Spotlight ON TECHNOLOGY & TECHNIQUE

iViews Provides Easy Access to Images

By Leslie Goldberg, Associate Editor

"When you are looking at image-viewing software, don't get distracted by bells and whistles," advises Robert Wang, MD, a vitreoretinal specialist at Texas Retina Associates. "Those make the system more complex, and you rarely use them in daily clinical practice. You just want to rapidly see and compare images."

He believes that the iViews imaging system (Chace and Associates Technologies, Dunedin, Fla.) has accomplished this task. iViews imaging system is a viewing diagnostic program that allows users to aggregate and review diagnostic images from a multitude of devices on a computer wherever imaging and electronic reports are needed for evaluation. Users can view images across multiple dates by serial analysis in side-by-side comparisons. It accommodates both video and still images.

Physician Feedback

Daniel Pope Jr., MD, in practice at the Eye Depot, Bradenton, Fla., uses the iViews system for diagnosis, treatment and patient education. He says that the system is a good way to present and review information with his patients. His practice has 13 exam rooms, all containing computers with links to the iViews server. "It is a great way to show patients test results. Additionally, if you are performing a procedure, you can view the images on a large computer screen," says Dr. Pope.

He uses iViews to review images from his OCT, Humphrey Visual Field, specular microscope and fluorescein angiography.

Dr. Pope says that this is a challenging time with everyone migrating to EMR. "The key to efficient use of your time is seamless data integration. iViews is moving in this direction by staying current and responsive to user demands."

Odette M. Houghton, MD, assistant professor of ophthalmology and a vitreoretinal specialist at UNC, likes iViews because it can be easily accessed online anywhere. "You can pull images off a Web site and use them anywhere in the hospital, as well as at satellite offices in private practices. What I like about this system is that it pulls up all the images at once and then allows you to select the images you want to see without any time delay."

Dr. Houghton consulting the iViews system.

This can be one of the biggest frustrations with viewing software, Dr. Wang says, since loading full-size images can slow down a system. "If you can't rapidly see your images, doctors will toss the system out. iViews' compression technology has really improved. You can see large hi-res images and save bandwidth with the system."

Another advantage for Dr. Wang's practice is that iViews integrates seamlessly with their EMR system. "The transition is not even noticeable. I prefer pulling up the large-screen images available in iViews to seeing the thumbnail images that many EMR systems provide. Images that small are not useful to us."

Dr. Houghton says there is virtually no learning curve with the system. She appreciates the versatility of being able to pull up just that day's patients, alphabetically by last name or by searching for a specific name.

Additional Features

iViews has a database connection feature that allows embedded review capabilities for images from many device manufacturers (e.g., Zeiss, Heidelberg, Eyesys, Optos). It also connects well to many EMR systems, such as NextGen, Medinformatics, GE Centricity, Mountain Medical, SSR and Oscar.

There are default macros for a right/left eye split, a historical display and a stereoscopic display. Also, there is the ability to create custom macros to suit users' needs. Images can be exported in bulk or individually, with or without patient demographics. OM

For more information, visit iViewsimaging.com or phone Chace and Associates Technologies at (877) 734-8393.