The European Society of Radiology and National Decision Support Company recently launched ESR iGuide, a clinical decision support system that provides referring physicians with recommendations based on the latest medical evidence. The software made its debut at the European Congress of Radiology 2015.
According to incoming ESR President Luis Donoso, patients can now feel even more confident that every scan they undergo is medically justified. The system enables referrers to receive scientifically valid guidance that is regularly updated by an ESR expert team in cooperation with the American College of Radiology and with feedback from end users. Aiming to improve clinical workflow, it allows for a traceable and reliable process of selecting and ordering imaging exams in daily practice.
“We are thrilled to announce the launch of ESR iGuide as a tool to bring the quality of medical imaging services to a higher and more consistent level,” Donoso said. “The ESR considers imaging referral guidelines essential to improve appropriateness in medical imaging, and CDS is the best way to make guidelines available in a user-friendly way.”
Part of the ESR’s overall strategy to improve quality and safety in medical imaging, ESR iGuide after an ESR-led European Commission study revealed only 70 percent of European countries have access to guidelines. Existing guidelines are also only minimally considered in daily practice, available as plain text and updated just every few years.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to work alongside the ESR and provide a robust content delivery mechanism, capable of delivering European wide criteria while supporting country or site specific requirements,” said Michael Mardini, chief executive officer of NDSC. “The medical expertise of the ESR, together with our technical experience, will create a more efficient way of selecting, ordering and monitoring radiological services, in turn improving the quality and safety of imaging services across Europe.”
The ESR and ACR are also collaborating to provide a global set of guidelines in the future.??After pilot testing in the coming months, ESR iGuide will be distributed in late 2015. More information is available at www.ESRiGuide.org.
