING
PLATFORMS “EMPOWER”
YOUR ENTERPRISE
Image Sharing
Interoperability
Analytics & Meaning
1
2
3
2

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of Mach7 Technologies, Inc. Unlock. Unleash. UnPAC. is the trademark of Mach7 Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
activity, an average of 160 annually, impacting approximately
128 million patient records each year.6
Connecting,
consolidating, and managing those records is a significant
challenge for providers.
Healthcare consolidation demands interoperability.
Care coordination requires interoperability for seamless
access and sharing of information across HIT vendor solutions.
According to Gartner, interoperability remains one of the biggest
hurdles to the efficient and effective sharing of healthcare
information.7
With patient image sharing top-of-mind,
interoperability is required to enable the technical foundation
for a healthcare delivery organization’s (HDO) care delivery plan.
HDOs may acknowledge the role of integrated digital patient
records in enhancing care efficiency and effectiveness, but most
providers struggle to connect siloed systems.
Many providers are forced to use valuable clinical resources to
manually reconcile, link and route patient studies for diagnostic
evaluation. Patient care cycles involving multiple care locations,
departments and timeframes require clinical collaboration that
legacy systems were never designed to support.
How image-enabling your enterprise
can help.
Beyond proprietary legacy systems like PACS and RIS, advanced
enterprise imaging solutions are feature-rich, standards-
based platforms designed to provide a layer of integration and
interoperability across HIT systems. These platforms address
PACS-to-PACS migration headaches (and limitations) and provide
speed and accuracy in accessing, evaluating, reconciling, storing
and sharing a complete patient care record.
For clinicians and patients, enterprise imaging platforms support
a comprehensive patient record by enabling access to imaging.
Advanced VNA technology combined with communication and
workflow functionality rapidly image-enable EMRs, populate
patient portals and provide consistent and universal access
to patient data for physicians. Vendor-agnostic platforms
seamlessly connect disparate systems and offer a data
management roadmap to providers.
Analysts forecast a light at the end of the interoperability tunnel.
They predict that vendor-agnostic enterprise imaging platforms
will be deployed by fully half of all HDOs by 2018. These
enterprise ready platforms will universally connect patient
information from modalities, EMRs, physician and patient
portals, legacy PACS and HIEs addressing interoperability
challenges.
Where do you begin?
Whether you need to image-enable your enterprise or you
need to address the integration of merged HIT systems, finding
an enterprise imaging solution is paramount. A great first step
on the road to Enterprise Image Empowerment is to talk with
those who have traveled before you. There are many healthcare
IT leaders (not just vendors) you can talk with who have gone
before you and know which paths to take and which to avoid.
CIOs, CTOs, CDOs, and IT leaders from IDNs, imaging centers,
regional hospitals, and clinics are ready and willing to share their
experiences.
Image empowering your enterprise with an Enterprise
Imaging Platform will directly impact image sharing, IT system
interoperability, and data analytics. The future of imaging
management is bright. Advanced enterprise imaging solutions
being deployed in IDNs, regional hospitals, and imaging centers
today are making a meaningful impact on patient care and
patient outcomes. Enterprise Imaging Platforms give healthcare
leaders visibility, intelligence and decision support to put their
healthcare organizations in control of the complete patient
care record. They enable optimized workflow enhancements,
significantly improved throughputs, and the flexibility to plug
and play best of breed visualization solutions – all delivering
image data where and when needed.
The story continues…
If you enjoyed reading “Part 2” of 3 Ways Imaging
Platforms “EmPower” Your Enterprise, visit the
resources section of our website to read:
3 Ways Imaging Platforms “EmPower” Your Enterprise
#1: Image Sharing
3 Ways Imaging Platforms “EmPower” Your Enterprise
#3: Analytics and Meaning
1
Frost & Sullivan, “Interoperability among Connected Medical Devices Can
Potentially Transform Healthcare”, Zanchi, May 22, 2015. http://images.discover.
frost.com/Web/FrostSullivan/EU_PR_AZanchi_9AB9_22May15.pdf
2
Healthcare IT News, “Providers in dire need of connectivity”, Monegain, May 29,
2015.
3
Vendor-agnostic solutions include vendor-neutral image archives also known as
VNAs.
4
Health IT Interoperability, “Health Interoperability to Face Numerous
Challenges”, Kyle Murphy, PhD, May 26, 2015.
5
American Hospital Association. Announced Hospital Mergers and Acquisitions,
1998-2013.
6
Ibid.
7
Gartner Research, “Interoperability Must Be the Foundation of
a Healthcare Megasuite Vendor”, September, 2014