Siemens Healthineers partners with Hawaii's largest health system to address state's growing backlogs
Siemens Healthineers is partnering with The Queen’s Health Systems in Hawaii to help improve access to quality diagnostic imaging services throughout the state.
The medical tech giant on Monday announced the partnership with the Aloha State’s largest private healthcare provider and private employer. The venture, which is expected to last around eight years, will expand the diagnostic imaging capabilities throughout the health system’s six hospitals.
This initiative will include the installation of new imaging equipment and updates to existing equipment. These updates also will integrate artificial intelligence-enabled solutions to help streamline workflows by reducing both scan and report turnaround times.
The move comes as the Queen’s Health System has been navigating a staffing crisis that has created a lengthy queue of imaging exams waiting to be read. In April, the organization informed staff members that more than 8,000 images were pending review. At that time, it was estimated that the state needed at least 10 more radiologists to keep up with demand.
Amid the staffing shortage, Darlena Chadwick, executive vice president and chief operating officer of The Queen’s Health Systems, assured patients and providers that the Queen’s Health System was considering multiple solutions to address the backlogs, including AI, temporary hires and remote reads from off-site radiologists. Now, Chadwick is optimistic about how the organization’s new partnership will assist in managing the imaging workload.
“We are pleased to partner with Siemens Healthineers with the goal of optimizing care for our patients utilizing advanced imaging solutions,” Chadwick said in an announcement. “We are always looking for innovative ways of providing care and this partnership helps us continue investing in leading-edge resources for our patients.”
“We are proud to partner with The Queen’s Health Systems in delivering advanced technologies as they navigate the challenges of operating a major health care system across the Hawaiian Islands,” added John Kowal, president and head of the Americas at Siemens Healthineers. “Their investment in new imaging equipment reflects a strong commitment to elevating patient care and delivering high-quality service.”
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.