Veterans Affairs broadens view of mobile devices
By
John Pulley
Department wants to expand viewing of EHR images beyond iPads.
The Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a contractor to develop an application that will view images from the VistA electronic health record on mobile devices.
In a request for information posted earlier this month on FedBizOpps.com, the VA said it wanted to expand mobile viewing of diagnostic images such as X-rays, CT and PET scans, ultrasound and angiography beyond the iPad. The idea is to “expedite diagnosis and treatment planning, facilitating communication among radiologists and referring clinicians.”
The RFI noted that it wants to better connect its geographically dispersed network of 152 hospitals and health-care systems, 974 outpatient clinics and 133 skilled-nursing and extended-care centers “into a meaningful and seamless health-care system in which veterans receive the right care no matter where they are in relation to the system’s resources.”
Technical and workflow considerations include providing a browser and platform for mobile imaging that can integrate with any picture archive and communication system (PACS); providing data security and central management of personal devices; providing a “state-of-the-art imaging platform”; and allowing real-time collaboration among geographically separated users.
Responses are due by Nov. 28.