CIMD in Cameroon: proximity, training and daily maintenance of installations
SOFTWARE
The customer
The Centre d’Imagerie Médicale (CIMD) in Douala, Cameroon, is a benchmark. Founded over 25 years ago by Dr Jean-Paul Amana, radiologist and former head of department at Douala General Hospital, the centre has been establishing as a key player in diagnostic imaging in the region, attending over 10.000 patients every year.
The CIMD is specialized in adult and pediatric imaging, offering
- Digital radiology
- General ultrasound
- Obstetric & dental radiology
- Mammography
- Doppler ultrasound
- CT scan
Keen to combine performance, ergonomics and remote collaboration, the centre chose Gpi Imaging to modernise its work tools and optimise patient follow-up.
The synergy between Gpi Group and its local partner and engineers was key to adapt the tools and installation methods to the needs on the ground, taking into account the infrastructure and connectivity constraints specific to the region.
The needs
remote working and a prompt reliable service
Especially during and after the Covid pandemic, the CIMD medical staff faced the need to ensure continuity while reducing the risks associated with physical contact.
They realized they required a system enabling
- remote working
- smoother workflows
- quicker though safe and traceable processes
- prompt on-site intervention and remote assistance
The challenge
When deploying the new Imaging system, the following were the main challenges:
- Rapid installation of the new platform
Implementing the new solution with minimum service interruptions. - One single integrated platform
One single workspace for all staff members for the storage, transmission and display of all images produced within the medical facility. - User training and change management
Transfer the skills to final users to exploit, maintain and supervise the new system.
The Solution: Integrated RIS PACS Platform
Imaging is the RIS – PACS integrated web platform by Gpi which is part of the Gpi4Med.IMAGING suite, covering all diagnostic software solutions.
The platform has been running successfully since December 2019, fully fulfilling the needs of the CIMD medical facility.
The ability of the Gpi team to adapt this solution to the local reality, while contributing to skills development and quality of care was paramount.
Main Features
- Calendar & scheduling
- Patient Tracking
- Billing
- Mobile dictation & Voice recognition
- Reporting
Imaging also grants high archiving standards by managing multimedia files as well as DICOM conversion of images & videos from all specialties. Patient merge is possible and CD & DVD integration tools are available together with optimized jpeg2000 lossless compression functionality. Data protection is secured by replication and backups.
Benefits of Teleradiology and Digital Workflow
Streamline workflow
Workflows are optimized for each medical staff member: radiologist, operator, technician, secretary
- Pre-fetching and quick access to patient’s history
- Seamless continuity of the radiological process
- Maximization of the relationship with patients from admission to reporting thanks to automatic alerts by email and SMS and a patient web portal granting access to their files at any time
Data sharing & Teleradiology
- Real-time radiological data
- Remote DICOM Query/Retrieve
- Transmission of images and reports in and outside the medical facility
Security
- Secure HTTPS Web interface / SSL encyption
- Secure credentials
- Traceability & logs
- Access restrictions – granted permissions
Service
- Collaborative approach, combining on-site intervention with remote assistance
- Rapid adoption of the software by users and full mastery of its key features
- Locally-based assistance & maintenance
What appealed to me most was the possibility of working remotely. As I travel frequently, I can continue to interpret examinations without being on site, and even call on external radiologists”. Dr Jean-Paul AMANA, Director of the CIMD
