PITTSBURGH, June 11, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Five of
Allegheny Health Network's (AHN) Imaging Centers have been
recognized by the American College of Radiology (ACR) as Diagnostic
Imaging Centers of Excellence (DICOE): West Penn Hospital,
Hempfield Outpatient Imaging, Forbes Hospital Outpatient Imaging,
Fox Chapel Outpatient Imaging and Wexford Health & Wellness
Imaging. Among adult imaging centers, AHN's are the only ones to
achieve the designation across the four-state region comprised of
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Delaware.
The DICOE designation indicates that the facility delivers the
highest levels of imaging quality, safety and care by surpassing
accreditation standards. AHN participates in the ACR Dose Index
Registry, which monitors the radiation dose of CT scans performed
within the system, allowing the facilities to understand how much
radiation is being used compared to national averages.
"Standing up our imaging facilities as DICOE places us on the
forefront of the current best practices provided by the leading
experts in the field," said Bethany
Casagranda, DO, Imaging Institute Chair. Dr. Casagranda sits
on the American College of Radiology Practice Parameters/Technical
Standard committee and collaborates with radiologists from across
the country to determine these standards.
Over the past several years, AHN and Highmark Health have
committed approximately $400 million
to enhance the technological capabilities of the AHN Imaging
Institute and expand its patient care capacity across the
region.
Recognizing that new technology alone does not change or improve
the patient experience, Dr. Casagranda led a transformation of the
care delivery model across the Imaging Institute, which oversees
diagnostic care at more than 38 AHN locations. "If you ask a
patient about their imaging experience, chances are the shiny new
equipment won't stand out in their mind, but they will clearly
recall how well they were treated by the technologist or
radiologist who cared for them, how swiftly they received their
results and how accurate those results were in helping to direct
the next course of care," she said.
One particularly exciting development in the field of imaging is
the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) as a solution to the
growing demand for the services.
"It's is an incredibly exciting time for the field of diagnostic
imaging, we are not without challenges," said Dr. Casagranda.
"Technology across every imaging modality is advancing at warp
speed, and the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) promises to
revolutionize nearly every aspect of our profession, and
ultimately, further improve the delivery of patient care."
Software solutions employing leading-edge AI technologies are
being explored and deployed across the Institute's numerous
subspecialties. Radiologists can leverage AI to improve accuracy
and efficiency in their work, as well as gain new insights into the
diseases they diagnose, saving time—and potentially, lives.
"AI is constantly evolving, and we are always looking at new
ways to deliver the best patient care by integrating these new
technologies, either through software or new equipment
capabilities," said Dr. Casagranda.
For the past four years, AHN neurologists and neuroradiologists
have been using an AI platform that delivers real-time stroke
imaging analyses, improving the quality of acute stroke care at
comprehensive and primary stroke centers, and providing
subspecialized care at all sites, including community hospitals
across the network. Along with neuroradiologists, AHN employs
fellowship trained radiologists in the following
subspecialties:
o Musculoskeletal (orthopaedic)
o Interventional vascular radiology
o Abdominal imaging
o Breast
o Cardiothoracic
o Emergency radiology
o Nuclear medicine
In addition to its AI pursuits, AHN has been an early
collaborator with HeartFlow, a non-invasive test coupled to
coronary CT imaging that gives cardiologists and radiologists
personalized analysis of a patient's coronary arteries. This
advanced technology has led to a decrease in extra testing, such as
coronary artery catheterizations, which results in fewer invasive
procedures and less cost to the patient.
The DICOE designation recognizes excellence across the entire
diagnostic imaging program, including professional and ancillary
staff, the technology and the institute's policies and procedures,
all of which play an integral role in providing excellent patient
care.
"Behind every physician facing a challenging diagnosis for a
patient, there is a team of highly trained medical imaging
specialists providing as much clarity as possible to assist in this
critical decision-making process. At AHN, we are fortunate to have
some of the most experienced and talented imaging specialists in
the country at our side every day, and this important designation
by the American College of Radiology is a well-earned distinction
for the program," said Donald
Whiting, MD, Chief Medical Officer for AHN.
Media Contact
JoAnne Clobus, Highmark Health,
724-651-3205, joanne.clobus@highmarkhealth.org
SOURCE Allegheny Health Network