Philips helps radiology administrators explore best strategies in moving to digital radiography through in-depth seminars

The new Philips publication covers the basics of DR, assessingimaging needs, strategic planning, budgeting and implementation, alongwith in-depth case studies. The guide can be obtained by visitinghttp://www.medical.philips.com/goto/DigitalRadiography. Philips alsojust released a CD with an investment justification for DR, a proforma model to determine the financial break even point for leasingDR, and estimates of the impact of going digital on workflowefficiency and reducing costs.

In addition to the guide, in-depth seminars like one conducted onMay 23-24 in Nashville, Tenn., are attracting administrators fromacross the U.S. to demystify the process of going digital. Nearly 70radiology administrators and technologists attended thePhilip-sponsored seminar called "Administrative Essentials of FilmlessRadiography." Representing a variety of large and small community andacademic hospitals, the panel consisted of speakers from Mount AuburnHospital in Cambridge, Mass., Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center inLebanon, N.H., and Marin General Hospital in Greenbrae, Calif., whoidentified several factors that enable success in going digital.

Think strategically. In making the case for digital radiography,radiology administrators need to position the technology in thecontext of their organization's overall strategic plan, explainedRonald Sliwinski, MBA, vice president of clinical-surgical operationsat Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. "In making our case for DR andPACS, we didn't think of it as a radiology initiative, but as anorganizational initiative," he said. "If an organization doesn'tunderstand the strategic element of PACS and DR and its institutionalimpact, then the organization shouldn't do it."

Enlist support enterprise-wide. Because DR and PACS have an impactthroughout the organization, stakeholders from key areas need to beinvolved in the implementation planning early on, especially IT. AtProMedica Health System in Toledo, Ohio, a steering committee providedoversight of the PACS and DR implementation and directed thecommunication campaign to promote awareness of the project, accordingto Bobbi Miller, CRA, ProMedica director of radiology.

The ProMedica steering committee included influential advocates asthe CEO, COO, vice president of nursing, department directors ofaffected ancillary departments including the ICU, and the IT director."In addition to bringing additional perspective and creating buy-in,the steering committee can alert you to people in your organizationwho may not be happy that PACS is eating up capital expenditures,"Miller added.

Gaining the support of various stakeholders for a DR and PACSimplementation will help radiology departments realize cost-savingsand productivity improvements. "But the real goal should be to boostproductivity and information flow throughout the enterprise to lowerlength of stay and improve other hospital-wide indicators," accordingto Paul J. Chang, M.D., director of radiology informatics at theUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Learn from others. "Going digital can make or break a career,"said Monte Clinton, CRA, radiology administrative director atDartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. "Those new to the subject shouldconduct site visits where DR and PACS have been implemented." Theyalso can join organizations like the American Healthcare RadiologyAdministrators (AHRA) and the Society for Computer Applications inRadiology (SCAR) to network with peers and take training courses.

The next seminars sponsored by Philips will be held

-- October 10-13, 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada, focused at technologists, radiologists, and surgeons working with digital X-ray equipment, and

-- April 19-20th, 2006, in Nashville, Tennessee, focused at health administrators managing the transition to digital X-ray equipment.

About Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI)is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe'slargest, with sales of $ 37.66 Billion (EUR 30.3 billion) in 2004.With activities in the three interlocking domains of healthcare,lifestyle and technology and 159,700 employees in more than 60countries, it has market leadership positions in medical diagnosticimaging and patient monitoring, color television sets, electricshavers, lighting and silicon system solutions. News from Philips islocated at www.philips.com/newscenter.