Out Of Site Visits
Because one of our sites has decided to replace some generations-old equipment, I had the joy of going on two site visits over the past couple of weeks. Both were sponsored by BIG NAMES, and both fell rather short. Which prompts me to examine the entire concept of the site visit.In brief, the site needs two quite different pieces of equipment, both sold by the BIG VENDORS in question. Both teams got only half of it right, one showing us the first, and one showing us the second. Both seemed to be a little oblivious to the fact that we needed one of each. My recommendation at this point is to buy one machine from one vendor ...
Source: Dalai's PACS Blog - August 20, 2014 Category: Radiologists Source Type: blogs
"Speaking Truth To Crap"
Dalai's note: This piece is reprinted from today's American Thinker. It is one of the most eloquent, heartfelt, and most importantly, ACCURATE renditions of the Mideast situation today. It is a long essay, but well worth your time. Know the history. Know the TRUTH.Speaking Truth to CrapBy Dan GordonI've been home from participating in Operation Protective Edge for about a week. I am in uniform no more, though I still wear my dog tags in solidarity with my brothers in arms, who, like all citizens of Israel, await the outcome of cease-fire talks in Cairo. Because we never wanted this war. It was forced upon us by Hamas. Th...
Source: Dalai's PACS Blog - August 19, 2014 Category: Radiologists Source Type: blogs
Sensitivity Or Specificity? Which Would YOU Prefer?
A typical day at work...from I Love Lucy, first aired September 15, 1952There are days when the grind feels a lot like Lucy's candy factory as seen in the clip above. But the beat goes on, the images keep coming, and they have to be read. As one of my professors used to say, "Miss 'em slow, or miss 'em fast, boys!" Of course, that was a joke. Of course it was. Definitely.You probably know the difference between sensitivity and specificity. In essence, sensitivity is the percentage of the time you find something that is actually present. Specificity is the percentage of the time you don't find something when nothing is ther...
Source: Dalai's PACS Blog - August 19, 2014 Category: Radiologists Source Type: blogs
Dalai The Glasshole
We've all heard the hype about Google Glass, but bleeding-edger though I am, I have not yet succumbed to the pressure to invest $1,500 in the future of the future. Fortunately, a friend in the healthcare software business has allowed me to borrow his for a prolonged trial. My conclusion? Nice first effort, Google, but it needs some work.I'm not going to attempt a full review of Glass, nor will I dabble in the discussions about privacy and so forth. That's all been done many, many times out there on the web, by folks much more eloquent than I. On the privacy issue, my only real concern would be someone wearing Glass in a pu...
Source: Dalai's PACS Blog - August 18, 2014 Category: Radiologists Source Type: blogs
Bony GIF's
Just in time for Halloween, here are some motion GIF's demonstrating function of various joints.As reported in the Daily Mail,They were created by San Francisco-based designer Cameron Drake for his client Weiss Orthopedics. Mr Drake began by uploading the raw footage to a video editor and trimming the clips so they revealed the precise motions made by the joints. He then removed the individual patient details using Photoshop. Once the clips were selected, Mr Drake duplicated the frames so they played on a loop. 'This was an excitement in and of itself as there is not much like it on the web and gave me an opportunity to do...
Source: Dalai's PACS Blog - August 14, 2014 Category: Radiologists Source Type: blogs
What Dreams May Come...Robin Williams Leaves Us Too Young
No doubt you've heard by now that Robin Williams is dead tonight by his own hand at age 63. He was one of the finest comedians and actors of his generation, but still he suffered from depression for many years. It finally took him from us.Mrs. Dalai and I had the opportunity to meet Robin (Mr. Williams just doesn't sound right) some years ago after an incredible show. I was able to discuss his movie "Patch Adams" with him briefly, and let him know of the impact it had on my daughter, Dolly, who considered primary care based on his amazing portrayal of the real Dr. Adams. (Dolly actually met Patch a few years later, but tha...
Source: Dalai's PACS Blog - August 12, 2014 Category: Radiologists Source Type: blogs
Dalai Retires! GE and Agfa Stock Skyrocket!
An Average Town In the Deep South (AP) - The infamous Doctor Dalai, a.k.a., the Dalai Lama of PACS, has announced his retirement, effective October 31, 2014. He may continue the private practice of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine on a part-time basis. Negotiations are continuing.When asked why he chose to leave active practice while still young and vibrant (well, compared to Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, anyway), Dalai responded:Boys, I've always wanted to retire at this age, and through hard work, savings, and no small measure of good luck, I'm just barely able to do it.I've had a good run, but the various pressures inherent...
Source: Dalai's PACS Blog - August 10, 2014 Category: Radiologists Source Type: blogs
There Was A Time When Doctors Were Doctors
By James Ong, M.D., via kevinmd.com:There was a time when doctors were doctors. There was a time when young men and women sacrificed the best years of their youth, learning to treat patients and conquer diseases, not to become typists, paper pushers, data-entry clerks, or to have hospitals, insurance companies, and the federal government dictate to us how to practice medicine.There was a time when doctors were trusted. There was a time when we were not guilty until proven otherwise, as viewed by blood-thirsty bounty hunters like the wild dogs of the recovery audit contractor (RAC) unleashed by our ruthless federal governme...
Source: Dalai's PACS Blog - June 23, 2014 Category: Radiologists Source Type: blogs
Orphan Radiopharmaceuticals And Other Libations
It has been a few years since I've made it to the Society of Nuclear Medicine annual meeting, so long actually that the Society has since changed its name, and is now called the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, I personally think this was prompted by the unfortunate amusement among the puerile (like yours truly) related to the original title's initials. SNMMI just doesn't have the same ring to it, but they don't ask me about these things. The exhibit hall is about 1/50th the size of the massive trade show at the RSNA, but most of the big players have a presence.Herr Großkopf, the huge animated head,...
Source: Dalai's PACS Blog - June 14, 2014 Category: Radiologists Source Type: blogs
Beauty and the Asp
Dear Readers: The following story is fictional. Any resemblance to anyone real, living, dead, or otherwise, is purely in the warped mind of the beholder.Once upon a time, a phrase that amuses physicists no end, there was a King and Queen who lived in a modest but nicely-furnished castle in the Land of Iodine. They were what one might call enlightened. They ruled their little nation with as much kindness and wisdom as they could muster, and their subjects prospered.The royal couple had a beautiful little daughter, Princess Xela, upon whom they doted and fussed, and due to their ministrations, or perhaps in spite of th...
Source: Dalai's PACS Blog - May 5, 2014 Category: Radiologists Source Type: blogs
Accelarad Nuance Makes It Official
Dear Accelarad customer,You should have received an email from me on Monday of this week, when I provided our customers an early insight into the announcement that Accelarad is now a part of Nuance Communications. At this time, I wanted to provide you some additional information and invite you to learn more.You can read the full press release here: (Nuance Unveils PowerShare – April 17,2014)As discussed, this new union brings together our cloud-based medical image sharing technology and Nuance’s PowerScribe radiology reporting and communication platform. The partnership will give you, our valued customer, acc...
Source: Dalai's PACS Blog - April 17, 2014 Category: Radiologists Source Type: blogs
Film at Eleven...But I Need It NOW!!!A Bigger Share Of Image Sharing
CONCLUSIONS:HIE was associated with reduced repeat imaging in EDs. This study is among the first to find empirical support for this anticipated benefit of HIE.That's a lot of repeat studies. And a lot of excess radiation. We can wait for the study to be delivered from the outside place, or the outside CD to be loaded ("Film at Eleven") or we can redo the study. None of these choices are optimal. We can all see that.So...Now that you've gone through the indoctrination, we can proceed.I've known Hamid Tabatabaie for many years, starting back when he was CEO of AMICAS. (I guess that dates me. Like Mrs. Dalai's grand...
Source: Dalai's PACS Blog - April 12, 2014 Category: Radiologists Source Type: blogs
Unretired
Courtesy WikipediaYou may recall my earlier post declaring my retirement within two years.Fuggedaboutit.I had attempted to start my retirement clock, and we had some long discussions on the topic. In the course of the discourse, various factors were mentioned, introduced, revealed, discovered, or otherwise made to appear which had not been present before. The cost for officially entering the short-term glide-path became more onerous than I thought it should.Therefore, my request is now withdrawn. When my numbers and the stars align properly, I'll be giving my 90 day notice. That might be tomorrow, or it might be 10 years f...
Source: Dalai's PACS Blog - April 1, 2014 Category: Radiologists Source Type: blogs
Merge Announces...
In my daily barrage of email came this announcement from Merge, which you can also find on Yahoo Finance:CHICAGO, Feb. 21, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Merge Healthcare Incorporated (MRGE), a leading provider of innovative enterprise imaging, interoperability and clinical systems that seek to advance healthcare, today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed William J. Devers Jr., president of Devers Group Inc, as a director, effective immediately."We are very fortunate to have a new director with such a considerable amount of business and software experience added to the Merge Board of Directors," said Merge Chairm...
Source: Dalai's PACS Blog - February 21, 2014 Category: Radiologists Source Type: blogs
Mamas, Don't Let Your Doctors Grow Up To Be Assholes...(Or Is It The Other Way Around?)
From Aeon Magazine comes an interesting and somewhat overdue piece on one of Medicine's worst-kept dirty little secrets: Doctors (and nurses) can be mean, and that impedes patient care. The author, Ilana Yurkiewicz is a third-year medical student at Harvard, and blogs for Scientific American. She does bioethics research at Harvard, and her work has been published in the Knee-Jerk (I mean New England) Journal of Medicine. Clearly, she has the credentials to speak of what she speaks.Her Aeon article, Why Rude Doctors Make Bad Doctors, is a must-read for anyone in this business. Ms. Yurkiewicz bemoans the cult...
Source: Dalai's PACS Blog - February 12, 2014 Category: Radiologists Source Type: blogs
