New Digital Navigator 3 way System: Enhancing Radiology Productivity

When your Veterinary Hospital or Clinic begins planning its new radiology equipment purchase it makes good sense to evaluate the latest in mobile / portable x-ray all in one solution for your center’s imaging department. Joe Hecker who is President of Diagnostic Imaging Systems (DIS) and product development director for the department of imaging services, explains that the changes in Radiology equipment usage and economics inspired by feedback from technologists, Veterinarians and radiologists has lead to the development of the most versatile and cost effective 3 way radiology system available.

“There had been some Veterinarian complaints about the present digital image equipment’s non- mobility and subsequent quality,” says Mr. Hecker. “And from the technologists’ standpoint, there had also been issues with lack of functionality.” To enhance the productivity for both the Veterinarian and the technologists, Mr. Hecker and his team of experts set out to develop a totally new self contained mobile table digital radiology system that would address their concerns. He explains that past experience with their stationery digital DR systems had been very positive, but lacked the mobility necessary to make them a truly versatile solution to the needs of the entire mixed animal facility. This lack of versatility and image quality of the present digital system inspired the team to seek the same functionality and image quality that the company’s Versa-View x-ray System offered, only now offering it in digital.

A mobile / portable DR digital table system was essential because the mixed animal veterinary facility includes a surgical center with operating room and a recovery room, all of which would have to share the Versa-View Digital Navigator x-ray System. “Being able to share the Digital Navigator between these rooms enhances clinical efficiency while providing better patient care,” says Mr. Hecker. “With the maneuverability, the compact size, the image quality and the speed of processing, the new Digital Navigator would prove to be a perfect fit for any environment”.

The development of the new system would need to support the mixed animal imaging department field x-ray capability for both small and large animal radiology. Mr. Hecker explains that with their present stationary systems non-sharing capability, they would have to purchase an additional digital portable system, but if they were to purchase the new mobile Digital Navigator with its field portable capability, the facilities Equine doctor would have a new modern replacement for its portable, analog x-ray unit. Positive experience with the facilities Digital Navigator in clinic led the facility to experience its portable digital field capabilities. “The equine doctor indicated we needed to go to a Digital Navigator system because of its fast and high quality images, plus it was the ideal single solution for both in office and field usage and would fit in perfectly.”

In its’ in office and field implementation, the DR Digital Navigator also aided with improving technologist workflow and Veterinarian productivity by providing higher-quality images. “We liked the fact that the DR Digital Navigators Ultra Hf12040’s 120kVp power settings were higher than the competitors,” Mr. Hecker notes. “When you’re dealing with a large breed canine or equine shoulder, it’s important to have the ability to properly penetrate thick body parts.” Soon, the development team found a third productivity-enhancing use for the Digital Navigators Mobile System. A special hospital project aimed at reducing the time in the main emergency room for report turnaround on possible fractures and foreign bodies, they again selected the 3 way all in one Digital Navigator with integral x-ray unit mobile table combination. Mr. Hecker explains that the decision was driven by lengthy processing time required by the facilities regular portable x-ray system. “You had to take the x-ray, process it, look at it, send it to the PACS, then pull up the PACS in the OR room,” he recalls. “We realized the only way we could get any faster was to get away from the old system.”

Today, Mr. Hecker says, images are processed right on the Digital Navigator system; the physician sees the image in the OR and can rapidly make a determination about whether a foreign object or fracture is present. With the planned addition of wireless internet capability in the OR, Mr. Hecker anticipates even greater increases in productivity.

“The Veterinarians, technologists and referring physicians will be quite happy with the increased productivity gained from the new Digital Navigator 3 Way System,” he concludes.