From the November 2015 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
Improved cost of ownership
When a facility decides to adopt DR technology, there are several potential long-term financial benefits, including extending the life of existing radiographic modalities and increased capacity so that one room can do the work of two to three rooms as compared with using CR technology. With reimbursements decreasing because of cost containment pressure, being able to perform more diagnostic imaging procedures with less equipment and staff will be critical for facilities to be successful in delivering satisfactory diagnostic imaging services required by insurance companies and Medicare.
The considerable improvements DR technology can provide will continue to fuel the transition from CR to DR. It’s important to note that radiologists are not the only ones who can benefit from the improved and faster imaging technology of DR as compared to CR. When compared to the multiple process steps involved with CR technology, DR technology can also assist trauma doctors in the ER in visualizing potential issues with patients more quickly and helping them determine proper treatment almost instantaneously, thereby helping reduce the time needed to diagnose critically injured patients.
As the imaging industry advances and new products come to market, it should make it easier for facilities to decide if upgrading their equipment is the right choice for them. The combination of faster results, lower X-ray dose, better image quality and improved cost of ownership will be factors driving health care providers to the technology that will provide a more patient-focused care environment.
Tsuneo Imai is the vice president and general manager, Healthcare Solutions Division, Business Imaging Solutions Group, Canon U.S.A., Inc., and president, Virtual Imaging, Inc.
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