Tag: ultrasound

“Ultrasound has expanded medical imaging well beyond the “traditional” radiology setting – a combination of portability, low cost and ease of use makes ultrasound imaging an indispensable tool for radiologists as well as for other medical professionals who need to obtain imaging diagnosis or guide a therapeutic intervention quickly and efficiently.” (Klibanov, Alexander L. PhD; Hossack, John A. PhD).

As ultrasound usage continues to grow, utilizing reporting software for general ultrasound offers many advantages that streamline and enhance workflows for radiologists and sonographers. Here are some of the advantages of implementing a structured ultrasound reporting system with AS Software’s advanced integration capabilities.

Electronic Reporting:  No More Paper Worksheets

Traditional general ultrasound workflows often require sonographers to manually record ultrasound information and measurements on paper worksheets. Then the radiologist must dictate the entire report, including the measurements. This manual data entry can be time-consuming, lack standardization, and increase the risk of errors. 

With reporting software for general ultrasound, this process is replaced with electronic reporting and digital worksheets. Sonographers can automatically input their findings into the system, eliminating the need for paper worksheets altogether.

Automation: Streamlining the Workflow

By seamlessly transferring data and automating report creation, integrated ultrasound reporting software allows sonographers to create reports faster. It also allows radiologists to focus more on their clinical assessments, without disrupting their workflows or requiring them to navigate multiple systems.

For example, a well-designed ultrasound reporting system can create clinical protocols tailored to specific findings. If a sonographer identifies a particular anomaly, the system can automatically generate impressions and recommendations for follow-up procedures. This level of automation not only saves time but also ensures consistency in reporting, benefiting both patients and healthcare providers.

Interconnectivity: Seamless, Secure Integration with Existing Systems

Modern ultrasound reporting systems can integrate seamlessly with existing tools and technology for a closed-loop workflow.

For example, AS Software integrates with speech recognition tools, e.g. PowerScribe, Dragon, etc., allowing radiologists to dictate their findings directly into a predefined format, ultimately saving time and improving the efficiency of the reporting process.

Reports generated by the ultrasound reporting system also integrate with the Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) and are sent back to the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system, ensuring that patient data is readily available for reference and review, and creating effective charge capture.

Web Access: Anywhere, Anytime

Unlike traditional setups that require users to be physically present at specific workstations, web-based systems like AS Software allow for greater flexibility. Sonographers and radiologists can access the system from any computer with internet connectivity.

Whether it’s inputting data, reviewing reports, or dictating findings, users can efficiently and remotely complete work to save time and increase flexibility and efficiency by leveraging reporting software for general ultrasound workflows.

In addition to saving time and effort, these general ultrasound reporting efficiencies can:

  • Reduce redundant tasks.
  • Increase revenue capture.
  • Improve accuracy.
  • Provide data-mining, analytics, and querying capabilities for research, accreditation, and compliance.

Embracing ultrasound reporting for general ultrasound workflows is more than just a technological upgrade — it’s a strategic move that can enhance patient care, reduce errors, and ensure that healthcare professionals can make informed decisions with ease.

With AS Software’s ultrasound reporting software, general ultrasound workflows are becoming more seamless, automated, and efficient than ever before.  To learn more about the advantages of ultrasound reporting software, schedule a demo.

Derek DellaVecchia, RDMS, RDCS, RVT, RMSR   

Derek has experience in both shared services and hospital settings. He received Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS) board registries in abdomen, vascular, OB/GYN, and adult echocardiography specialties and was able to work in departmental head positions in his career. He currently serves on the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS) Continuing Medical Education (CME) board review committee and is a Senior Account Executive at AS Software.

> Learn more about Derek

From small practices to large health systems, optimizing reimbursements through accurate clinical documentation is essential for financial health, sustainability, and growth. It also plays a critical role in maintaining compliance with regulations and providing high-quality patient care. 

Learn how to optimize reimbursements from your exams and ensure the financial health and sustainability of your organization by evaluating these four key areas related to ultrasound documentation. 

1. Accuracy of Documentation  

Prioritize comprehensive, clear, and precise documentation.  

Accurate and comprehensive documentation of ultrasound procedures is essential for optimizing your billing practices. By ensuring precise documentation, you minimize the risk of claim denials and audits.  

It’s crucial each ultrasound report clearly describes and outlines the type of examination, findings, measurements, interpretations, and any associated diagnoses. Inadequate or ambiguous documentation can result in coding errors, claim denials, and delays in reimbursement, impacting the overall financial health of your organization.  

Accurate documentation also lays the foundation for effective charge capture by ensuring that all the services performed during the ultrasound procedure are clearly recorded.  

2. Effective Charge Capture and Reconciliation  

Ensure all services rendered are billed appropriately with timely and accurate charge reconciliation.  

Effective charge capture involves accurately recording and reconciling all billable ultrasound services and includes not only the main ultrasound procedure, but also additional services that were completed during the examination.  

Failing to capture charges appropriately can result in lost revenue, billing errors, claim denials, and compliance issues. To ensure effective charge capture, healthcare organizations should implement processes, technologies, and quality assurance measures to minimize errors.  

Timely and accurate charge capture will maximize efficiency by ensuring that all billable services are properly recorded and billed. Additionally, streamlined workflows and reduced administrative burden will free up resources to focus on other priorities.  

3. Compliance of Coding and Billing  

Ensure compliance with coding guidelines and regulations.  

Proper coding and billing practices prevent underbilling and overbilling, which could lead to significant losses, legal issues, and penalties. Compliance with coding guidelines is also crucial for maintaining trust with patients and payers.  

Ultrasound procedures have specific Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes that must be assigned correctly based on the documentation. Compliance with relevant coding and billing rules, such as National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits and local coverage determinations (LCDs), helps prevent claim denials and audits.  

Properly coded and billed claims also provide reliable data for financial analysis. This data is invaluable in identifying revenue trends, potential areas for improvement, and strategic decision-making opportunities to enhance your organization’s financial performance.  

  

4. Ongoing Staff Education and Training  

Improve departmental efficiency with ongoing training and education. 

Providing ongoing training and education to staff is crucial for maintaining a well-informed and efficient department. They should be familiar with coding and billing guidelines, documentation requirements, insurance policies, and any updates or changes in regulations.   

Also ensure that staff have access to reliable support and receive thorough onboarding and training for the technology you leverage. Properly trained staff are more likely to accurately capture charges, reduce errors, and contribute to departmental efficiency within a more financially efficient department.  

By addressing these areas and implementing technology to help automate coding and correct errors, ultrasound departments can enhance their processes to optimize reimbursements, ensure financial sustainability, and improve patient care.  

Cloud ultrasound reporting and image management from AS Software eliminates the need for expensive IT infrastructure and server upgrades, and is uniquely built to give sonographers and physicians the ability to work from anywhere, anytime; access ultrasound studies quickly; and create more detailed, quality reports in less time, with less effort.

Download the PDF to learn more about the benefits of a cost-effective, smart cloud platform.

View the PDF

Download a Sample Ultrasound Report

Cloud environment, no VPN needed

Accessible from anywhere, anytime. Just launch the web application.

Guided auto-fill

Unlimited customization ensures speed, accuracy, and standardized information and terminology throughout the entire system.

Built-in templates

Document with the level of detail that fits your clinical specialty.

Comprehensive studies and data

Reference historical information, embed graphs and images, analyze and extract data, and more.

Video Captions:

“In healthcare’s complex ultrasound environment, providing quality care requires efficient technology that communicates effectively.

But there are many disparate workflows to navigate and connect for accurate ultrasound documentation and diagnosis.

To make the most of your investments, and to bridge the gap between departments, existing technology, and unstructured data, you need:

  • Reporting customized for your specialty
  • To seamlessly integrate with your environment
  • And reliably exchange data and images

So your team can remain focused on patient care.

With ultrasound reporting and image management solutions from AS Software, you can:

  • Access ultrasound images and reports anywhere, anytime;
  • Reduce the time it takes to make confident decisions, faster, with fewer clicks
  • Deliver the information that referring physicians need in an easy to read, standardized format
  • And increase reimbursements while ensuring billing accuracy

Empower your healthcare team and accelerate diagnostic imaging workflows with AS Software.”

Watch on Vimeo

To learn more about Ultrasound Image and Report Technology suited for you, get a demo.

As medical imaging has advanced, a variety of electronic systems and their various technology-based components, such as image archiving systems, ultrasound machines, ultrasound reporting systems and billing systems, have evolved within ultrasound network architectures.  

Each of these components communicate through a variety of interfaces, typically created by different vendor companies with limited collaboration, who focus on their individual components rather than seamless network connectivity. 

“Because this customization requires institutional willingness and resources, most ultrasound networks do not seamlessly provide the clinical information necessary to improve clinical care efficiency and quality.” (SMFM) 

To help facilitate better collaboration, clinicians, maternal-fetal medicine sub-specialists and network vendors, including AS Software, were brought together by the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Clinical Informatics Committee to establish best practices and a better understanding of obstetrical ultrasound network architectures, now published by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in a special statement. 

Here is a summary of the best practices collaboratively provided for seamless prenatal ultrasound network connectivity: 

1. Use a generalized approach to order design for more clinical flexibility 

There are unique challenges to order design for prenatal ultrasounds due to the frequent need for mid-study adjustments in obstetrics.  

The two most common approaches are to use multiple individual procedure-based orders, or to use a few generalized orders with embedded procedural options. 

While each approach to order design has its limitations and may depend on unique workflows, the ideal approach is typically a generalized one. In this approach, a handful of high-level orders with procedural specificity selected within the body of each order are used. A conditional request can also be embedded based on the study results, and even extend to consultative services. 

This will give greater clinical flexibility, so clinicians can adjust as needed without requiring new orders. 

2. Establish a straightforward data standard to improve communication 

Although there have been standards for formats of communication, like HL7 and DICOM, the content and clinical format of obstetrical data hasn’t had a standard for how it’s transmitted across systems.  

Depending on the individual vendors and design of each component, there are many variations of how data transfer and format is customized through interfaces — leading to varying capacities and complicated translations of each data point that make it difficult for practitioners to effectively leverage data.  

By standardizing ultrasound data transfer and improving consistency, clinicians will have increased analytical capabilities and access to discrete obstetrical data, and communication will be improved between vendors.  This straightforward integration is also less costly for IT professionals. 

3. Optimize billing with search functionality and integrations 

ICD-10-CM and CPT are the standards for coding in ultrasound workflows, but clinics vary on how they send this information and some use paper order sets.  

All requested procedures, associated diagnoses, and indications are best sent via HL7 order entry message to an ultrasound reporting system (URS). The URS should have search functionality for CPT and ICD-10-CM codes, and automatically populate necessary sections of study reports. 

All billing and coding systems should also seamlessly integrate with health information systems; and study procedure and diagnosis codes should automatically populate for final review. 

As imaging technology continues to advance, so will the technology-based components supporting it. These best practices will help both providers and vendors ensure their network  and its interfaces are structured effectively for better communication and more standardized data transfers, relieving burdens placed on healthcare systems. 

To read more about best practices for ultrasound network connectivity, read the entire special statement in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology or download a PDF on the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine site. 

To help better understand your organization’s electronic systems and how they could communicate more effectively, schedule a consultation here. 

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