Advancements in medical imaging have revolutionized the way in which clinical diagnoses are made, allowing for the monitoring of disease and the treatment of illnesses to be much more effective than ever before. The ability to obtain specific information about the human body visually, via the non-invasive methods of radiology, nuclear medicine, and even optical imaging, has opened up an entirely new genre of modern medicine. But how do those in the medical field go about distributing the data that they receive, to both colleagues and patients alike? As the technological world grows, so does our ability to connect and share information. With advances in technology taking place on a frequent basis, let's take a look at medical image sharing on the whole - and what's on the horizon for the year ahead.
Standard Medical Image Sharing Practices
Sharing medical images is a process that is typically restricted to physical solutions such as film or CDs, or newer technology such as virtual private networks (VPNs). The results of x-rays, mammograms, ultrasounds, and more have been burned onto discs and either hand-delivered or mailed to their required destinations. In terms of VPNs, they have been electronically sent to recipients via an online network that isn't restricted to a single location. These methods both work perfectly well, but they are susceptible to certain pitfalls; after all, media on the whole is only as good as the system employed to distribute and/or store it.
While it's no secret that data sharing has been a vital component of the healthcare system for decades, it's more important now than ever for information to be both shared and delivered. Changing societal norms need to be taken into account with medical image sharing too, and not just the efficiency of the systems that are in place. For example, more and more people seek medical treatment abroad, meaning some medical decisions will need to be made away from where a patient's typical healthcare providers are located. In many instances, sharing medical images in a matter of seconds could prove to save lives in a medical emergency.
While standard methods aren't entirely obsolete, many new solutions are being developed to be more secure, easier to use, and more functional. Improved access to patient data and better storage solutions can only serve to enhance the way in which medical care is performed.
What to Expect in 2016
The need for effective and efficient medical image sharing is growing at such a rate that advances are cropping up everywhere.
Image Sharing on a Personal Level
As the demands for diagnosis and clinical care change, so do the needs of the patient. With personal technology gaining notoriety, more and more patients demand access to their medical information - and smart phones and tablets are opening up a new portal for medical image sharing for the future.
Having access to a clinical knowledge framework via mobile applications and Image Sharing Networks (ISNs) allows patients to have access to their medical image information at any time, anywhere; so we can expect to see ISNs gaining popularity.
Image Sharing for Providers
As important as it is for patients to have access to their own clinical information, image sharing on a wider scope obviously has far-reaching benefits for providers as well. Medical practitioners around the world already have access to referral networks, but image sharing could catapult the new generation straight into the 21st century. This year may bring a rise in second opinion portals which are designed to allow caregivers the opportunity to share medical images with other industry professionals, in the hopes of gaining an outside opinion on patient diagnoses.
Aside from second opinions, a wide range of both the working and clinical data that is stored by healthcare organizations is privy only to those with immediate access, via closed systems. In this last year alone, making patient's medical images and records available through more open systems has become a major focus, and establishing universal platforms and interfaces across an entire network is at the forefront of connecting providers from across the globe.
In the coming year, health information exchanges (HIEs) may add an image sharing element, both to reinforce second opinion portals and to increase the sharing of more diagnostic images.
Image Sharing & Big Data
While there might not be an immediate connection between image sharing and big data, clinical trials and research can benefit greatly from increased image sharing capabilities. Using image sharing across a clinical trial could allow for better decision-making and collaboration on a multitude of medical conditions, and could all but change the face of medical research in the future.
Medical Image Sharing for the Future
If the projections for advancement in medical image sharing for 2016 look promising, the potential for the future is positively bright. One area in particular that is set to divide the ever-evolving world of online medical image exchange is the cloud. While some facilities may take the leap towards using the cloud for image transfer and storage, not every image sharing portal or platform will make use of it to drive functionality. On-premise solutions that make use of a facility’s existing IT infrastructure and current security protocols can offer an extremely efficient and secure method for image sharing. Since protecting patient privacy is such a high priority in the healthcare industry, also keep an eye out for self-hosted solutions to impact the market in the years to come.
To learn more about Vaultara's unique approach to image sharing, request a demo today!
