Oklahoma Cancer Specialists Revolutionise Patient Care

In the heart of Northeast Oklahoma, a comprehensive cancer centre has been quietly revolutionising patient care. Oklahoma Cancer Specialists and Research Institute (OCSRI), a physician-owned oncology network of board-certified medical, gynaecological and radiation oncologists, has emerged as a beacon of hope for cancer patients in the region. 

At the core of OCSRI’s technological transformation lies the implementation of GE HealthCare's Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), which has dramatically improved the efficiency and quality of care provided by the institute’s team of healthcare professionals.

Formed in 2016 as a partnership between St. John Health System and Tulsa Cancer Institute, the institute has grown into a formidable force in cancer treatment and research. Today, OCSRI is a community-based oncology practice with 400 staff members, including a combined 40 physicians and allied health professionals, and focuses on providing high-quality, value-based care for Oklahomans.

Jennifer Freeman, who manages radiology services at OCSRI, explains how the institute’s holistic approach allows OCSRI to be a one-stop shop for patients, providing everything from diagnosis to treatment under one roof. “We offer comprehensive oncology services, including medical oncology, radiation oncology, gynaecological oncology, a skin cancer centre and a breast surgeon on staff.”.

The scale of OCSRI’s operations is staggering. On an average day, the institute sees about 600 patients for various services, ranging from simple chest X-rays to complex chemotherapy and radiation treatments. This high volume of patients and the diverse array of services offered present unique challenges in terms of data management and workflow efficiency – challenges that GE HealthCare's PACS systems have been instrumental in addressing.

The PACS revolution: From antiquated systems to cutting-edge technology

Prior to the implementation of GE HealthCare’s True PACS system, OCSRI was grappling with an outdated system that was struggling to keep up with the institute's growing needs. Michael Lewallen, one of OCSRI's IT Applications Analysts, recalls some of the challenges with the previous PACS system: “It was antiquated and outdated. We hadn't received many upgrades and lacked the structure to upgrade as needed. It was very bare bones, just for looking at images. Unfortunately, parts of the system were failing. We had to reboot servers multiple times a day just to keep it running.”

The decision to upgrade to GE HealthCare's True PACS was driven by several factors, including the ease of transition, image migration and user familiarity. Jennifer explains: “We looked at other options but ultimately decided to stick with GE HealthCare for several reasons. The ease of transition, particularly for image migration and user familiarity, was a major factor. It made sense to avoid a huge change that would require building from the ground up.”

This decision proved to be a game-changer for OCSRI. The new PACS system brought about significant improvements in various aspects of the institute's operations, from data storage and security to workflow efficiency and image quality.

Streamlining workflows and enhancing productivity

One of the most significant impacts of the new PACS system has been on workflow and productivity in the radiology department. Dr Chris Cross, a neuroradiologist at OCSRI, highlights the seamless nature of the new system: “With the new PACS, it’s much easier to review cases on the fly with clinicians. You can tab out to the worklist, search the new patient, and pull them up in a new window. Once you’re finished, you close that study out and pick up right where you were on the previous case. Our old PACS only let you open one case at a time, which led to frequent interruptions in the midst of often-times complicated cases.”

This seamless workflow has been particularly beneficial in a busy practice like OCSRI. Dr Cross adds: “Having a smooth, straightforward system that is relatively bug-free has been a significant upgrade. The UI is essentially the same as the previous PACS so there was very little learning curve, which made the transition seamless.”

The system's intuitive hanging protocols have also been a game-changer. “You set up any study the way you want, as well as the comparisons studies. Then you click one button and the layout is saved for all future studies with similar comparisons. It’s a much simpler method of creating hanging protocols compared to a lot of PACS.”

Given OCSRI’s focus on cancer treatment, the ability to efficiently review PET-CT scans is crucial. The True PACS system has significantly improved this aspect of their work. “I really like the PET viewer,” Dr Cross notes. “With a lot of the PACS I’ve used previously, viewing PET/CT often required pulling it up on a separate workstation or through a separate application, or it may be integrated into the viewer but in a relatively barebones fashion, with limited ability to adjust the protocols or customise the PET specific tools. The True PACS PET viewing capability is in contrast pretty user friendly, and can be mostly customized to your taste.”

This integration of PET-CT imaging within the main PACS system has streamlined the review process, allowing for easier comparison with prior PET scans and non-PET studies. This capability is particularly valuable in cancer imaging, where tracking changes over time is critical for patient care.

On the IT side, one of the most significant improvements has been in data storage and management. Michael explains: “The original system didn't have an auto-archive feature, requiring manual archiving of older data. The new system has an automatic archive feature. You can set rules for archiving data over a certain age, and it handles it automatically.”

This automated archiving has dramatically reduced the need for manual intervention and frequent storage upgrades. “I haven't had to add storage space to the system in about a year because it keeps everything under the threshold without manual intervention,” he adds. “Previously, we were adding storage every six months due to constant growth.”

Enhanced security and data sharing and seamless integration with EMR

In an era where stringent data security is vital, especially in healthcare, the True PACS system has provided OCSRI with enhanced security features while improving data sharing capabilities. Jennifer explains that the introduction of a zero-footprint viewer has been particularly impactful. “The addition of the zero-footprint viewer is fantastic for sharing images with outside physicians and providers who mutually care for patients. We can share images without granting access to our system, which is significant for security.”

Michael, meanwhile, elaborates on the security implications: “The ability to share patient data and images without granting access to our network is vital. We don't need to do background checks on external users or worry about what they might access in our network. The zero-footprint viewer allows authorised users to view images with just a login and web browser, without the ability to modify anything. This extra layer of security keeps our network safe.”

The True PACS system has also facilitated better integration with OCSRI's Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system. This integration, Jennifer highlights, has significantly improved the efficiency of patient care, allowing healthcare providers to access all necessary information from a single interface. “GE HealthCare has been instrumental in helping us integrate image viewing within our EMR,” she explains. “We have a link from the zero-footprint viewer to each patient's documents in the EMR. This allows providers to view images directly from the patient's chart without logging into PACS separately, making it a one-stop shop in most cases.”

Support and partnership with GE HealthCare

Throughout the implementation and use of the True PACS system, OCSRI has found a valuable partner in GE HealthCare. Both Jennifer and Michael highlight the improved support and responsiveness from the company. Michael notes: “As early adopters, we had some initial challenges, but GE HealthCare was quick to help. The support has been better since the change, and GE has been very receptive to our feedback.”

Michael adds: “The support and partnership with GE HealthCare have significantly improved. The new system, while initially designed more for hospitals, has been adapted to our needs as a radiology research and treatment centre.”

As OCSRI looks to the future, the partnership with GE HealthCare continues to open new possibilities. The institute is excited about the potential integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies into their workflow.

Jennifer shares their plans: “We're looking at potentially changing some modalities, so having a strong partnership with our PACS vendor will be crucial. We're also working on implementing the Riverain system for lung nodule tracking, which will be fantastic for our lung screening clinic.”

The integration of AI, while still in its early stages, promises to provide valuable support for radiologists and improve patient care. Jennifer explains: “These advancements won't necessarily change the radiologists' workflow but will increase their confidence by providing AI-assisted backup for their observations.”

Michael is equally enthusiastic about the future: “I see continued improvement in AI and more virtual solutions. AI is becoming more prevalent and accessible. I'm excited about potential advancements like virtual reality scans. While some of these technologies might not be fully realised in the next 12-18 months, the rapid pace of development is impressive.”

From streamlining workflows and improving image quality to enhancing data security and facilitating better communication among healthcare providers, the transformation of OCSRI through the implementation of GE HealthCare's True PACS system has been particularly notable.

As OCSRI continues to grow and evolve, its partnership with GE HealthCare positions it at the forefront of cancer treatment and research. The institute's commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to improve patient care sets a high standard for comprehensive cancer centres across the country.

In the words of Dr Cross: “What any radiologist wants out of a PACS is for it to not get in their way during their workday. You want to not notice the PACS. You want it to be seamless and intuitive and not interrupt your workflow.” 

With GE HealthCare's True PACS system, OCSRI has achieved this goal, allowing its healthcare professionals to focus on what matters most – providing the best possible care to their patients in their fight against cancer.

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