A Huge Step Forward for Imaging and Patient Care at Hôpital Sacré Coeur

Holy Name Medical Center’s Pete De Graaf, Adam Jarrett, MD and Tom Wall

By Pete De Graaf, RT(R), CRA
Administrative Director of Radiology, Holy Name Medical Center

On August 23, 2013, a team of Technologists and I.T. employees from Holy Name Medical Center traveled down to Milot, Haiti to begin the first steps towards bringing the world of Digital Radiology to the patients and doctors at Hôpital Sacré Coeur.

The basic infrastructure had already been put in place by previous teams from Holy Name Medical Center: clean and consistent electricity, AC units for climate control in the imaging areas, a cable and fiber network to handle the image transmissions and a new Data Center to act as the brains of the whole operation.

Taking the view point that we would treat HSC as any other satellite unit back home in New Jersey, we formulated a plan that would give us the results we were looking for in the simplest manner possible. The modality we selected to pilot this step was Ultrasound. Images will be sent from the Ultrasound unit at HSC to the new data center on the CRUDEM compound. Then the exams from the days work will be sent to HNMC data center during the evening hours as a batch run. The next morning the Radiologists at HNMC will interpret the HSC exams and diagnostic reports will be generated. As soon as these reports are finalized at HNMC, any physician at HSC will be able to view them and use them in the care of their patients.

The advantages to this system are numerous. The physicians on staff at HSC will have access to detailed reports and archived examinations that will allow them to not only treat their patients in a more efficient manner; they will also be able to accurately follow the progression or remission of any disease affecting their patients.

Also, the volunteer surgical teams will be able to get a list of the patients they are planning on doing surgical procedure on and be able to review the patient’s exams from their home bases in the states prior to arrival at HSC. This alone should increase the amount of time each team is capable of spending in direct patient care.

 
These same physicians will also be able follow up on any additional imaging and give invaluable consultations on follow up care for the patients at HSC.

Joining all these medical services together, in Haiti and the US, through the world of digital imaging is just another step towards a unified team effort in improving the medical care for the people of Milot. Ultrasound is our first in this rewarding adventure.

Digital Radiology Project Team Members
Holy Name Medical Center, Teaneck, New Jersey

Peter De Graaf, RT CRA
Administrative Director of Radiology

Thomas Wall, RDMS
Ultrasound Manager

Frank Marano
IT Manager

Hans Sander
IDX/RIS IT Manager

Darren Cousins, RT
Staff Technologist