Optimizing Imaging Systems for Multiple Procedures, Part 2: Enhanced Patient Experience

This is Part 2 in a 5-part series about optimizing multi-procedure imaging systems. Part 1 offered an overview of benefits. In Part 2, we’ll detail how these systems enhance the patient experience.

Optimizing imaging systems for multiple procedures enhances the patient experience, influencing hospital reputation and fostering profitability. Here are three ways multi-procedure imaging systems help hospitals create better patient experiences.

1. Reduced wait times and shorter hospital stays

A single hybrid lab can be used for multiple disciplines and procedures, including catheterizations, neurology, cardiology, interventional radiology and surgery. Instead of waiting for a dedicated space to open, hospitals can schedule procedures in any available room that accommodates them, significantly reducing patient wait times.

In addition, image-guided therapy (IGT) helps caregivers treat patients with precision, shortening hospital stays. For example, a surgeon might use IGT to remove a tumor without damaging healthy tissue nearby. Smaller incisions and less tissue damage promote faster recovery, enabling patients to go home sooner.

Optimized imaging systems also allow caregivers to conduct multiple procedures in a single surgery, reducing the number of treatments, length of hospital stay and recovery time.

2. Improved patient comfort and safety

Multi-procedure imaging suites require various patient positioning options, so they’re typically outfitted with versatile positioning aids, accessories and attachments designed for a diverse range of patients and procedures.

During image-guided therapy, hospital staff can comfortably position and safely secure patients while still achieving high-quality images that help guide treatment.

Patient positioning aids influence image quality in two ways. First, it’s easier for patients to remain still when they’re comfortable. Second, some positioning aids are radiolucent, so they do not cast artifacts or interfere with images. This allows caregivers to get the best image angles so physicians can visualize anatomy better and deliver more precise care.

Positioning aids such as arm boards, bariatric table extenders and non-slip pads also protect patients from falls and pressure injuries.

Minimally invasive procedures are always patient-preferred, and intraprocedural flexibility allows patients to undergo minimally invasive procedures yet have the safety of converting to an open procedure if needed – without needing to wheel them to an OR that might or might not be available.

3. Community health

These benefits improve the experience for individual patients as well as the community at large. When hospitals optimize imaging systems for multiple procedures, they can use all available rooms and treat more community members faster.

For example, a hospital’s interventional radiology department might be overwhelmed with cancer biopsies. The hospital could move some of those procedures out of IR to another space so they can diagnose more patients as quickly as possible.

Multi-procedure imaging systems help hospitals reduce wait times for diagnosis and treatment, improving overall community health.

Next steps

Discover ways optimizing imaging systems for multiple procedures streamlines the hybrid OR in Part 3 of this series.