Sonultra accepts Biometric Data, Exam Location, Sonographer Observations, and Patient Demographic information from DICoM SR enabled, as well as serial and XML enabled, Ultrasound Scanners. Without sonographer intervention, U/S data creates a new study in Sonultra, auto serializing the data for existing patients or creating a new patient when none previously existed. U/S data for facilities with a centralized database and multiple locations can auto update the report headers and logos to reflect the location of the exam regardless of where the exam is read. Sonultra’s advanced data management system streamlines productivity and protects patient privacy by limiting access to patient data to only those requiring access (e.g. Sonographers worklist only displays patients seen at their location). Sonultra even manages and auto serializes patients with multiple Medical Record Numbers seen within the same network. Acquired U/S Data is utilized to assist with PACS, HIS/RIS/EMR, Fax and Voice Recognition Interoperability.

Images are sent from the U/S scanners to PACS and retrieved via synchronization with Sonultra. Utilizing the hospital’s PACS instead of a separate mini PACS allows the facility to take advantage of its existing PACS infrastructure which reduces capital investment and ongoing support expenditures. Physicians and sonographers retain their existing workflow while benefiting from the features and infrastructure offered by their hospital PACS.

Sonultra offers two user definable workflow options, Report Centric and Image Centric. Report Centric users typically represent the sonographer or primary care provider (e.g. OB/GYN and MFM) who would prefer to access Sonultra’s work list to launch a patient’s report and corresponding study images. Image Centric users typically represent the radiologists who prefer to have their PACS work list launch a patient’s images and corresponding report. Both workflows provide users with the ability to add key images to Sonultra’s reports from any patient exam. Using this feature users have the ability to compare images across exams. Sonultra’s “Print to PACS” option posts reports at the beginning or the end of a patient’s exam in PACS.

Sonultra’s Bi-Directional interaction with voice recognition software is defined by the user’s workflow and your voice recognition solution’s ability to accept data from other programs. Ultrasound data acquired by the U/S Scanner and observations entered by a Sonographer into the U/S Scanner flows through Sonultra to your voice recognition solution without any workstation interaction. Sonultra exports current and prior study data for reference and assessing changes when serializing study data. Editing existing or adding new information is possible via a Sonultra workstation or a web service portal offered by your voice recognition solution. Posting a sonographer’s electronic worksheet with a study’s images provides a complete representation of the information acquired by the sonographer that most voice recognition templates are unable to provide.  Finally any dictated information added by the radiologist cycles back to Sonultra for a complete graphic report.

Report Centric Workflow (Single or Multi Monitor Workstations) – Sonographers prefer a Report Centric configuration to view report and images because their focus is to complete the report. Sonultra enables Sonographers to add key images to reports from any patient exam for reference or comparison. Depending on a facility’s desired workflow, Sonographers can print their worksheet to PACS, graduate their worksheet as a preliminary report for the radiologist to complete, populate discrete data fields in their Voice Recognition solution, or any combination of the above. When a Sonultra report or worksheet is “Printed to PACS”, that item is assigned to the beginning or end of a patient’s images in PACS. For facilities with multiple locations, administrators can restrict sonographer access to patient information for HIPAA compliance. Data from multiple offices with different Medical Record Numbers can also be serially tracked and compared.

Image Centric Workflow (Multi Monitor Workstations) – Launching Sonultra from the PACS worklist provides Radiologists an Image Centric configuration for viewing images and reports while preserving their existing workflow. Radiologists have the ability to add key images to Sonultra’s reports from any PACS or any patient exam for reference or comparison. Radiologists can also interact with Sonultra to add impressions, make changes, and electronically sign any report. Depending upon the facility’s desired workflow, Radiologists can add to a sonographer’s preliminary Sonultra report and electronically sign it for distribution to PACS, HIS, and RIS. Alternatively Sonultra can be used as an electronic sonographer worksheet that is stored in PACS and populates the discrete data fields in a voice recognition solution. When a Sonultra report or worksheet is “Printed to PACS”, reports can be assigned to the beginning or the end of a patient’s images in PACS. Radiologists have access to all studies across all locations owned by a facility. Data from multiple offices with different Medical Record Numbers can also be serialized for comparison.

Sonultra’s ability to simultaneously generate text and graphic reports, combined with the ability to leverage a Hospital’s PACS and Voice Recognition solution provides users with several HIS/RIS interoperability options. Utilizing a unique identifier generated by the HIS/RIS, Sonultra can populate a facility’s HIS/RIS with an HL7 Report, provide an HL7 link to a graphic report, or post a report to a location accessible by the HIS/RIS (e.g. PACS). Sonultra can also populate discrete data fields for most HIS/RIS solutions as well as send its reports to a centralized hospital fax for distribution as part of a custom engagement. Referring providers without privileges and HIS/RIS access can utilize a Sonultra Reader to electronically access reports.