EXMOUTH, ENGLAND
Carestream digital imaging system delivers dramatic benefits for U.K. veterinary practice Enhanced image quality equips vets to offer better patient care; images are emailed for consultations on difficult cases
A veterinary practice on the coast of Southern England showcases the advanced medical care now available for beloved pets and their owners. Raddenstiles Veterinary Surgeons, of Exmouth, England, recently began using a state-of-the-art digital imaging system from Carestream Health. The practice installed a Vita CR system and Image Suite Software to deliver digital access and management of high-quality imaging studies for the 3,500 patients this practice sees each month. “Converting from film to CR delivers immediate access to exceptional quality images. And being able to digitally review, manage and store the images is much more efficient than working with film,” said Mr. Chris Ridge, B Vet Med MRCVS. “This new digital system is not only more convenient for our vets and staff, but also equips us to deliver better care for our patients.” continued on page 6
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Mr. Ridge reports the increased visualization when compared to previous film images is significant. “We used to use mammography film to achieve the highest level of quality possible. But the visualization delivered by these digital images is a dramatic improvement. We can enlarge the image to view details in a suspicious area, and we’re able to detect and measure lesions and other anatomy much better than we could with film.”
“Dealing with film and chemicals is time consuming and expensive. The images are also cumbersome to manage and store.”
The practice produces a wide range of digital imaging exams such as joint studies for cruciate disease, hip dysplasia and degenerative spine disease. The images are also used to diagnose and evaluate cancers, in addition to a wide range of other illnesses and injuries. The practice serves mostly dogs and cats but also reptiles, birds and other animals that are kept as pets.
Images often emailed for remote consultations Another benefit of digital imaging is the mobility of images for consultation. The clinic has three veterinarians working each day, but images can be easily emailed to other veterinarians for remote viewing. “The vets in our practice have expertise in different areas, so we often consult with each other on cases. Being able to quickly and easily share digital images allows us to put all of our expertise to work for each of our patients,” Mr. Ridge explains. Like other vets, Mr. Ridge is on call when the need arises. In a recent case, a Jack Russell Terrier fell off a 150-foot seaside cliff and was rescued by the Coast Guard. The vet at the practice determined the dog had a broken hip and transmitted digital images to Mr. Ridge to see if he thought the injury could be repaired. “I looked at the images, decided we could fix the problem, and we successfully repaired the injury once the patient was stable and fit for surgery,” he notes.
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Implementing digital image capture and management not only enhances care, it’s also a good business decision. “Dealing with film and chemicals is timeconsuming and expensive. The images are also cumbersome to manage and store. Today we’re charging the same amount for each X-ray, but digital capture and management offers lower costs. We produce from 100 to 300 X-ray images a month, and we will quickly recover the initial investment,” Mr. Ridge reports. Raddenstiles Veterinary Surgeons is a member of CVS Group Plc, which owns 249 surgeries, six diagnostic laboratories, an online dispensary and two pet crematoria across the United Kingdom.
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These systems save time, provide great reliability and enhanced patient care.
VitaCR
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CARESTREAM DIRECTVIEW Vita CR Systems expedite imaging workflow by providing a fast and easy setup process, an intuitive interface that minimizes training time and default image preferences to simplify selection. The system offers quick correction of over- and underexposures, and a “smart erase” feature reduces cycle time between scans. The modular system offers easy maintenance and consistent uptime. CARESTREAM Image Suite software handles order entry; animal-image acquisition and processing with parameters for species, breeds and body parts; viewing, editing and reporting; printing and digital archiving. For more information on Carestream’s veterinary imaging solutions, visit www.carestream.com/veterinary
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