Is Portable X-Ray the Missing Piece of Your COVID-19 Diagnosis Strategy?

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to plague most of the world, ER physicians want to ensure they are using every tool in their arsenal to quickly diagnose COVID-19 in their patients. While the viral throat swab test is the only specific test for the disease, the use of portable chest x-ray may become the most common method of identification of the lung abnormalities most often associated with COVID-19.

Why does portable chest x-ray make sense for your facility?

• Availability – The stress that the coronavirus has placed on hospital staff has been unprecedented. We continue to hear from government officials about shortages of all types of medical supplies and equipment, from testing swabs to personal protective equipment. This lack of resources extends to diagnostic equipment as well. Once a CT room has been used for a COVID-19 patient, it must be completely sterilized before the next patient can be brought in. This results in the room being unavailable for another patient until the process is complete. Portable chest x-ray equipment can be sterilized quickly and efficiently and can help eliminate the backlog created by the sanitization process for full CT rooms. This increased availability gives physicians the additional information they need in assessing a patient’s lung abnormalities and deciding on the best course of treatment in these critical situations.
• Portability – We have all become experts on the benefits of social distancing and “flattening the curve”. Most of America’s workforce is still working remotely – performing their job responsibilities via the Internet. Many physicians continue to work remotely – embracing telehealth visits that enable them to take care of their patients while minimizing their own potential exposure and containing the spread of the virus. Portable digital chest x-rays provide the same benefit in a hospital or clinic setting. By bringing the x-ray equipment to the patient, the risk of the patient infecting others that they may encounter is greatly reduced.
• Ease of Use –Portable x-ray equipment is a perfect solution for the chaotic situation that COVID-19 often presents to an ER due to its intuitive design and ease of use. Its ability to share information easily with PACS systems gives urgent care staff the ability to quickly assess the patient’s condition and provide the proper care quickly.

An equally important consideration when thinking about incorporating digital or analog portable x-ray equipment into your COVID-19 diagnosis process is working with a vendor who fully understands how a portable x-ray fits into your facility’s current dynamic. Bluestone Diagnostics has extensive experience with all types of diagnostic imaging equipment. That experience translates into a solution that will meet your needs during the current pandemic and in the future as well. We do not sell features you don’t need, but we do work with you to understand your needs and tailor flexible solutions to meet them.