You are invited to attend a Free Round Table Session to explore the Digital Diagnostic Imaging needs of clinicians
on Wednesday, July 29, 1pm - 5pm during the 2009 IHE Australia Connectathon at NICTA, 13 Garden St, Eveleigh/Redfern in Sydney (map: http://tinyurl.com/NICTA-Sydney )
The move to digital diagnostic imaging capture, distribution and access is inevitable, and distribution of images on film will become
progressively obsolete and unavailable. The move to digital diagnostic image however has created some major issues for clinicians with
respect to access and viewing the images in a form that is a suitable quality and convenience for optimal patient care.
The Imaging Division of the Department of Health and Ageing has recognised that "transition to digital imaging is leading to a number
of problems with the provision of images." They have observed that "the Act stipulates that a diagnostic imaging service must be
'clinically relevant'."
DoHA further state that "it could be argued that not providing images, or images that cannot be viewed and used, as part of a diagnostic
imaging service, would mean a service was not 'clinically relevant' and therefore in contravention of the Act" (DoHA Discussion Paper - Managing the Transition to Digital Imaging, February 2008).
In response to these issues, DoHA has requested relevant stakeholders develop an agreed Code of Practice. The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)
initiated a stakeholder forum (DIRWP - Digital Imaging RACS Working Party), to develop a set of imaging recommendations, and an issues resolution process - both of which are nearing completion.
It is likely that such recommendations will guide what is regarded as 'clinically relevant', which may have an impact on the form and conduct of diagnostic image distribution to referring doctors.
This has great relevance to both radiologists, and the suppliers of their imaging technology. There is also significant interest from major international clinician organization to develop guidelines,
based on those developed by the DIRWP.
The Round Table Session "Understanding Clinicians' Digital Diagnostic Imaging Needs" at the forthcoming IHE Australia Connectathon aims to provide an insight that will enable the imaging industry to
understand the needs of clinicians involved in patient care, and will thus assist the successful transition to the digital diagnostic imaging environment.
Participation in the Round Table does not require vendors to be testing within the main Connectathon. Registration is at no cost for the specific session, however to pre-registration is required.
1:00pmIntroduction to IHE and tour of the IHE Australia Connectathon
(Klaus Veil- IHE Australia Board Member, Connectathon Manager)
1:30pm:Introduction to provisional RACS Digital Diagnostic Imaging Recommendations (Slides)
(Michael Sandow - Orthopaedic Rep, RACS Digital Imaging Working Party)
(Peter McCombe - Spine Society Rep, RACS Digital Imaging Working Party)
2:00pm:International Radiology Profiles Update & Mapping to the RACSrecommendations (Slides)
(Chris Lindop - Co-chair, IHE International Radiology Technical Committee)
2:30pm: Afternoon tea
3:00pm: Focussed review of 6 key areas addressed by the RACS recommendations (15 min each): (Peter MacIsaac - EDS Australia)
- Format - Distribution - Reading and export - Display - Value add: Templating and Measurement - Archive
4:30pm: Summary and Wrap-Up
Registrants will receive a free copy of the provisional RACS DDIR (Dig. Diagnostic Imaging Recommendations)