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How Incidental Findings Platforms Are Transforming Patient Care
In modern healthcare, the effective management of incidental findings has become critical in improving patient outcomes and optimizing provider workflows. Incidental findings – unexpected results identified during medical imaging for unrelated conditions – represent both a challenge and an opportunity for providers. While a successful program can identify at-risk patients at scale, it is important to prioritize, triage, and support these patients in a systematic way.
An effective incidental findings platform is essential for turning abnormal findings into actionable insights, ensuring timely follow-up, and enhancing overall patient care.
Why Incidental Findings Matter
Incidental findings are alarmingly common. In the United States alone, millions of radiology scans are performed annually, with up to 40% of scans showing abnormalities. Yet studies suggest that over 70% of these findings lack proper follow-up. Left unaddressed, these missed opportunities can lead to delayed diagnoses, deteriorated patient health, and increased healthcare costs.
This is where incidental findings technology steps in, bridging the gap between identification and action. These platforms provide a structured approach to managing findings, ensuring no patient is left behind at any point in their care journey.
What Is an Incidental Findings Platform?
An incidental findings platform is a comprehensive solution that automates and streamlines the identification, tracking, and management of incidental findings. By integrating with electronic health records (EHRs) and leveraging advanced data analytics, these platforms can:
- Automatically identify incidental findings by using AI to scan radiology reports of various modalities (MRI, x-ray, CT scan, and more)
- Stratify patients based on risk to prioritize follow-up
- Automate patient and provider communications for next-step scheduling, follow-up visits, and care coordination
- Provide robust reporting and analytics to monitor outcomes and ensure compliance
With the rise of artificial intelligence and natural language processing (NLP), incidental findings technologies are able to offer unprecedented accuracy and efficiency in managing findings across various modalities.
Benefits of Incidental Findings Technology
Adopting an incidental findings platform offers numerous advantages for healthcare providers:
- Improved Patient Outcomes: By ensuring timely follow-up, these platforms help identify potential conditions (such as cancer) at an earlier, more treatable stage.
- Enhanced Workflow Efficiency: Automation in incidental identification, scheduling, and communication reduces the burden on care teams, enabling them to focus on high-priority cases.
- Regulatory Compliance: Platforms that integrate with EHRs and follow national guidelines help providers meet reporting and follow-up requirements.
- Cost Savings: Early detection reduces the need for more complex, costly treatments down the line, benefiting patients, health systems, and the entire healthcare ecosystem.
The Role of AI in Incidental Findings Technology
AI-powered incidental findings platforms are revolutionizing the way healthcare providers approach patient care. Using advanced algorithms, these systems can analyze radiology reports, identify findings with high accuracy, and automate follow-up workflows. This eliminates the risks associated with manual processes, such as missed findings or delayed communications.
For example, integrated AI can leverage data within a health system’s four walls to identify an abnormality and to create a predicted care plan - without manual entry from the care team. This proactive approach not only improves patient care but also increases the efficiency of health systems.
Choosing the Right Incidental Findings Platform
When selecting an incidental findings technology, health systems should consider the following:
- Integration: Look for a platform that seamlessly integrates with your existing EHR and workflows.
- Scalability: Ensure the solution can handle the volume of findings (and downstream patient visits) generated by the program.
- Customization: The ability to tailor workflows and notifications to meet your organization's unique needs is critical.
- Support and Training: Choose a provider that offers robust implementation support and ongoing training for your team.
Transforming Healthcare with Incidental Findings Technology
The right incidental findings platform has the power to transform patient care, enabling providers to act on critical findings more efficiently and effectively. As health systems continue to evolve, adopting intelligent incidental findings technology will be key to improving outcomes, reducing costs, and delivering the highest standard of care.
If you're looking to revolutionize how your organization manages incidental findings, now is the time to explore the possibilities. Learn how Eon’s technology can ensure no patient slips through the cracks – because every finding matters.