Birmingham VA Medical Center is the First VA Facility with Omega Medical Imaging’s e-View system in Gastroenterology
Alpha Imaging proudly serves the Radiology needs of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities through product lines such as Shimadzu Medical Systems and Hologic Women’s Health solutions. Recently, this relationship has extended into the Gastroenterology department through the unique e-VIEW fluoroscopic X-ray imaging solution from Omega Medical Imaging. Designed and manufactured in the United States, the e-View is the only X-ray system specifically engineered for gastrointestinal (GI), ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography) and image-guided endoscopic procedures.
“The e-VIEW has been a phenomenal addition to our department,” said Jessica Trevino, M.D., Director of Advanced Endoscopy at the Birmingham VA Medical Center. “The team at Alpha Imaging supported us at every step in the project – from initial concept to architectural planning to clinical training and on-going support. They’ve enabled us to deliver a higher level of care to our Gastroenterology patients.”
Patients at the Birmingham VA are the primary beneficiaries from having an Omega e-View solution in the GI department. “Because the system is dedicated to our department, we can make sure everything we need for a procedure is readily-available. The suite is fully-customized to our needs. All of our supplies and tools are conveniently located,” said Dr. Trevino. “If we were performing a procedure in another department and needed additional supplies, we may have to delay the procedure, which could be unsafe for the patient. The efficiencies we’ve gained by having our own imaging equipment translate into better patient care.”
Patient and physician safety was a key design objective for the Omega e-View. Features like the removable lead shielding around the table and detector reduce X-ray scatter radiation to the operating staff. “The e-VIEW is clearly the result of a thoughtful design. They’ve taken into consideration each aspect of a procedure to ensure patient safety and comfort,” said Dr. Trevino. “Details like a patient stepstool and straps may seem small, but having worked on systems without them, you realize just how important they are.” The Omega e-View also includes a 500 lb. capacity extra-wide table top to ensure comfortable and secure patient positioning.
The long-term success of a dedicated fluoroscopy suite in Gastroenterology can be enhanced through a strong collaboration with the Radiology department. “As a radiation dose-conscious organization, it’s important to leverage the experience of our colleagues in Radiology to ensure the highest levels of patient safety. Our Radiology team is very involved with the imaging operation in GI. They attend cases and even help document radiation exposure to patients and staff.”
Patients at the Birmingham VA Medical Center also realize the benefits of e-View’s seamless integration with the VA’s Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system. “Knowing the fluoroscopy system integrates with our EMR allows us to simply focus on providing the best care possible for each patient. It’s one less thing to concern ourselves with before, during or after a case,” said Michael Passarella, M.D., Chief of Gastroenterology at the Birmingham VA Medical Center. Image-guided procedures performed in Gastroenterology are ordered and documented in the VA’s Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). This award-winning client-server interface ensures consistent and accurate maintenance of patient health records.
When asked how likely she would be on a scale of one to 10 (10 being most likely) to recommend Alpha Imaging and the Omega e-View solution to a colleague, Dr. Trevino replied “10, since I already have. A former colleague is planning an e-View suite at his facility.”
About Birmingham VA Medical Center
The Birmingham VA Medical Center is a 313-bed acute tertiary care facility located in the historic Southside district of Birmingham, AL. The facility provides acute tertiary medical and surgical care to veterans of Alabama and surrounding states. They provide health care services to eligible veterans in the VA Southeast Network Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN 7).
The medical center serves as a referral center for this population area with 136 operating beds currently. Recent construction provides state-of-the-art facilities and equipment in all clinical programs. Care is provided in practically all medical and surgical specialties and subspecialties. Most staff physicians have joint appointments with VA and its primary affiliation, University of Alabama at Birmingham. The Birmingham VAMC operates eight Community Based Outpatient Clinics in North Alabama.
Source: www.alpha-imaging.com; February 1, 2013.
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