The Nebraska Medical Center to Replace Existing PACS with McKesson

2008-12-02 21:19:03 -

The Nebraska Medical Center, the premier academic hospital for the University of Nebraska"s medical school, has announced that it is replacing its existing picture archiving communications system (PACS) with McKesson"s Horizon Medical Imaging". The Omaha-based medical center performs a quarter of a million imaging procedures each year " from simple chest x-rays to positron emission tomography (PET) scans and from cardiacCT to digital mammography. It needed a more advanced system to handle today"s more complicated imaging technology.
The academic hospital selected McKesson"s Horizon Medical Imaging image and information management solution to meet those needs, improve overall radiology workflow and increase satisfaction for its 1,000 physicians. The selection committee included staff radiologists, department management, IT staff and PACS specialists. In addition, orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons provided feedback to the committee on their respective clinical needs.
"We installed a competitor"s PACS in 2002, and our radiologists and referring physicians struggled with the cumbersome workflow and slow image download," explained Chuck Lakso, radiology director of The Nebraska Medical Center. "The ineffective communication tools hindered productivity, and the modality-based PACS became the root of many problems including physician retention and recruitment. It was obvious that our institution"s evolving needs and user demands had outpaced the abilities of our initial PACS system, even with all of the vendor- recommended upgrades."
McKesson"s PACS was chosen for a variety of reasons. First, it is a proven product in the large academic setting. It also has an intuitive, physician-friendly interface, which is especially important when training residents. In addition, its low cost of ownership and ability to integrate with existing solutions were key factors. Finally, the medical center was impressed with McKesson"s ability to support its mission-critical system, with proven installation and implementation methodologies, proactive support capabilities and a "real-time" support center.
"You need the right fit from day one, and the responsiveness we"ve already experienced with McKesson is far superior to our previous vendor"s," Lakso stated. "The McKesson team has already migrated the majority of our studies, without impact to the physicians. The migration process proved to be faster and much easier than we had expected. Our radiologists love that previous studies, needed for comparisons, are immediately and seamlessly available in the new system."
When all implementation activities are completed in first quarter 2009, the medical center expects that users will quickly adapt to the new and improved workflow provided through McKesson"s single-user interface and patient-centric view of the imaging record. The new system will enable radiologists to view, analyze, report, distribute and archive medical images and diagnostic reports throughout the enterprise. An adaptive image-loading feature will quickly load even the most complex studies, eliminating delays in delivering diagnostic results critical for patient care. Plus, a three-click reporting feature will allow radiologists to report on studies faster so physicians receive results sooner and prescribe treatment in a timely manner.
"The Nebraska Medical Center is known for innovation and a high-quality academic environment, and we are pleased to offer an image and information management solution to better meet its changing needs," said Rod O"Reilly, president, Medical Imaging Group, McKesson Provider Technologies. "Today, medical imaging departments of all sizes are challenged with improving productivity while managing massive amounts of specialized imaging applications. Our solutions are designed to help them meet those challenges."
About The Nebraska Medical Center
With a reputation for excellence, innovation and extraordinary patient care, The Nebraska Medical Center has earned J.D. Power and Associates" Hospital of Distinction award for inpatient services for three consecutive years. It is a US News & World Report 2008 "Best Hospital" for Cancer, Neurology and Neurosurgery. It also received the 2007 Consumer Choice Award, a mark of patient satisfaction as selected by healthcare consumers and has achieved Magnet recognition status for nursing excellence, Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals Performance Improvement Leader recognition, as well as the Award of Progress from the state of Nebraska"s Edgerton Quality Awards Program. As the teaching hospital for the University of Nebraska Medical Center, this 689 licensed bed academic medical center has an international reputation for providing solid organ and bone marrow transplantation services and is well known nationally and regionally for its oncology, neurology and cardiology programs. The Nebraska Medical Center can be found online at www.nebraskamed.com.
About McKesson
McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 18th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and healthcare information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. McKesson is the longest-operating company in healthcare today, marking its 175th anniversary this year. Over the course of its history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare and payors; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients. For more information, visit www.mckesson.com.


McKesson

Connie Crumbley, 404-338-3828

constance.crumbley@mckesson.com