Charlotte Radiology Selects Ikonopedia to Implement Comprehensive Suite of Breast Imaging Report Generation and MQSA Management Capabilities

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Ikonopedia announced today that it has been selected by Charlotte Radiology, one of the largest mammography providers in the country, to implement its comprehensive suite of breast imaging software tools.  This includes Ikonopedia's report generation tools for diagnostic and screening modalities, and the Automated B-RIS Tracking System, which includes the Patient Follow up Manager to track and notify patients and the MQSA Report Management System.  The installation is designed to help streamline processes, improve reporting efficiency and optimize facility operations across the Charlotte Radiology enterprise.

Having served the Mecklenburg and surrounding counties since 1967, Charlotte Radiology is one of the largest and most progressive radiology groups in the nation. Accredited by the American College of Radiology, certified by the FDA and recognized as a Breast Center of Excellence, Charlotte Radiology is a national advocate for breast health awareness, collaborating with community partners and foundations to educate women about the importance of early breast cancer detection. With more than 90 staff radiologists, Charlotte Radiology owns and operates 14 breast centers, provides coverage for 18 Carolina hospitals and provides mobile mammography services across 13 states. Serving more than 100,000 women per year, Charlotte Radiology provides state-of-the-art care including digital mammography, tomosynthesis, breast MRI and computer-aided detection.

The Charlotte Radiology installation will begin with Ikonopedia's report generation tools for screening modalities. The Ikonopedia reporting interface is fast without sacrificing accuracy and built-in metrics show a median screening report time of 33 seconds — with many under 10 seconds – and many reporting errors common with dictation such as inappropriate BI-RADS®, incomplete reports, and wrong-side reporting are eliminated automatically.  Reporting for diagnostic exams and the MQSA report manager and patient tracking and notification capabilities will be phased in early 2016. 

"At Charlotte Radiology, we are proud of our ability to offer some of the most advanced breast imaging capabilities in the country and the fact that we deliver high quality care in a productive environment.  Designed by breast imaging experts for breast imagers, we selected Ikonopedia to maintain the productivity of our reading physicians as we work to automate manual processes in our back-room operations that add cost and inefficiencies.

"We are also in the process of evaluating new PACS and RIS capabilities, but ensuring that we have efficient breast reporting capabilities took precedence, particularly since we know that Ikonopedia will be able to seamlessly integrate with whatever vendor we go with," said Matthew Gromet, MD, Chief of Mammography, Charlotte Radiology.

Ikonopedia's suite of report generation software tools includes Screening MRI, Diagnostic MRI, Diagnostic Ultrasound, and Biopsy in addition to Screening and Diagnostic Mammography.  For each modality, context-specific images and educational materials are available via a reference library drawn from the teaching files and maintained by Ikonopedia founders and contributors, including Tabár (mammography), Thomas Stavros, MD (diagnostic ultrasound), and Michael Vendrell, MD and Steven E. Harmes, MD (MRI). Designed to optimize breast imaging workflow for the entire practice, Ikonopedia's reporting tools are based on indexing breast findings based on what they look like rather than what they are called.  While Ikonopedia's proprietary drag-and-drop lesion locator has been customized for each of the reporting modalities, all have the same consistent layout for efficiency.  All reports are guaranteed to be BI-RADS® language compliant and current with the Atlas 5th Edition. 

The Automated Breast Information System can manage all patient tracking and communication capabilities, including letters, calls, and certified/registered mail based on customized user-defined protocols.  Ikonopedia provides flexibility in all required patient notifications and letters can be personalized by BI-RADS category, breast density, exam-type, and risk assessment score, and can be batch printed with facility logos and government-mandated language. With the letter filter system, patients with dense breasts or high risk score can receive a context-specific letter that is appropriate for them.  Designed to help users remain compliant with MQSA, Ikonopedia provides the expanded full-enterprise mammography audit that captures all data mandated by MQSA with no additional data entry.  Eliminating the need for manual tracking processes, users can create reports at the enterprise level or segmented at the site/clinic level, or by individual radiologist. 

"Charlotte Radiology is a very successful practice committed to advanced breast imaging capabilities regardless of whether they are delivered in their breast centers or through the mobile services they operate across 13 states.   We are pleased to partner with Charlotte Radiology to help optimize efficiency and patient safety as we look at the breast imaging process with a 360 degree lens," said Emily Crane, CEO of Ikonopedia.

About Charlotte Radiology Breast Center 
Since 1967, Charlotte Radiology is the area's imaging experts and is one of the largest and most progressive radiology groups in the country. Currently, we offer 14 breast center locations (including 2 mobile breast centers) - all accredited by the American College of Radiology, certified by the FDA and recognized as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence. Our breast imaging team consists of mammography certified technologists and board-certified physicians specialized in mammography. Their expertise and skill are crucial in the accurate detection and successful treatment of breast cancer. By continuously offering compassionate care combined with the most advanced equipment available – such as digital mammography, tomosynthesis, breast MRI and computer-aided detection - we are the first choice for more than 100,000 women a year. Learn more online at www.charlotteradiology.com.

About Ikonopedia 
Ikonopedia, LLC was founded by three expert breast imaging radiologists: László Tabár, MD, A. Thomas Stavros, MD, and Michael J. Vendrell, MD.  Ikonopedia is an image-based breast study interpretation and reporting tool designed to interface with multiple Radiology PACS and Information Systems. Selecting an Ikonopedia image icon inserts a structured language description of the lesion and its location into the report. An embedded real-time reference created and maintained by Drs. Tabár, Stavros, and Vendrell is available whenever the Radiologist might want to seek further knowledge for accurate diagnosis. For more information, visit www.ikonopedia.com.

SOURCE Ikonopedia

Related Links

http://www.ikonopedia.com