'Carnet radiologique' Project (eSanté-CARA)

Following on from a pilot project that demonstrated the technical feasibility of the exchange of data from the RIS and PACS systems and the creation of a structured catalogue of the actions carried out, the Ministry of Health decided in autumn 2008 to launch the second phase of the Carnet radiologique (Radiological Record) project, also known as eSanté-CARA, with a view to integrating it into the national eSanté programme.

Aims of the project

A huge number of radiological examinations are conducted in Luxembourg. Some of them end up being repeated because the doctor is unaware that these examinations have already been done and does not have access to the results. Consequently, patients have an increased risk of overexposure to radiation. One of the fundamental objectives of the Carnet radiologique is to limit the irradiation of the population and to compile X-ray data for statistical purposes in order to assess this irradiation of the population and medical imaging needs (with a view, in particular, to planning heavy equipment).

The results of the project will also help to improve clinical care of patients by providing prescribers or another authorised doctor with the patient's radiological history. This history is an element of the patient file, which, with the patient's consent, will allow personal medical information to be accessed, used and shared. This is expected to result in a reduction in healthcare costs by cutting the number of duplicated X-rays performed.

The project's eventual aim is to use the examination history to provide online access to the radiological images used for diagnosis, first of all images illustrating the diagnosed pathology and subsequently significant images for a possible review.

Scope of the project

The project includes:

• a service for sharing imaging reports between authorised healthcare professionals through the future electronic patient healthcare record,
• a service for exchanging imaging reports between imaging departments and prescribers,
• a certain amount of standardisation of the terminology used through a pivot catalogue describing certain basic elements of the examination conducted,
• gradual structuring and standardisation of the radiological examination report,
• a definition and an approach for selecting images that illustrate the diagnosis,
• a definition of the significant images allowing a review,
• a definition of the content of the medical imaging prescription in preparation for electronic implementation.