How Examity works to boost flexibility, integrity of PARCA exams

Michael London, CEO, Examity

Michael London is a founder, president, and CEO of Examity, the leading proctoring service provider for online university and certification exams. PARCA recently contracted with Examity, which will allow PARCA members to take its certification exams online with greater assurance of integrity and security. As this is a relatively new online business, PARCA eNews talked with Mr. London about online proctoring and how it works. The idea came to him when he was administering standardized online tests for Mayor Bloomberg of New York. He was dissatisfied with the online proctoring services available at the time. He found them lacking in the ability to catch cheating, ensure privacy, and they relied heavily on paper records despite being an online service. Following that experience London began developing ideas for providing enhanced online proctoring services.

Q. What sets Examity apart from other online proctoring services?

News Roundup

Info sharing across organizations lags adoption of EHRs 

PARCA eNEWS – Aug. 11, 2014 – Despite massive investment in EHRs the ability to share information across such systems has lagged, according to a health policy brief published by a partnership of Health Affairs and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Following the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act in 2009, more than $26 billion has been invested in developing “meaningfully useful” EHRs according to the National Center for Health Statistics. The result has been a significant boost in implementation of EHRs with 48.1 percent of physicians using at least a basic EHRs in 2013, up from 21.8 percent in 2012. At the same time a Health Affairs survey found only 14 percent of physicians are able to share patient data outside of their own organizations. 

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PARCA Q. Has info sharing been an issue for your organization? Join the discussion

Cerner acquires Siemen’s division for $1.3 billion

PARCA eNEWS – Aug. 5, 2014 – Siemens Healthcare plans to sell its hospital information system business (HS) for US$ 1.3 billion in cash to US-based Cerner Corp. Siemen’s hospital systems business is focused on administrative hospital IT and electronic patient records, and is different from the IT division of Siemens that enhances the capabilities of imaging modalities and laboratory equipment. Cerner was one of only three EMR vendors that increased its market share in 2013. The company saw GAAP net earnings stand at $398.4 million, up from $397.2 million in 2012, according to Health care IT News.

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PARCA Q. Will this acquisition affect your PACS? Join the discussion    

Interstate Medical Licensure could spur growth of telemedicine

PARCA eNEWS – July 30, 2014 – The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact is a streamlined process that would allow physicians to rapidly become licensed to practice medicine in multiple states. If the compact were to be approved by state legislators and incorporated into the laws of most, if not all, states, it could catalyze the growth of telemedicine, according to a July 28, 2014 JAMA editorial. Telemedicine, whether by telephone, e-mail, videoconference, or online, has increasing uses in medicine, ranging from radiology and pathology to mental health visits. The Federation of State Medical Boards hopes to finalize the compact in 2014, so that in 2015 state legislatures could consider bills that would incorporate the compact into state law.

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PARCA Q. Would interstate medical licensure for radiologists affect your institution? Join the discussion    

More Top Mobile Apps for Radiology

By Liza Haar

DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING – July 23, 2014 – Healthcare applications are expected to reach 500 million people in 2015, according to research2guidance, which published the “Global Mobile Health Market Report 2013-2017” study. The study indicates that 43 percent of mobile health applications are primarily designed for healthcare professionals. Leading the way are several aimed at radiologists including: 

• Diagnostic Radiology
• The Radiology Assistant
• iRadiology
• CTisus iQuiz
• Rad-Rx
• Realworld Radiology
• RadU

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PARCA Q: Have you been asked to support mobile apps by a user on your PACS? Join the discussion 

Philips’ VISIQ tablet ultrasound given FDA nod

PARCA eNEWS – July 8, 2014 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given 510(k) clearance to the VISIQ ultrasound system by Philips. The tablet-sized ultrasound system offers greater mobility, in a single miniaturized solution that can easily be placed on a beside table or tray. It produces high-definition images that can easily be carried from bed to bed and clinic to clinic. Its SonoCT technology acquires multiple lines of sight and compounds them in real time. It offers 2.5-hour battery life, and WiFi connectivity to upload images for DICOM data transfer to hospital and cloud PACS. 

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PARCA Q: Do you find integrating mobile apps for radiology and tablet-sized modalities into your PACS a growing operational challenge?  Join the discussion