Thoughts from Wigan

“Following the roll-out of at-home reporting during the pandemic, many consultants on our team noted what they felt was increased focus, reduced distractions and higher productivity when given the opportunity to report from home,” said Raquel Tuano-Donnelly, Clinical Director of Radiology at Wigan Trust. “This led to us examining the way our teams work and deciding that – even following the return to work as normal – at-home reporting should be incorporated into our long-term approach to work.”

With a focus on continuity between the clinical and at-home reporting experiences, HSL developed an at-home workspace solution incorporating Barco’s Coronis Fusion 6MP display, the manufacturer’s renowned diagnostic display for radiologists which includes an energy-efficient and lightweight design which helps radiologists provide care with confidence.

In addition to the display’s 30-inch screen, high brightness and contrast ratio, and wide colour gamut which help radiographers see even more colours and detail, all displays are also equipped with Barco’s QAWeb Enterprise that helps hospitals manage quality and assure compliance with less effort, lower cost, and complete confidence. The fully-automated and secure systems support consistent image quality and uptime for all PACS display systems including those operating remotely.

An ongoing partner with the Trust, HSL has worked closely with the radiology team to ensure all staff are trained in the systems’ use and the at-home installations are set up with the same attention to detail and ongoing calibration as their clinically located counterparts.

“Whilst the efficiencies and access provided by home reporting are certainly to be celebrated, it is of utmost importance that the quality of reporting and trust in diagnostics remains uncompromised,” said Lee Unsworth, Radiology Lead at Wigan Trust.

“High quality image reporting plays a vital role in the swift and accurate diagnosis of patients with a wide variety of conditions. It is of paramount importance to us – and to the team at WWL NHS Trust – that the accuracy and quality of output at home is equal to work completed within the Trust’s facilities,” added Steve Leatherland, Regional Director of Operations, HSL.

“Our team takes the specifications, installation, and at-home set-up of these systems very seriously, paying particularly close attention to accuracy, compliance, and consistency. And to ensure that this focus on high performance continues even after the systems are commissioned, our team continues to support Wigan Trust with wrap-around support for the team to supply ongoing calibration and quality assurance services.”

Commenting on the continued positive impact of WWL Trust’s at-home reporting program Tom Leyland, Clinical Lead for Imaging Digital Systems at Wigan Trust, said, “Not only has our at-home reporting programme helped to improve productivity for consultants and reporting radiographers, it has also reduced commuting time, increased capacity, and has led to improved job satisfaction which will, in turn, help improve staff retention at a time where radiologists are in short suply.”

Conclusion

In addition to the maintenance and assessment of diagnostic tools and technologies, HSL’s specialist team also provides on-site ergonomic reports to help guide the implementation of the right solution for a friendly, ergonomic working environment for radiology professionals and wider disciplines including digital pathology.

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Implemented as a direct response to remote working required during the Covid-19 pandemic, the system has been successfully embraced by the Hip MDT, Knee MDT and Upper Limb MDT, accommodating meetings of approximately 6-15 team members as well as seminars of up to 50 people and recently a large meeting with regional hospitals which accommodated 104 participants. This flexibility in format and size makes the solution an optimal platform for not only MDT meetings but also trainings and general meetings for Hampshire Hospitals, facilitating remote working as social distancing and work from home remain important tools for combatting the ongoing pandemic.

The Pexip Infinity-powered system which integrates with Microsoft Teams and Cisco equipment offers a highly simplified and easy-to-use system for busy healthcare professionals based across numerous sites and allows attendees to join a meeting through Microsoft Teams or from a boardroom or meeting scenario using a Cisco system. Users can view all clinical data shared within a meeting room, working alongside the Electronic Patient Record (EPR) to include all information in one ecosystem. A three-screen setup also enables participants to take control of the screen and ‘drive’ the display, offering equal and secure access to the EPR, imaging, and test results for all participants within the meeting regardless of their location and making this an ideal platform to host virtual orthopaedic seminars.

Highlighting how increased collaboration through the virtual system is helping to improve the level of patient care at Hampshire Hospitals, a recent case was presented at Bath Hospital involving a young man who had been previously advised that he needed a new knee. Working in consultation with the MDT, the orthopaedic team at Bath took advantage of the vast pool of knowledge available from consultants in Basingstoke, the Regional Centre of Excellence for Osteotomy which runs masterclasses which are beneficial for improving knowledge within the region to benefit patients, resulting in a definitive answer for the patient.

Reflecting on the success of this collaborative project between HSL and Hampshire Hospitals Joanne Rix, Telehealth & Communications for HSL said, “The brief for this project was to provide a video conferencing system for MDT meetings with 3 screens, a good quality camera, and audio pick up to allow for collaboration across the region. HSL’s team worked closely with the consultation and IT teams at Hampshire Hospitals to explore the best solution to meet all the needs and future proof the communication function within the Trust. We are delighted by the outcome – an easy to use and adaptable telehealth solution devised to encourage collaboration, sustainability, and help improve the quality of patient care through additional expert input on cases.”

Commenting on the collaboration with HSL to deliver this innovative video conferencing solution David Howard, Lead Orthopaedic Surgical Practitioner and Orthopaedic MDT Lead at Hampshire Hospitals said, “From the second I got involved in the project, access to HSL’s team was simple and no request was ever a problem. HSL’s in-depth knowledge of our work and understanding of our needs as well as their calmness when reacting to challenges and fielding technical queries made them ideal partners for implementing the solution.”

Find out more here Video Conferencing Platform – Hospital Services Limited | Pexip (hsl.ie)

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Over the last year, we have consulted with Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, general X-ray team to supply a general x-ray room which can be used across a diverse patient demographic. The Shimadzu RADspeed Pro general radiographic system has provided an improved workflow for busy teams whilst also achieving dose reduction for patients.

“In addition to the streamlined workflow which the system offers that enables our team to treat more patients more effectively, the adaptability of the system means that the same technology can be used for diagnostic imaging of patients ranging from paediatrics to elderly patients,”

said Joanne Peacock, (Interim) General X-Ray Manager.

“The technology will also help our team to answer the growing demand for chest x-rays as patients dealing with prolonged ‘long-Covid’ symptoms continue to present with ongoing imaging requirements.”

The newly installed Shimadzu RADspeed pro system is our first installation of its type in England and Scotland and the first radiography project we have carried out within Blackpool Teaching Hospitals. In addition to providing a more intuitive and comfortable experience for radiographers and patients, the system also utilises image stitching software powered by Canon, where the x-ray is programmed to take several pictures and render them together into one larger x-ray image on screen for a more comprehensive view of the area being examined.

Commenting on the newly-forged relationship between HSL and Blackpool Victoria Hospital HSL CEO Dominic Walsh said,

“We are proud to have worked side by side with the Department of Radiology at Blackpool Victoria Hospital to ensure that the project delivered tangible benefits to the hospital’s radiography team and patients alike. The Shimadzu RADspeed Pro which has been installed within the Department is a truly robust and versatile piece of equipment which can be used for a wide range and high volume of patients to help improve patient through-put and streamline the workflow for the very busy radiography team.”

L to R: Helen Leach Senior Radiographer and Elizabeth Davis, Reporting Radiographer, both joint managers of the new in-patient suite at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, with Ruth Fry, Application Specialist.

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