Moving Equipment, Not Patients: Mobile, Net-Based Digital Radiography To Nursing Home Patients

In a nursing home with a population of 714 patients, 453 "health events" occurred during 8 weeks, leading to 114 specialists referrals with 59 conventional radiological examinations as well as 40 deaths. Substantial, time-dependent stress to the patients was encountered if they were sent to outpatient examinations. A combination of light-weight X-ray equipment with a digital X-ray detector was employed for mobile radiography services for patients in their rooms. This service saved most patients from being sent out of the nursing homes and facilitated further therapy or safer nursing conditions at the location. Mobile, digital radiography services proved better for the nursing home patients at a compatible examination and image quality, and, due to our analyses, at a substantially reduced cost for the society. (c) 2005 CARS & Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.