The advent of technological advancement in the field of medicine paved the way for the most sophisticated and powerful equipment that aids innovation in patient care. The article publish in diagnostic imaging by Howell (2012) describes the increasing popularity of the mobile X-Ray technology. The article emphasized that the new technology enabled the patient’s instant access to imaging. Primarily, image quality and mobility drives the continuous evolvement of medical technologies while battery life and wireless connectivity remain on the vendors’ continuous improvement. Analysis from KLAS suggests that vendors found greater significance of the mobile X-Ray in terms of assisting patients in the acute care settings. Furthermore, the mass production of mobile X-Ray increased mobility in delivering care.
For instance, X-ray imaging no longer e relies on massive and fixed room facility, but can be also done in mobile clinics. However, one of the main drivers of the mobile X-Ray technology is the increasing demand for wireless connectivity where radiologists and medical technologists can perform X-Ray imaging in half the time. In terms of speed and accuracy, the imaging innovation delivers the most convenient and efficient way of doing patient diagnostics. Wirelessly, the digital mobile X-Ray promises to eliminate the necessary running back and forth between the patient and the clinician because of discrepancies in interpretation of the diagnosis. However, the medical technological innovation also faces challenges particularly in terms of cost. The article encompasses a complete analysis of the technology providing both the pros and cons of mobile X-Ray.
The Improvement Contribution of Mobile X-Ray in Imaging Science
Mobile X-Ray is considered as a breakthrough innovation in imaging science. Together with wireless connectivity and equipment mobility, imaging science became more accessible to patients, clinicians, radiologists, and medical technicians. An important contribution of the technology in imaging science is the subject of total convenience. In the traditional imaging process, X-Rays are being done in the radiologist’s clinic, and the patient will have to wait for several minutes in order for the film to produce. Further waiting follow as the clinician conducts interpretation of the images in the film, which is subject to inaccuracies. On the other hand, mobile X-Ray promises accuracy in terms of reading images. The images that the mobile X-Ray produces are far more superior than ones imprinted in films. Moreover, the cassette being used in the traditional equipment is subject to deterioration and vulnerable to physical damages.
A digitized image on the other hand, encompasses greater convenience given the wireless connectivity function that allows the medical technician to send the images through a network. Such function provides timesaving for all parties including reduction in the patients waiting time. Once the radiologist have conducted the an X-Ray, the images produced in the process can then be sent directly to the clinician without having to wait for the actual film to be produced for interpretation. In addition, when a patient comes for an X-Ray procedure, the medical technologies will only need to pullout the patient’s name by reading the barcode printed on the patient’s wrist tag. The need to search for the patient’s record in order to proceed with the X-Ray was eliminated allowing the wireless mobile machine to automatically capture the image, and send it back to the patient’s electronic record just before the patient leaves the room. The shortcut process enabled by wireless technology embedded in mobile X-Ray demonstrates an innovation that drives convenience. Furthermore, the mobile X-Ray enables the delivery of care services to the patients in less the time.
Works Cited
Howell, W L. "The Rise of Mobile X-Ray Technology | Diagnostic Imaging." N.p., 9 Nov. 2012. Web. <http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/articles/rise-mobile-x-ray-technology/page/0/1>.
