Medicine is making use of the cloud in many different ways. Doctors the world over are collaborating and combining their expertise to solve the most complex cases. For today’s healthcare systems, data is the name of the game. Another vital aspect of modern healthcare is radiology, and many procedures now use Computed Tomography (CT) scans as an integral part of diagnosis and treatment monitoring.
“Patient safety is at the heart of dose management and is a big driver for why we created this solution,” said Agnes Berzsenyi, VP & General Manager of Product Management for Global Services at GE Healthcare.
CT uses X-rays, which are a form of radiation that patients who undergo scans are exposed to. The radiation ‘dose’ of one scan is small, but if a patient is very young, needs several scans, or moves from one hospital to the next, radiation can soon add up. What’s more, sifting through the reams of hospital data to analyze radiation dose can be a challenge.
A new data management system, called DoseWatch Explore, can cut through the big data noise. Using Microsoft’s cloud technology, the platform collects information on radiation dose directly from GE CT scanners. Doctors use the data to quantify the amount of practice-level radiation dose, and the information can be analyzed to tailor subsequent procedures, helping drive behavioral change to help ensure that clinicians are using the lowest possible doses.
“DoseWatch Explore is a great example of how integrated device, software and cloud platform solutions seamlessly work together to deliver practical, actionable insights to health organizations,” said Neil Jordan, General Manager of Worldwide Health at Microsoft.
DoseWatch Explore is part of a broader Industrial Internet initiative – a focus on technology, data and analytics. The Industrial Internet is not just about creating newer, smarter systems in a tech-enabled world. It’s about connecting caregivers with brilliant machines that provide more accurate information than ever before while enabling them to spend less time navigating the system and more time caring for patients.
By: GE Healthcare
