VCU Medical Center Purchases CARESTREAM DRX-Evolution

ROCHESTER, N.Y., March 15 — Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Medical Center, Richmond, Va., purchased two CARESTREAM DRX-Evolution suites for its high-volume emergency department and five CARESTREAM DRX-Mobile Retrofit kits. The 779-bed medical center provides the region’s only Level 1 Trauma Center. VCU Medical Center conducts up to 311,900 medical imaging procedures a year, including 43,000 x-ray exams in its ER.

“Our goal was to convert our emergency department from CR to DR to achieve image quality gains and faster access to patient images,” said Richard Fowlkes, Diagnostic Manager, VCU Medical Center. “After a thorough competitive review, we selected DRX-Evolution systems due to the excellent image quality, ease of use and productivity enhancements. The wireless, cassette-size DRX-1 detector also delivers the flexible positioning we need for urgent trauma cases.”

The hospital also purchased and installed DRX-Mobile Retrofit kits in five existing mobile x-ray systems to enhance patient care through faster diagnosis and treatment. “Images are sent from the patient’s bedside to the PACS in less than five minutes. Physicians can now make important decisions more quickly for ICU, ER and other critical care patients. A study with several images used to take up to 40 minutes to view with our previous CR systems,” Fowlkes reports.

Image quality is also improved with the DRX-1 detector, notes Radiology Supervisor Rhonda Reed. “Our radiologists, ER doctors, surgeons and other physicians agree the DRX-1 detector offers better image quality than CR. That quality improvement enhances diagnostic confidence and reduces the need for repeat exams.” Four of the mobile systems are used in critical care areas and one mobile system is located in the ER.

VCU Medical Center is one of the nation’s leading academic medical institutions. It offers state-of-the art patient care in more than 200 specialty areas, and is a leader in organ transplantation, head and spinal cord trauma, burn healing and cancer treatment.

The CARESTREAM DRX-Evolution is an integrated, automated digital radiography suite that delivers exceptional image quality and positioning flexibility for general radiology and trauma exams. The Mobile DRX-Retrofit kit enables popular mobile x-ray systems from GE, Siemens and Shimadzu to use a wireless, cassette-size DRX-1 detector. Both systems deliver immediate image viewing and wireless transmission to desired destinations.

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About Carestream Health
Carestream Health is a worldwide provider of dental and medical imaging systems and healthcare IT solutions; molecular imaging systems for life science research and drug discovery/development; x-ray film and digital x-ray systems for non-destructive testing; and advanced materials for the precision films and electronics markets.
For more information about the company’s broad portfolio of products, solutions and services, please contact your Carestream Health representative or visit www.carestream.com.

CARESTREAM is a trademark of Carestream Health.
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