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RadPort

Ensuring Appropriate Diagnostic Imaging Exam Ordering

RadportRadPort for Radiology is a decision support system that guides appropriate diagnostic image order entry. The evidence-based utility score system evaluates the appropriateness of each exam as it's ordered, eliminating the need for physicians to spend excessive amounts of time with utilization reviewers. Furthermore, RadPort satisfies pre-certification requirements when accepted by your network of healthcare payors.

The system offers penalty-free ordering and an easy-to-use scoring system for evaluating the appropriateness of high-cost imaging orders, including MRI, MRA, MR Breast, CT, CTA, PET/CT and Cardiac Stress Testing; the higher the score, the more appropriate the exam. Special considerations and indications relevant only to the requested exam are presented in a simple and concise format.

Implementation of the system is simple; choose either a call center approach for fast deployment, provide direct access via referring physician logins, or integrate decision support as a part of your existing CPOE. Decision support rules are continually added, revised and edited based upon user feedback and frequent review by a panel of clinical and radiology experts.

Direct Ordering and Appropriate Guidance

The RadPort for Radiology process offers penalty-free ordering and an easy-to-use appropriateness scoring system. A utility score ranging from 1 to 9 establishes the basis for appropriate order placement. The higher the utility score, the more appropriate the exam.

In addition to patient demographic information, special considerations and indications relevant only to the requested exam are presented in a simple and concise format.

The RadPort for Radiology system contains decision support rules for evaluating the appropriateness of high-cost imaging orders, including MRI, MRA, MR Breast, CT, CTA, PET/CT and Cardiac Stress Testing.

Customized to Fit Your Needs

Secure, web-based access powers RadPort for Radiology. Implementation of the system is simple. Facilities choose to either utilize a call center approach for fast deployment, provide direct access via referring physician logins, or integrate decision support as a part of an existing CPOE.

Decision support rules are continually added, revised and edited based upon user feedback and frequent review by a panel of clinical and radiology experts. Approximately 15,000 rule pairings account for the 65+ high-cost imaging studies covered by the RadPort for Radiology application.

Radiology Solutions Leadership

RadPort for Radiology represents the next step in the expansion of the Nuance family of radiology solutions. The addition of RadPort for Radiology and Veriphy™ to the market-leading PowerScribe and RadWhere solutions provide end-to-end intelligent ordering, speech-driven clinical documentation and automated delivery of critical test results, while offering a powerful set of tools for retrospective analysis of utilization review and appropriate ordering patterns.

  • Based on ACR Appropriateness Criteria
    Derived from the American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria, and designed in conjunction with Massachusetts General Hospital, RadPort for Radiology’s scoring methodology is continuously reviewed and enhanced by a panel of clinical and radiology experts.
  • Proven “utility scores” guide ordering
    RadPort for Radiology combines the clinical information provided by the referring physician at the time of ordering with patient demographics to produce a “utility score” for the examination requested.

    A high score indicates that the information provided strongly supports the use of the requested imaging test. A low score indicates that the request may not be appropriate. As a result, RadPort for Radiology displays alternate procedure choices with corresponding utility scores of other relevant and appropriate exams.

    In the event of a low score, RadPort for Radiology provides clinical reference material designed to educate the referring physician so as to ensure appropriate ordering in the future.

  • Satisfies pre-certification requirements
    RadPort for Radiology satisfies healthcare payor pre-certification requirements, circumventing the need to use traditional Radiology Benefits Management (RBM) companies. Instant pre-certification eliminates wait times and offers significant cost savings while improving patient satisfaction. Furthermore, by accurately capturing indications you can ensure proper billing.
  • Manages inappropriate (low utility) orders
    A low utility decision support score does not necessarily prevent a referring physician from ordering an examination. However, if a physician decides to proceed and order the procedure, s/he is required to enter a reason for her/his decision. RadPort for Radiology collects this data to assist with future decision support rule edits and modifications.

    Furthermore, utility scores for each individual clinician and each examination type are collected over time. Utilizing the RadPort for Radiology and RadCube™ for Radiology applications, a facility can routinely analyze this data to provide feedback to the referring base on the appropriateness of their order mix.

    RadPort for Radiology is the perfect complement to an existing Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) system. The decision support rules are implemented directly into the existing order process to ensure clinical appropriateness.

  • Analyze utilization, monitor ordering patterns
    Proactively, the application will warn the ordering physician of duplicate orders for the patient. Retroactively, administrators can monitor the utilization of modalities at any given site or location and track the ordering patterns of physicians.

    Take full control of ordering analysis through the use of RadCube for Radiology. You can examine ordering appropriateness by group, subspecialty or individual physician. Or, you can conduct facility-wide decision support scoring analysis as well as modality/procedure-specific trending. You can understand your data better and make more informed business decisions through the combined use of RadPort for Radiology and RadCube for Radiology.

Reuben Mezrich, MD, PhD
Chairman of Radiology
University of Maryland Medical Center
Baltimore MD

“RadPort for Radiology allows the referring physician to order the right study for the right reasons, enabling the radiologist to provide the optimal care. And as a matter of benefit, satisfies pre-certification requirements and ensures that the billing will be proper.”