Quality control of carotid ultrasonography in the corporate wide area network

Abstract

Social Medical Corporation Kojinkai has established multiple hospitals in the eastern region of Hokkaido Prefecture. Each facility is using our wide area network and the electronic medical record system. Clinical laboratory technologists of various levels of experience have also been performing carotid ultrasonography at each facility. Carotid ultrasonography has been reported using the unified report system and criteria of our facilities. We discuss here whether differences exist between each of our facilities in the results of carotid ultrasonography. We performed photographic surveillance to determine the inter-rater agreement of clinical laboratory technologists. Weighted kappa values between clinical laboratory technologists were good. As a result, the quality control of test results for carotid ultrasonography was considered to be maintained, and was enabled using the unified report by seeing the same pictures in real time and allowing discussion between facilities. The wide area network with unified reporting was useful for quality control of carotid ultrasonography.Keywords: quality control; wide area network; unified report; carotid ultrasonography (Received December 25, 2013