Echocardiography Reporting Software Transforms Cardiology Care

The Challenge

Before implementing Change Healthcare’s echocardiography reporting software, the cardiology department at Hillingdon Hospital encountered several challenges, including:

1. Manual and error-prone processes as the department relied on Microsoft Word documents and heart scan images saved to CDs, resulting in inefficiencies and increased the risk of human error. This caused delays in report generation.
2. Lack of real-time visibility proved difficult for the cardiology department to access and collaborate on patient data and reports as the existing system lacked real-time visibility. This hindered efficient workflow and decision making processes.
3. Limited integration with partner hospitals caused the department to face difficulties in seamlessly sharing data and images with partner hospitals. This led to delays and duplication of scans, impacting patient care and overall efficiency.

To address these challenges, the team initiated a business case for a new cardio echo software solution in 2022. This decision aimed to streamline processes, enhance collaboration and improve the overall quality of patient care within the cardiology department.

The Solution

In 2024, Hillingdon Hospital successfully implemented Change Healthcare Cardiology Echo™, a comprehensive echocardiography reporting solution. 

Key features of Change Healthcare Cardiology Echo include:

Support for various clinics, including:

• Transthoracic echo (TTE)
• Transoesophageal echo (TOE)
• Stress echocardiography
• Physiologist-led valve surveillance clinic
• Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) and Level 1 echo reporting
• Paediatric and ACHD clinics

A cardiology-specific analytics tool provides in-depth analytics and insights tailored specifically for cardiology departments, enhancing data analysis capabilities.

Implementing the echocardiography reporting software solution has brought several benefits to Hillingdon Hospital, including:

1. Real-time, web-based access replaces the manual processes involving Word documents and CDs, providing a digital report with an audit trail of who has reviewed and reported. All department members can access and contribute to reports in real time, significantly reducing delays and streamlining the reporting process.
2. Automated data imports measurements and images into a standardised template, reducing the risk of human error and ensuring accurate and efficient reporting.
3. Enhanced visibility, collaboration and efficiency by offering real-time, seamless visibility of patient data and reports to all department members. To improve and standardise the reporting method the system allows senior staff to build a reporting statements library with a range of acceptable sentences for use in the reports, facilitating better communication and decision-making within the department.
4. Integration with partner hospitals in northwest London through a cross-site echocardiography partnership enabled easy sharing of data and images. This integration enhances patient care, reduces the need for duplicate scans, and promotes efficient collaboration between health care institutions.

Implementing Change Healthcare Cardiology Echo has significantly improved the cardiology department’s operations at Hillingdon Hospital. It has helped ensure better patient care, streamlined processes and enables the team to report with confidence.

The Results

Implementing Change Healthcare echocardiography reporting software yielded several positive outcomes for the cardiology department at Hillingdon Hospital.  These outcomes include:

• Improved efficiency by streamlining the reporting process, eliminating manual tasks and reducing the risk of errors. This resulted in faster report generation and improved overall efficiency within the department.
• Enhanced patient care thanks to real-time web-based system facilitated smoother patient journeys and improved integration with partner hospitals. Patients could receive timely and coordinated care across multiple locations, leading to an enhanced patient experience.
• Increased collaboration enabling seamless collaboration among department members, allowing them to work together in real time and share insights and expertise. This collaborative environment fostered better decision-making and improved patient outcomes.
• Empowered physiologist team to develop and grow and raise the standard of echocardiography at Hillingdon Hospital. This enabled them to provide a higher level of care to patients and contribute to the overall success of the department.

The implementation of the Change Healthcare echocardiography reporting software has transformed the cardiology department at Hillingdon Hospital. By replacing manual processes with a real-time web-based system, the workflow provides images and reporting in one central repository giving clear visibility of the patient’s report with the corresponding images.

The department improved efficiency, enhanced patient care, increased collaboration and empowered their team of physiologists. This project demonstrates the positive impact medical technology solutions have on health care. It showcases the remarkable achievements that can be accomplished through teamwork, commitment and the adoption of innovative technologies.