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Photo credits, left to right: Amy Summers, Daniel Wyn Jones, John Derek Jourdan and James Day from Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board have a long-standing relationship with Fujifilm Healthcare UK which blossomed over 10 years ago. The radiology department at the Trust is fully equipped with SYNAPSE® Enterprise PACS and SYNAPSE® 3D which has proven to support clinicians in their decision making since the installation.
Like much of the UK, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, facing challenges such as a substantial increase in waiting lists, which result in longer patient wait times. These issues along with staff shortages has seen a rise in backlog reporting leading to later diagnosis.
As a trusted partner, discussions around these issues occurred between Fujifilm’s solution team and the Trust back in 2023. Aneurin Bevan University Health Board expressed their need for a solution to support early diagnosis of lung cancer, as it was apparent that efficiencies needed to be introduced into their workflow with a focus on prioritisation and the implementation of AI to achieve this.
During these initial conversations, Fujifilm Healthcare UK laid out the many benefits of SYNAPSE® AI Orchestrator and how the open, imaging workflow orchestrator uses an advanced rules engine to seamlessly bring preferred imaging algorithms directly to SYNAPSE® Enterprise PACS workflows. Meaning for this business case, SYNAPSE® AI Orchestrator would allow plain film chest X-rays to be triage automatically through the algorithms for detection. Once positives have been detected, they will be flagged as priority on SYNAPSE® Enterprise PACS worklists.
SYNAPSE® AI Orchestrator has been instrumental in revolutionising lung nodule detection and management at the Trust, its advanced AI capabilities allows reporters to prioritise their time to those cases in need of immediate diagnosis. By automatically triaging scans, the system efficiently flags potential abnormalities. It then prioritises cases on SYNAPSE® Enterprise PACS for further diagnostic assessment the AI read to highlight suspicious areas. This enables clinicians to assess lung nodules with greater precision, enhancing workflow efficiency and boosting diagnostic confidence.
Daniel Wyn Jones, Radiology Clinical System IT Manager commented on how this is supporting their workflows:
“The workflow is seamless as well as being instantaneous, meaning I don’t need to worry or constantly monitor the set up as it involves no human intervention. The ability to auto-send as soon as the image hits PACS with the results being shown as a secondary capture, though with the Fujifilm integration, if a GPSP object was sent it would be able to demonstrate this”.
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board were pleased with the smooth integration delivered by Fujifilm Healthcare, Daniel Wyn Jones, Radiology Clinical System IT Manager expressed:
“The integration was seamless, and Fujifilm were engaged and keen to tailor the product around our workflows and specific use case to best suit the needs of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.”
Qure.ai were the AI platform chosen by the Trust to support SYNAPSE® AI Orchestrator, however, Fujifilm Healthcare UK has validated the integration of more than 50 AI Algorithms. This validation means that SYNAPSE® AI Orchestrator is not limited to just one AI provider or technology. The platform can orchestrate and manage multiple AI tools simultaneously. Healthcare providers using this system can therefore tailor their AI choices to specific clinical needs, combining algorithms for more comprehensive diagnostic support.
Overall, the installation of SYNAPSE® AI Orchestrator has streamlined the operations at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board radiology department, enabling accurate assessments and prioritised cases to be carried out. This collaboration highlights Fujifilm's dedication to enhancing diagnostic precision, ultimately improving patient care and supporting earlier diagnosis.
As November marks Lung Cancer Awareness Month, the significance of early detection and streamlined workflows becomes even more evident. In the UK, lung cancer is one of the most common cancers and therefore early diagnosis plays a critical role in improving patient outcomes.