It’s an age-old quest, amped by millisecond response times and 4G technology. Patients want satisfaction. And they want it now … from their doctors; from their clinics; from their hospitals.

When Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast in late October 2012, the Continuum Cancer Centers of New York was in the process of integrating its databases into one unified system. The project was part of an initiative to greatly increase patient safety and quality of care across its facilities, which were spread out over various locations in Manhattan. Fortunately for them, the push for integration proved to be invaluable that fall, as other hospitals in the city scrambled to recover in Sandy’s aftermath.

We’ve lived through decades of innovation in imaging technology, from developing radiology information systems/picture archive and communication systems (RIS/PACS) architectures that digitize and store millions of images, to building out workflows and Web services that expand access and drive efficiencies. Industry consolidation and other factors in the last few years have made an indelible impact on radiology by commoditizing these services and forcing radiologists into a volume-based mindset. The push/pull in the years ahead will not make this any easier — aging baby boomers will increase the imaging-prone population, while the growing influence of accountable care organizations (ACOs) and integrated health networks will look to eliminate unnecessary imaging.

With the sheer volume of patient information growing by the minute in the healthcare industry, it is important for providers to have an information system that not only captures and maintains data, but also performs its functions effectively and meaningfully. As the electronic health record (EHR) requirements for Stage 2 meaningful use (MU) continue to bear down on clinicians, vendors — especially in the field of oncology — will need to tweak and adjust to ensure their systems fulfill the needs of providers.

With all of the major X-ray vendors now offering wireless digital radiography (DR) systems, prices have dropped and it is becoming an industry standard for digital X-ray room replacements, primarily for computed radiography (CR) systems.

GE Healthcare and Konica Minolta Inc. have signed a global distribution agreement * of Konica Minolta’s AeroDR cassette-size digital X-ray imaging retrofit. Having built a collaborative relationship for nearly 10 years related to the sales of computed radiography (CR) in the United States, the two partners have now agreed to expand their strategic alliance, with GE Healthcare distributing AeroDR not just within the United States, but globally as well, using GE Healthcare sales channels.