Reviewing Portal Images Review Improved by Electronic Medical Records

The use of electronic medical records (EMRs) for reviewing portal images dramatically improves physician compliance with timeliness and record keeping, according to new findings.

Portal images are used to confirm the positioning of patients during daily radiation treatments to improve the precision of the radiation field placement, to reduce exposure to normal tissue and to deliver accurate dose to tumor volumes.

The study’s findings were published in the July 2012 issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology. “The benefits of the implementation and utilization of an EMR have been well documented. Other studies have shown that the use of EMRs improves the quality of care, saves time, and decreases cost,” said Andre Konski, MD, MBA, MA, coauthor of the article, and chief of radiation therapy at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center, and professor and chair of the department of radiation oncology at the Wayne State University School of Medicine (Detroit, MI, USA).

The use of an EMR to review portal images was introduced at the researchers’ institution in March 2010. Before this, portal images were reviewed on either radiographic film or printouts from units equipped with electronic portal imaging. Patients who were treated by attending physicians present before and after the change to the EMR were randomly selected for review of their portal images from 2009 for radiographic film and March to June 2010 for portal images in the EMR. The images were reviewed for their compliance with correct verification per departmental policy.

A total of 411 portal images were reviewed. Results showed that there was a statistically significant improvement in compliance with portal image-review policy with use of the EMR to review portal images. “The use of an EMR for reviewing portal images dramatically improves compliance with timeliness and record keeping. More timely review of portal images is critical because it allows for higher quality care in the treatment of patients with radiation,” said Dr. Konski. “Given this study’s findings, in accordance with a nationwide push for transitioning the EMRs, reviewing portal images via an EMR should be standard of care.”

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Wayne State University School of Medicine