IDEXX Cornerstone Software

What does “integration” mean when it comes to Diagnostic Imaging software and Practice Management software?

Let’s take a look…

At its most basic definition, integration of software systems involves the communication between the systems. More specifically, “Integrated systems” have the ability to say things to each other that are heard and understood by the software they are integrated with, and integration typically improves efficiencies, accuracy and consistency.

For Diagnostic Imaging, there are two kinds of integration: Ordering Integration and Viewing Integration.

Ordering Integration allows the user to order diagnostic Images via their Practice Management Software and have that order appear at the capturing instrument, e.g. Xray, Dental, CT, etc. The request will typically show up in the “Requests” portion of the capture software and the information about the patient is typically already entered into the appropriate fields for capture. Perhaps the main advantage of Ordering Integration is that the integration supports charge capture. This is important because from a financial perspective, lost charges can be the bane of even well-run practices.

Viewing Integration pertains to the inclusion of a patient’s diagnostic images within their patient record (patient clipboard). When the Practice Management Software and Imaging software have Viewing Integration the Practice Management Software is aware that an image for a patient exists and it shows this image in the patient record. Ideally, a click on a link within the patient record opens the exact image referenced within the context of the patients record within the Imaging Software. The advantages of Viewing Integration are a more holistic view of the patient’s medical information from within the Practice Management Software, as well as time savings when referencing diagnostic images.

Advantages of integration:

Workflow Efficiency: The user does not have to perform as many steps to complete a work process.
Accuracy: The data shared between systems is not retyped. The systems share their information exactly as it exists in their databases.
Consistency: Data exchange is done the same way every time and integration encourages system users to think holistically about how their practice data, e.g. Clients, patients, patient IDs should be recorded and used.

Do you have questions about the status of your practice’s Diagnostic Imaging integration? We are here to help! Contact an IDEXX Digital Systems Consultant for a free consultation at 1-855-627-6573.