International Medical Solutions (IMS) and the University of Toronto Department of Medical Imaging have signed a partnership agreement to assess the performance of diagnostic radiology residents using IMS Web Viewer within a simulated Emergency Radiology environment.
Image: Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto. Photo: Courtesy of Ryan Tir/Wikipedia.
The program is part of a larger study being funded by the Radiology Society of North America (“RSNA”), to determine the effectiveness of the ER Simulation testing program.
The two-year research project is being led by Eric Bartlett, Assistant Professor and Program Director of the Diagnostic Radiology Residency at the University of Toronto. Residents from ten (10) Canadian Universities plus up to ten (10) US-based programs will be taking the simulation assessment to demonstrate competency in an emergency radiology setting before being scheduled for after-hours emergency call shifts.
“The objective of our study is to determine the competency of our residents using this high-fidelity, realistic simulation experience. We hope the ‘Sim’ will enable our residents to better understand their roles in the emergency radiology setting, including all of the tasks and responsibilities that will be expected of them,” says Eric Bartlett, Program Director of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Toronto.
The breakthrough FDA cleared imaging technology, allows physicians to engage in interactive, web-based assessments, on any device using full fidelity DICOM images. The diagnostic assessment represents the first high fidelity simulation experience in emergency radiology for trainees.
“One of the challenges that I encountered in the project was finding a full fidelity DICOM Web Viewer that worked well on a variety of devices and low bandwidth connections. I evaluated several solutions available in the market and selected the IMS Web Viewer for my research simulation project because I found it to be simple to use on any device and reliable in all types of network conditions. As a leading educator, this represents a huge breakthrough in how we evaluate, test, and deliver medical education for our residents,” adds Bartlett.
In addition to testing residents, the investigation may inform future revisions to the ER Simulator and foster further collaboration between global residency programs. If successful, the IMS Web Viewer could become a key solution for competency-based testing and programming throughout North America and beyond.
“IMS is proud to play a key contributing role in this important study,” says Vittorio Accomazzi, CTO of International Medical Solutions. “As a partner to educators, hospital administrators, and physician-led service providers, IMS is committed to ensuring exceptional care is being delivered to patients by well-trained radiologists throughout North America,” adds Accomazzi.
Source: Company Press Release.