An error which resulted in some diagnostic imaging test results not being automatically faxed to the ordering physicians and posted to the Picture Archiving System (PACS) has been identified and corrected.
Diagnostic imaging administrators in the health regions have been following up with physicians' offices to ensure they are sent final diagnostic imaging test results for the affected exams. Not all health regions were affected by this issue. The regions with some affected diagnostic imaging test results included: Sunrise, Heartland, Five Hills, Prairie North, Cypress, Prince Albert Parkland and Mamawetan Churchill.
Patients will be notified by their physician if any follow up is required.
The error was discovered late Friday June 1 when eHealth Saskatchewan was doing some technical work to advance the provincial Radiology Information System (RIS), which is a computerized system for scheduling and ordering medical imaging procedures as well as distributing the results. The images related to those tests are displayed on the PACS. It was determined that this error affected the diagnostic imaging exams of 102 patients over a four-week period beginning April 30. There were approximately 23,000 diagnostic imaging exams done through the provincial RIS during that time.
The affected tests were for only a small number of recently added new procedures, or new combinations of exams for general x-rays, ultrasounds, CTs, mammograms and radio fluoroscopies. This did not affect MRIs or regular laboratory results. There was no breach of patient confidentiality.
