Medical imaging plays a significant role in an array of conditions and treatments. A patient's journey through a healthcare system is commonly tracked via a digital patient record, provisioned by an EMR. However, many aspects of imaging and its associated content are poorly integrated with EMR software, leaving significant gaps in the care record. The complexity and variety of imaging, diagnostic procedures and reports integration with digital care records, is challenging.

What is Enterprise Imaging?

Some healthcare providers are therefore turning to an enterprise imaging strategy to centralise and consolidate all imaging data and associated content into a centralised platform, thereby allowing better access and improved data management and administration.

One existing framework that is available to providers to support planning and implementation of an enterprise imaging strategy is the Digital Imaging Adoption Model (DIAM), a joint project by the European Society of Radiology (ESR) and HIMSS in 2016. The 8-stage framework provides a set of sequential compliance goals (levels 0-4), with Level 4 requiring imaging management at an enterprise level, integration with EMR/HIS and seamless receiving, processing and access to images from all patient units and departments within the healthcare provider network. Levels 5-7 are non-hierarchical and include addition of advanced tools such as analytics and personalised medicine capabilities, Clinical Decision Support (CDS) and advanced Health Information Exchange (HIE).

For many healthcare providers, the DIAM framework provides a clear starting point and means of tracking progress versus peers; however, each healthcare provider may also need to address additional nuances based on the combination of software already in use at their institution and other strategic or clinical initiatives. Furthermore, the DIAM is mostly focused on enterprise imaging management; some providers may also need to more broadly address not only centralising access to imaging content, but also access to associated diagnostic and clinical content that supports image interpretation and broader diagnosis.

Adopting an Enterprise Imaging Strategy

Read more about adopting an enterprise imaging strategy in this white paper, which will:

• Explore the importance of access to a complete imaging health record for patients, clinicians, IT administrators and other stakeholders in the care pathway
• Address how an enterprise imaging strategy forms the foundation for establishing longitudinal imaging health records and the potential benefits for key stakeholders
• Outline the important considerations and fundamentals for healthcare providers adopting an enterprise imaging strategy

Healthcare informatics – Illuminate a new path through the care continuum

Philips – as a certified organization for the HIMMS Analytics DIAM – can help healthcare IT leaders adapt and advance digital health transformation at defining moments in a patient’s journey, which paves the way for precision care. Find out how here.