#RSNA14: Siemens Introduces Cloud-based Healthcare Network

• Evaluation of data from medical devices to enable more efficient use
• Dose monitoring for scanners
• Secure data exchange between experts

"Teamplay", the new solution from Siemens Healthcare, is a cloud-based network¹ that helps link hospitals and healthcare experts to provide them with the ability to exchange data and pool their knowledge. Within hospitals, "teamplay" makes it possible to evaluate the extensive amount of information generated by imaging devices – e.g. scanner capacity utilisation, examination times or radiation doses – and to compare the numbers against in-house and third-party reference values. This means imaging devices can be analysed in close to real time and their operation optimised based on the results, right down to individual device level.

Since "teamplay" runs on tablets, laptops and desktop PCs members of the network have flexible access to the information, subject to the appropriate authorisation and security measures.  An easy-to-install DICOM application connects to the "teamplay" user network. Data relevant for the evaluation is anonymised and encrypted for transmission to the "teamplay" cloud, where it can be accessed at any time with the appropriate authorisation.

"Siemens Healthcare products are used to diagnose or treat about 200,000 patients around the world every hour. In the process, our customers generate a vast amount of data, but they currently can use only a fraction of the information," says Arthur Kaindl, CEO of the SYNGO Business Unit at Siemens Healthcare. "'Teamplay' is intended to help them combine this data, analyse it and exchange it with other experts, forming the basis for prompt and well informed decision-making."

The "teamplay" start page allows users to read the information they want to read – at a glance: how many patients were examined, and how long was the average examination? What was the capacity utilisation of the various modalities or the individual scanners? How long was the interval between the individual examinations? In graphical form, "teamplay" provides answers to these and other questions. It also makes it possible to define target values for these types of parameters and have deviations displayed promptly. This helps customers operate their devices more efficiently and make sound decisions.

The network can also be used to monitor the doses applied by medical devices². "Teamplay" can continuously monitor the dose used, broken down by the parts of the body volumes being examined. Here, too, target values can be defined and deviations clearly shown.

"Teamplay" supports radiologists by making images³ and results available securely and in anonymised form to other physicians worldwide to draw on their expertise. This also means that results can be quickly and easily shared between radiologists and referring and treating physicians, to provide the parties involved in treating the patient access to all relevant patient information.

For further information on Radiological Society of North America, please see www.siemens.com/press/rsna2014

¹ Prerequisites include: Internet connection to clinical network, DICOM compliance, meeting of minimum hardware requirements, and adherence to local data security regulations.
² "teamplay" Dose Management is not intended for the monitoring of individual patient doses.
³ This information about this product is preliminary. It is under development, not commercially available, and its future availability cannot be ensured.

Source: Siemens AG
Image Credit: Siemens AG