- The project includes extension and modernisation of radiological information and storage systems
- Contributions range from instant imaging capture at the hospital, incorporation of computer aided detection technology to the increase of security among others
- Castilla-La Mancha’s medical staff will be able to exchange imaging and reports with professionals from other autonomous regions
Castilla-La Mancha's health care services (SESCAM) awarded Indra, the premier IT company in Spain and a leading IT multinational in Europe, the modernisation of the Ykonos digital medical imaging project for 12. 8 million euros. The contract includes modernisation of radiological information and storage as well as support to applications. This way, Indra consolidates its position as SESCAM'S technology reference partner since in 2003 the company started deploying and implementing the system.
The upgrade will extent the systems’ storage capacity in order to obtain the imaging immediately at the hospital thus facilitating comparison between before and after images which is elementary in tests such as mammographies and computed tomographies. Besides this, computer-aided detection (CAD) will also be incorporated to help highlight breast, kidney and lung tumors as well as visualisation tools for surgical planning of implants in knees and hips.
The project also comprises a connection of Ykonos with the Ministry of Health and Consumption’s central node for exchange of imaging and radiological reports. This way, the medical staff of any hospital of other autonomous regions will be able to access imaging conducted at any hospital of Castilla-La Mancha when treating patients of this region.
Finally, the contract includes a migration of RIS (Radiology Information Systems) to J2EE with solutions to facilitate mobility and access to information regardless the location of the doctor, hence promoting the virtual diagnose centre, started up in the previous phase of the project and which will be equipped with a work flow management tool integrated in RIS. Security and image quality will be enhanced by incorporating alert control mechanisms.
A pioneer experience in Europe
Ykonos represents the implementation of a technology solution that allows digitalization of diagnose images and reports for storage and access from any centre connected to the system. This way, x-rays, ultra sound scans and other diagnostic tests are not handed-in in hard copy to patients. Instead, they are submitted via internal network in digital media, so that specialists can analyse them without delay at their workplace regardless location, permitting also consultation of images in 3D.
This project is a pioneer experience in Europe in an area that will grow in healthcare within the objective of the implementation of electronic medical records. This initiative was acknowledged by experts who awarded the Ykonos project at the XXII International Edition of Medical Imaging Systems (EuroPACS). In addition, the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha received an acknowledgment for the Ykonos system on May 20th at WCIT, the flagship event of the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA).
The project will improve services to citizens and will allow many upgrades in comparison with current systems: integration of diagnose image in the future digital medical record, availability of images and medical report online anytime, anywhere, integration of specialised and primary attention, clinical sessions through videoconferences and optimization of schedules for multiple tests which saves time and reduces radiation doses due to test repetition in case of loss. Furthermore, the system implemented by Indra will be able to interact with all information systems of SESCAM’s hospitals.
Digital health
Currently, Indra’s health care management systems provide two thirds of the national population with services for instance we can highlight avant-garde projects such as the electronic prescription in Andalusia, the first autonomous region in replacing the traditional prescription with the sanitary card and Abucasis, a cutting-edge system at national level that collects all the information regarding medical records of the Valencia community.
It is worth mentioning that Indra’s technologies and knowledge applied to health are based on its Salud 2.0 platform which specialises in Telemedicine, digital Imagery, electronic prescription or electronic medical records, among others. This platform is the fruit of cumulative experience in the development of projects for private and public sectors, at both national and international levels, which translates into an opportunity thanks to system interoperability after decentralization in health care.
Among the company’s most recent projects we can mention the digital medical imaging systems for the Ministry of Defence and for the Aragonese regional goverment, the digital health records systems for MUFACE or the development and implementation of the Electronic Prescription system for the Instituto Social de las Fuerzas Armadas (ISFAS) and the Mutualidad General Judicial (MUGEJU).
Indra is the premier Information Technology company in Spain and a leading IT multinational in Europe and Latin America. It is ranked as the second European company in its sector according to stock market capitalisation, and also the second Spanish company with the most investment in R&D. In 2008, revenues reached € 2,380 M, of which a third came from the international market. The company employs more than 29,000 professionals and has clients in more than 90 countries.