Vista imaging

Infobox Software
name = Vista imaging



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VistA Imaging is an FDA-approved Image Management system used in the Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare facilities nationwide. It is one of the most widely used image management systems in routine healthcare use, and is used to manage many different varieties of images associated with a patient's medical record.

Hardware requirements

The VistA Imaging System uses hardware components to provide short- and long-term storage. It takes advantage of network servers for storage. It uses a DICOM gateway system to communicate with commercial Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) and modalities such as CT, MR, and Computed Radiography (x-ray) devices for image capture. It utilizes a background processor for moving the images to the proper storage device and for managing storage space.

Types of data managed

The system not only manages radiologic images, but also is able to capture and manage EKGs, pathology images, gastroenterology (endoscopic) images, laparoscopic images, scanned paperwork, or essentially any type of health care image.

Integration with Electronic Health Record systems

VistA Imaging is currently integrated into the VistA EMR (electronic medical record) system used nationwide in Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals. This integration is able to provide increased efficiency of retrieval of images. [cite journal|journal=Imaging Economics, Skokie, IL (USA)|date=December 2002|url=http://www.imagingeconomics.com/issues/articles/2002-12_01.asp|title=PACS Lessons Learned at the Baltimore VA] It has also been used as a separate software package and can be used with EHRs other than VistA.

VistA Imaging now connects to a nationwide backbone that allows clinicians to access the 350 million images stored in the VA system via Remote Image View software.cite journal|journal=Government Health IT (USA)|date=October 9, 2006|url=http://govhealthit.com/article96354-10-09-06-Print|title=VistA's horizons: The VA's VistA Imaging system had its beginnings in a government worker's basement home office. Now it straddles three departments and hundreds of clinical offices.|format=dead link|date=June 2008 – ^{[http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=author%3A+intitle%3AVistA%27s+horizons%3A+The+VA%27s+VistA+Imaging+system+had+its+beginnings+in+a+government+worker%27s+basement+home+office.+Now+it+straddles+three+departments+and+hundreds+of+clinical+offices.&as_publication=Government+Health+IT+%28USA%29&as_ylo=&as_yhi=&btnG=Search Scholar search]} ]

The VA has developed interfaces for more than 250 medical devices in VistA Imaging, the images from which can be accessed through the desktop VistA Imaging Viewer. The Department of Defense will use the VistA Imaging Viewer to enhance its own EHR.

Availability

The software for VistA Imaging has been made available through the Freedom of Information Act so that it is in the public domain. Due to its designation as a medical device, however, it can not be designated as open source and therefore can not be altered or implemented without FDA approval. This was done intentionally to limit the distribution of VistA Imaging.

Although it can be be used in healthcare facilities that are outside the Department of Veterans Affairs, this is possible only if the proprietary modules that have been integrated into it are also licensed and implementation is registered with the FDA. This has effectively limited its use to government institutions who have licensed the proprietary modules.

It is nominally available through the [http://www1.va.gov/VHA_OI/page.cfm?pg=37 Department of Veterans Affairs software request] office for a fee of around $15.

Proprietary modules required

VistA Imaging uses proprietary modules not in the public domain. This makes its public domain use limited.

These modules include AccuSoft ImageGear OCX-32 Pro Gold Version 8.0.4, (Accusoft) Medical Extension/OCX-32 Version 1.1.40, Borland Delphi Professional Version 5.0 build 6.18, Borland Delphi Professional Version 7.0 build 8.1, (GE Marquette Medical) MUSE API Version 005A and Version 005B build 19990324, Matrox ActiveMIL 7.5, Dome Version 4.0.2.3, (Outrider Systems) SPIN32.OCX, (Kodak) Admin Control Version 5.0.2134.1, (Kodak) Edit Control Version 5.0.2195.6601, (Macromedia) RoboHelp HTML x5.0.2, (Intersystems) MSM Version 4.4.0, (Intersystems) Cachè Version 5.0.20, Aware Toolkit for Compression and Decompression Version V3.8.0.0, (Laurel Bridge Software) DICOM Toolkit version 2.8.7a, (Sentillion) Vergence Locator version 3.3.1.8907.

Open Source Alternative compatible with VistA

A multi-platform open source product [http://sourceforge.net/projects/o3-dpacs O3-DPACS] (“Open Three ( O3 ) - Data & Picture Archiving and Communication System”) is a Java-based alternative for the open-source VistA implementations that is likely to fulfill the same functions provided by VistA Imaging within the VA. [cite web|title=VistA Monograph Wiki|url=http://wiki.laptop.org/go/VistA_Monograph_Wiki#VistA_Imaging_System|publisher=OLPC Health Project (June 2008)]

Information retrieval after a natural disaster

The VistA Imaging system was robust enough to be restored after Hurricane Katrina damaged the data facility at the New Orleans VA. [cite web|title=New Orleans VA medical center restores data lost to Katrina|url=http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/pacsweb/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=180100058|publisher=Diagnostic Imaging:PACSWeb (Feb. 11, 2006)] . This type of backup proved superior to a paper record system.

References

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