KLAS has been tracking trends in enterprise imaging system adoption. These systems leverage the use of a vendor neutral archive (VNA) for radiology and other departments at hospitals or health systems to use as a central data storage hub. This is usually in connection with breaking down data silos of various departments for reports and imaging to incorporate all these for cross enterprise access to this data through a central electronic medical record (EMR) system. 

Cleveland Clinic was among the first large academic centers in the U.S to adopt an enterprise imaging systems that incorporated data from about 50 departments. This is mentioned in the video as a model for many health systems looking to get into enterprise imaging.

"We do have some providers aspiring to get to where Cleveland Clinic is at with its enterprise imaging system," Rasband said. 

Beyond departments, she said many healthcare systems are buying up other systems to consolidate into larger care networks. She said several of these providers see enterprise imaging systems as a way to more easily integrate these new acquisition hospitals that are using legacy PACS, CVIS or other systems. 

"I had one provider explain it that they are putting enterprise imaging storage in their 'basement' and everyone can be in their own house and we all have this consolidated storage with a VNA," Rasband said. 

A very important component of enterprise imaging systems is a universal viewer that allows access to all types of files, not just radiology DICOM. These viewers also eliminate the need for modality specific workstations and the ability to share imaging to anyone across the enterprise. 

Which vendor is the leader in enterprise imaging?

Rasband said she is frequently by providers about the enterprise imaging market leader.

"I tell them there is no one set leader. There are many vendors that can fit that role, but there are many ways to have success and get to that point depending on your goal," she explained. 

For hospitals looking to adopt an enterprise imaging system, reading a committee of stakeholders from the various departments that will be involved is important, she said. But, she suggests a hospital or health system should already have a set of goals in mind for such a system and what problems the need it to solve. This will will help offer over all direction for a committee. The committee members should become

"There has to be an overall strategy. Getting the right people onto that committee who know and understand who will be the super-users of the system and being able to come back and articulate, and that gets really complex," Rasband said.

She said each subspecialty is very different, so sometimes this is easier said than done. The people on the committee for each department need to have a deep understanding of the workflow within their departments so they understand what they need to advocate for and how conversion to the new system will take place. 

"You need individuals [who] are giving feedback, and who can also pushback and say no," she explained. "It is a good thing to say no for the good of the long-term strategy and how you are organizing this into the VNA." 

Trends in radiology AI

Along with enterprise imaging system adoption, vendors are looking to integrate AI into these systems and workflows. Rasband said it is still early on in AI adoption, but providers are asking KLAS what they should do.

"Providers don't want to shop around for one-off algorithms from multiple vendors, and this is why the AI market places seem like a good idea. The market place brings AI vendors together in one place and it shows which larger enterprise imaging vendors they are working with," she said.
 
For more trends in radiology IT systems, watch the VIDEO: 6 key trends in PACS and radiology informatics observed by KLAS — interview with Monique Rasband at KLAS.