DISTAR
TELEMEDICINE SYSTEM
DISTAR from
Dimantec is a store-and-forward Telemedicine system providing totally
secure transmission and storage of digital photographic images, and
patient demographics for the medical industry.
DISTAR Benefits | Clinically
Proven | Everybody
Benefits
Summary | Additional
Information
What is DISTAR?
 DISTAR has
been designed and developed by GCP and Queen Victoria Hospital  Foundation
Trust (QVH) in order to improve the quality of patient care. It is
used to assist surgical expertise in decision making, to provide
fast,
secure and easy delivery, storage and retrieval of patients’ images,
records and treatments, to reduce related costs, to remove the need
for photographic paper copies of records and their associated storage
problems. It achieves this with a single, high quality, fit-for-purpose,
secure, reliable and easy-to-use software tool.
The
system ensures that clinicians in areas such as MIU, A&E, outpatients,
doctors' and dentists’ surgeries and paramedics ‘on-scene’ have
the ability to securely transmit images of injuries (etc), together
with additional basic administrative and descriptive data, and/or
prognosis to any other location for immediate specialist review and
direction.
Benefits of DISTAR
- Direct Cost Savings – No ‘hard copies’ means
savings on materials, time, development costs, delivery, storage
costs and removal of chemical waste
- Less labour intensive – reducing workload on staff whilst providing quicker assessment, treatment and care of patients
- Fast delivery – pictures available in seconds - not days, faster clinical response, improved resource allocation and cost savings
- Easy retrieval – minimal training required, easy-to-use, accessible via standard PC’s
- Image quality fit for purpose – high quality images to ensure correct assessment and treatment, ability to zoom, change brightness/contrast/colour etc.
- Documented – no lost images and documents, record of patient treatment and response, Standard “Pink Card” management system is included within the image storage component. An electronic Patient Record Card is maintained within image storage component and is auto-completed from existing Patient Administration Systems, (PAS) where appropriate
- Images can be easily shared with other hospitals/regions as required – instantly
and without the risks of loss or damage in transit. DISTAR integrates
with PACS to allow transmission, storage and viewing of digital
X-ray images
- Security – images and records are never lost, are accessible
only to authorised personnel. DISTAR adheres to all aspects of
the NHS policy and use of the Data Protection Act of 1998 such
as the safe keeping of information and the potential problems of
image alteration, images are “text” branded with copyright
message
- Automated data collection – assists planning and reviewing workload, a potential teaching aid
- Multi-user access – potentially available to everyone within
the NHS and allied services, e.g. Ambulances at disaster sites
- Overall improvement of patient care
DISTAR is clinically proven
DISTAR has been in ‘live’ use
at QVH and 21 of its surrounding hospitals since early 2001. Here
are some quotes from the users of the system:
“The system has been absolutely
reliable, images are securely stored and can then be viewed anywhere
in the hospital within a few minutes of capture.”
“This intranet based digital imaging
service has been recognised throughout the Trust as an area of
improved patient care, improved management and clinical efficiency
and cost savings and is a contributory factor in the Trust attaining
3 stars following a CHI review and being selected for the first
wave of foundation trust status.”
“The Burns Unit in particular has
welcomed the service. A photographer attends all admissions and
dressing changes at key stages of treatment. It is not always possible
for some clinical members to be present at these times but now
they are able to see pictures at any viewing terminal minutes after
they are taken, before the wound is dressed and make informed decisions
which improve clinical efficiency and patient care. This has resulted
in the wound not needing to be disturbed for a second examination
and correspondingly reduces the risk of infection and patient discomfort.
Morning ward reports are more meaningful especially when a patient,
who has been admitted during the night and has been dressed, has
their pictures readily available for viewing. (We operate a 24
hour on-call service)."
MEDICO-LEGAL...
issues of authenticity
“We take photographs to satisfy the needs of the patients
and hospital, not the police; the criminal injuries board or any
other legal body. The fact that pictures are available at all usually
pleases them. We actually provide hundreds of printed copies every
year to support all kinds of legal action and to date no complaints
have been received regarding authenticity or quality. When we work
to order for solicitors we offer them four choices; transparencies,
prints, digital, or the lot; yet most of the time they are not
bothered so long as the pictures are good. A fee for this service
is charged.”
QVH state that
DISTAR; “Improves patient care, is proven, reliable
and highly secure; was designed and developed for and in conjunction
with professionals – and
was not IT driven; It avoids unnecessary admissions and appointments
thus reducing wasted time;
It maximizes resource allocation; is eco-friendly; and has proven
to be cost effective – saving much more in terms of time,
management, resources and current expenditure than the product
costs.”
Many departments within QVH,
and within referring departments in twenty-one other hospitals
have been successfully using
the DISTAR Telemedicine
System for more than six years.
Summary
DISTAR is highly secure, reliable, cost effective, easily installed, proven, designed for purpose, is the best of breed product - and it works. Additionally it has been installed and used extensively within 21 facilities for over 5 years.
Everybody Benefits  Since the DISTAR Telemedicine (and digital photographic) system has been introduced at QVH, a substantial number of changes have occurred in the management of clinical activity. For example, the trauma board in the theatre complex has had a wall mounted computer installed. This allows surgeons to communicate more objectively with each other when planning interventions, and allows junior surgeons and nursing staff to gain valuable feedback from senior colleagues. Computers have also now been located within outpatient consulting rooms, thereby enabling clinical staff to access images during patient consultations. The system has had a number of features included to assist these processes; for example, by entering the identification number of a specific patient, the system will display thumbnail images of all photographs taken. Clicking on any one of these thumbnails displays the full image for viewing and enhancement.
 The DISTAR Telemedicine
system continues to be in active daily use, and its introduction
has led to significant benefits for clinicians, both at the QVH and
at participating sites. The ability to view images of an injury (including
digital photographs of X-rays) can help the specialist clinician
to prioritise cases and give advice on immediate treatment to staff
in A & E departments and MIUs. This can also frequently bring
benefits to patients by avoiding unnecessary emergency transfers.
As the system can be accessed by any network-based PC, anywhere in
the Trust, specialist clinicians can be available to view images
wherever they may be, including in theatres. As well as being used
for reviewing offsite cases, the system is also regularly used within
the QVH. Thus for example, a surgeon in theatre can review images
of a patient who may be anywhere on the Trust site, or indeed at
any one of the participating offsite locations.
Additional Information
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The DISTAR system
was featured in the September 04 edition of the;
DISTAR is also discussed in the 15th April 2005 House
of Commons Health Committee report on;
DISTAR Telemedicine – Medicines and Healthcare
Products Regulatory Agency Review;
DISTAR is no longer part of Dimantec’s software portfolio but we shall be pleased to forward all enquiries to the relevant company. |
