Automatically exporting bone mineral density (BMD) data from dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) exams to the electronic medical record (EMR) reduces errors and improves turnaround times, according to a new study published in the Journal of Digital Imaging.
DXA exams involve a lot of data, which has always created potential for significant mistakes.
“The primary output of DXA exams is a group of numbers comprised of multiple BMD values that are typically displayed as a screen capture within the PACS workstation,” wrote Jason Wachsmann, MD, department of radiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and colleagues. “These values are then manually dictated into the diagnostic report, which takes time and is prone to transcription errors.”
To address this issue, the authors developed a way for numerical data to automatically be exported into the EMR via the Health Level 7 interface engine. They then studied 100 DXA radiology reports prior to implementation and 100 DXA radiology reports after implementation, comparing the number of errors and turnaround times.
Overall, the 100 preliminary DXA exams prior to implementation contained 44 errors. Final reports contained 25 errors.
The 100 preliminary DXA exams after implementation of the new process, however, included just one error. The final reports also included one error. In both cases, the error in question was the prior exam not being listed for comparison. “This issue was subsequently resolved when the missing exam titles and imaging codes were then updated in the database, allowing for recognition of prior DXA exams,” the authors added.
In addition, the time from exam end to report completion dropped from an average of 2,159 minutes before implementation to an average of 625 minutes.
The authors also noted that their method results in direct cost savings. “In some practices, mid-level health care providers such as nurse practitioners and physician or radiology assistants dictate preliminary reports,” they wrote. “Our approach obviates such a need and the added cost.”
Wachsmann et al. concluded by looking ahead at the future. Could other processes also be simplified and improved by going down a similar path?
“We think that many other institutions would benefit from implementing similar systems,” they wrote. “This method of directly reporting numeric values into the imaging reports may be able to be expanded to other area modalities in the future, such as ultrasound, allowing for increased accuracy and improved turnaround times in a cost-saving manner.”
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.