Loma Linda University Medical Center Case Study: Upgrading to DR with the Fast Forward Program

Loma Linda University Medical Center (LLUMC) in California used the Agfa HealthCare Fast Forward DR Upgrade Program to upgrade its CR equipment to DR without a large upfront capital investment. Fixed monthly payments over a 60-month term were only slightly higher than the monthly CR maintenance cost, and the operational savings from DR covered the difference.

Highlights

• 11 DX-D Retrofit units and 5 DX-D 100 wireless mobile radiography units installed
• Fixed monthly payments over 60 months instead of a large upfront investment
• Service Maintenance Agreement (SMA) and Damage Assistance Program (DAsP) included in the monthly payment
• Average saving of 8 minutes and 10 seconds per image compared to CR
• Some examinations now require one technologist instead of two
• Dose reduced by at least one third with the needle-based detector, without noticeable loss of quality
• 9 more patients per day and 3,285 more patients per year

Project description

LLUMC is part of a non-profit health system with six hospitals and 1,076 beds, and is the only Level One regional trauma center for four counties. The diagnostic radiology department performs an average of 500 examinations and about 1,600 images per day. Despite the clear benefits of DR, a lack of capital had made the upgrade a future goal.

DX-D Retrofit is at the heart of the program: a vendor-neutral solution that upgrades facilities with analog or CR technology to DR without replacing the X-ray equipment, avoiding the construction and installation costs of a new room. The DX-D 100 connects wirelessly to the hospital information system, offers dose management tools, and its smaller detector suits NICU incubators, pediatrics and orthopaedics.

Before the upgrade, technologists had to carry cassettes to the CR processing room, sometimes on other floors. With DR, images are available automatically and immediately. MUSICA processing shows more detail and makes it possible to increase kVp and lower mAs for an effective dose reduction.

Result

With the Fast Forward program, LLUMC achieved a fully digital system without allocating capital budget. More efficient workflow, better image quality and the potential for dose reduction are results of the upgrade, and the savings from faster procedures and lower staffing needs will continue after the payments end.