STATdx reduces diagnostic errors by
as much as 37 percent, according
to a new study
Elsevier touts new study validating use of STATdx solution
September 21, 2018
by
John R. Fischer, Senior Reporter
Information analytics enterprise Elsevier is touting the findings of a new study about the use of its online diagnostic decision support tool, STATdx.
Evaluating 10 real cases across specialties, the study found the referential product to be efficient in reducing diagnostic errors and offering valuable insight for the diagnosis of rare or complex imaging cases.
"STATdx is designed to help with errors in interpretation by providing an extensive searchable data bank of radiologic images and information," Dr. Paula J. Woodward, a radiology professor and medical director in clinical solutions at Elsevier, told HCB News. "Radiologists can search an imaging finding (e.g. liver mass with a scar) and quickly compare it to their patient case to provide a more specific diagnosis. The tool can also be integrated into the PACS (picture archiving and communication) system for easy access while the radiologist is interpreting studies."
Offering 200,000 expert-selected and annotated image examples, STATdx assists users in the diagnosis of more than 4,300 common and complex diagnoses, as well as providing access to powerful, Google-like search capabilities and a RAD search for follow-ups on the latest journal articles.
The platform also includes more than 1,300 differential diagnosis modules, 20,000 easily sortable patient cases, 195 basic and advanced procedures, comprehensive normal imaging anatomy; and the ability to compare multiple diagnoses side-by-side.
Clinical experts evaluated the use of the tool among thirty radiologists and compared their progress with that of 30 others who did not use the tool, finding as much as a 37 percent difference in the onset of errors.
In addition, STATdx has been found to decrease errors in observation and interpretation, reduce unnecessary testing and overutilization of radiology resources, and help avoid fragmentation in radiology operations and oversight, leading to downstream healthcare costs.
"Reducing diagnostic errors is of paramount importance to radiologists, and these results validate the use of STATdx as an online diagnostic decision support tool," said Woodward.
Since its inception, STATdx has been adopted by numerous entities, including INFINITT North America, a provider of enterprise image and data management systems, which entered an agreement in 2015 to allow users of its INFINITT PACS solution to seamlessly access the diagnostic decision support tool for radiology.
https://www.dotmed.com/news/story/27678