Improving Ultrasound Device Management at Cincinnati Children's

The challenge:

Constantly optimizing a machine’s settings is a bit like chasing the perfect tune on a radio station – while barreling through the middle of nowhere. Just when you think you've found it, the signal drifts. Cue frustration.

Sonographers at Cincinnati’s Children's could relate to that frustration as they rotated from one ultrasound machine to another. The traditional process to update configuration consistently across devices used to be very inefficient, filled with manual steps, UBS key, travel/wait time.  What they needed was a better way to manage systems configuration that ensured consistency across all machines.

The solution:

Verisound™ Fleet, GE Healthcare’s cloud-based fleet management solution, fit the bill. Verisound Fleet is an ultrasound devices management software that allows healthcare organizations to remotely update, manage, and monitor all their GE HealthCare ultrasound devices configurations from one central location. The result: Standardization and consistency within an ultrasound fleet.

Why is updating configuration and presets important — and how does Verisound Fleet help?

You don't want certain availability on one machine and then not have that same ability on the next; that creates confusion.

Standardization and uniformity are integral to examinations and this software ensures configurations are standardized across our ultrasound devices. This instills trust among our technologists in the imaging they're performing and helps them identify abnormalities and subtle changes from exam to exam.

We really appreciate having all our systems on a similar, straightforward workflow, and we keep all imaging settings the same.

Previously, updating configurations involved making changes on a master system, transferring to an external device — like a USB — then taking that device to each ultrasound system. This was time-consuming and frustrating—and if that external drive got lost, it was a big issue.

Now, we no longer need to carry external storage devices around. The software coordinates access to each room to install updates and also enables us to accept updates quickly and seamlessly between each patient or at the end of each day.

What's the impact on patient experience?

Think of an abdominal Doppler on a 15-month-old. Those exams take time, and we're already using all our tricks to try to keep the patient cooperative. When you know where everything is and how it works, you're not focused on running the machine. You can focus on your patient.

It also lets us have conversations with parents—that one-on-one connection can be a big part of their experience. We're able to focus on connection rather than be distracted by a system setting.

What are the main advantages?

Increased efficiency, time savings, and the assurance that changes have been applied consistently across all systems. In the past, we've run into issues with discrepancies in settings, which created stress for sonographers when learning new machines. It also made them feel less confident with the equipment.

How does the implementation of Verisound Fleet relate to the mission and vision of Cincinnati Children's?

Our mission is to improve child health and transform the delivery of care through globally recognized research, education, and innovation. Every technological advancement aids that mission—for our patients, our community, and everyone. We want to make sure all our patients receive the best care possible—the best medical and quality-of-life outcomes. Efficiency and consistency lead to better patient care.