Internet-based teleangiography: an indispensable tool for the interventional cardiologist.
Efficient and effective communication of specific patient information between referring and consulting physicians has become increasingly important with the need to evaluate a variety of treatment strategies, including coronary bypass surgery, coronary intervention, and medical therapy, without prolonging hospital stay. Until recently, the options available were either slow (mail or courier) or costly and cumbersome (hardware-based digital solutions). eMedcon, a new, easy-to-install Internet-based software solution described in this article, offers a quick and inexpensive solution to image digital cine transfer. eMedcon was tested at our institution, Washington Hospital Center, and was found to transmit images effectively and rapidly between physicians at any Internet-accessible site and Washington Hospital Center. Our data indicate that use of eMedcon led to an increase in repeat referrals and an increase in the number of physicians choosing to refer their patients to our institution.
Satler
Lowell F
LF
Division of Cardiology, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, District of Columbia 20010, USA. satlerlowell@yahoo.com
Kent
Kenneth M
KM
Pichard
Augusto D
AD
Suddath
William O
WO
Laird
John R
JR
Waksman
Ron
R
D017023:Coronary Angiography; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D011873:Radiology Information Systems; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012984:Software; D014584:User-Computer Interface