Month: August 2018

PACS system: differences between digital and conventional radiography

user@astronhealth 0 Comments

The X-ray scans are part of the routine of Health organizations, facilitating the diagnosis and monitoring of numerous diseases. The progress of digital radiography, through the PACS system  (Picture Archiving and Communication System), has changed the way Health professionals have access to the images, which are available at the moment in which the procedure is done, speeding up the preparation of the medical report and the routine of assistance. With the cloud computing allied to the model, the results are arranged where they are needed – in the office computer, in the operating room tablet or the doctor’s smartphone.

The digital radiography is based on the same principles of X-ray emission and its interaction with the human organism as conventional. The main difference between them is like the rays that pass through the matter that will be captured and processed to generate the image. In the traditional, radiographic plates are used that go through revelation. Already in direct digital radiography, X-rays are obtained by a circuit board sensitive to radiation, which generates a digital image and sends it to the computer in the form of electrical signals.

The test is accessed, processed and stored by PACS, which can be connected directly to the Patient Electronic Health Record (PEHP). In the indirect digital, the rays are captured by a phosphor plate that needs to be digitized for the image to be transmitted to the computer. Since then, it can be processed and destined for the most different premises, in the same way as direct radiography.

With this, one of the main disadvantages of conventional radiology is eliminated: the process of revealing the radiography. This stage generates toxic substances that pollute the environment. The proper radiography that was discarded over the years contributed to the generation of garbage. However, the disclosure process is done at least one hour, in the digital system the image is generated in seconds, optimizing the entire production process of the medical report. In addition to the advantages of top healthcare consulting firms in India, there is no need for extensive paper files to store conventionally printed exams.

website blog (3)

 

 

More details

Another difference between the two types of examination is in the quality of the images. In conventional radiography, the emission of the exact amount of radiation is necessary.  An error in the dose can generate a much or little-contrasted image, which will not allow the identification of injuries with security. Same with the perfect technique, considering that the sharpness and contrast of conventional radiography are naturally lower, the patient is exposed to a higher amount of radiation than in the case of digital radiography so that an image of the same quality is produced.

The image processed by PACS has more sharpness, contrast, details, and differentiation of densities than conventional radiography, which optimizes the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases. As it is immediately generated in the computer, it can be quickly sent to the radiologist. That professional then issues the medical report for a remote specialist or for the doctor responsible for the patient who can already diagnose and initiate the appropriate treatment, thus providing greater agility and efficiency throughout the care process.

The hospital consultancy services in India optimizes the processing of the image in the computer, which allows the adjustment of the contrast, the equalization by histogram and even the subtraction of images to favor the identification of injuries.

Hospital cost accounting

user@astronhealth 0 Comments

To overcome cost management, we must first pay attention to Health Management, that is, plan actions before directing resources and effort, which will avoid wasting energy, time and, mainly, money.  You can check the lack of planning through details, such as the lack of sustainability in the collection and storage of data, with each sector using different systems and without integration. This hinders the integral vision of the processes related to assistance and, consequently, widens the risk of rejection, which generates prejudice.

To avoid this unforeseen, it is necessary to invest in health IT solutions aimed at the optimization of cost management.

A management system (Enterprise Resource Planning – ERP), for example, unites all areas of the hospital, which automates and integrates processes. The technology reduces the mechanical tasks of the financial and accounting professionals, arranging them to reinforce the planning and the audit process of the accounts. Also, the tool integrates the information, which will avoid misinterpretations, errors of accounting records and divergences in billing that will lead to rejection.

But, for the management system to present these results, each process executed in the institution must be mapped and administered.

website blog (2)

Balance

The excellent management of hospital consultancy services in Delhi requires that attention is paid to the costs and supply of supplies, medicines and other essential items for the system. Thus, it is necessary to know the demand to make purchases intelligently. This will avoid two situations that can cause damage to the patient’s care:

  1. The absence of a first item for the provision of the service.
  2. The loss of materials due to expiration. These cause damage and compromise the operation of the hospital.

The ERP that controls the costs also acts in the intelligent management of the hospital warehouse, adding the processes of the pharmacy to those of the purchasing sector. The tool is supplied daily with the data that was generated in the patient’s care and visualizes, automatically, when, what is needed to buy and the quantity – what creates immediate reactions.

With this systemic and integrated vision, it becomes simpler to identify the errors that must be corrected to avoid financial problems. In this way, the institution guarantees long-term sustainability and remains far from the list of hospitals that need to wax their insolvency activities.

Expenses and revenues recognized in cost accounting are based on general accounting. Hospital cost accounting is, therefore, based on the principles of accounting standards, to produce regular and honest information.

Know the costs

The first objective is to know the costs and revenues of the various functions involved in the production of care, whether clinical, medical-technical or administrative functions.

Optimize management control

The cost accounting must allow management control to provide forward-looking information with the results of the cost accounting.

Facilitate management

Cost Accounting hospital consultancy in India provides information to management in order to facilitate appropriate decision-making.

 

7 strategies to reduce the average stay in the hospital

user@astronhealth 0 Comments

When the subject is the number of days of hospitalization, not always “more” means “better. Thinking about strategies to manage the average permanence is essential to maintain the financial balance of the hospital and the quality of care, which guarantees patient safety.

Managing rooms efficiently and quickly are a direct indicator of hospital performance. It reflects a reduction in costs, optimization of processes and a reduction in the rate of infections and other adverse events. In a connected system, the doctor has online access to the results of exams and additional information and, thus, expedites the discharge. At the same time, the cleaning team receives the availability information of the room and organizes it much faster for the next hospitalization.

Know seven strategies to reduce the average permanence:

1- Control of the flow of the patient in the period of hospitalization- Decreases the unnecessary time of substantial assets of an institution, such as surgical center, hospital beds and Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The management depends on the healthcare consulting firms in India– doctors, nurses and administrative leaders- for more collaborative action, storage, and analysis of patient data from their entry into the emergency room to post-surgery, for example. It is also related to the use of devices that facilitate the routing of exams, prescription of medications and other stages necessary for health support.

website blog (1)

2- De-capitalization- Patients in treatment and recovery or those who need to undergo simple surgical procedures can be sent to a day hospital or be treated in the home care system, which avoids unnecessary hospitalization and provides space for critical care and emergencies

3- Online access to test results- With the implementation of internal collaboration and communication platforms, the doctor enjoys a consultation tool to access patient information and initiate the discharge process with more ease and agility.

4- Prescription and electronic clinical record-The report makes up an essential part of the Electronic Patient Clinical Record, a system that stores the individual’s history, including treatments, exams and prescriptions already made; that facilitates medical attention and the correct diagnosis.

5 – Extension of surgical procedures by robotics and arthroscopy- Accompanies the development of less invasive and more precise surgical techniques and methods, which allows rapid recovery to the patient.

6 – Reduction of the time of permanence- With the adoption of various process improvements, automation, and use of less invasive options and training of the medical and nursing team, the patient stays less time in the hospital. There is also the possibility of carrying out the transfer of chronic and long-term patients for home care.

7 – Implementation of clinical protocols- These instruments help professionals in decision making – be they simple or complex – that demand clinical paradigms and reliable theoretical subsidies, and streamline the entire assistance process.

With strategies that align management and hospital consultancy services, the time of hospitalizations is reduced, but there is more intelligence in the use of resources and less risk to the patient.