National Decision Support Company

Integration of NCCN Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria (NCCN Imaging AUC™) into NDSC CareSelect Imaging will provide access to evidence-based imaging recommendations adapted from the NCCN Guidelines^®.

FORT WASHINGTON, PA — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®) is collaborating with National Decision Support Company (NDSC) to integrate the NCCN Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria (NCCN Imaging AUC™) into NDSC’s CareSelect Imaging to allow for access to imaging recommendations, adapted from the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines^®)

“Through our collaboration with NDSC, providers and their patients with cancer can benefit from access to NCCN Guidelines-based, qualified imaging criteria incorporated directly into electronic health care workflow,” said Robert W. Carlson, MD, Chief Executive Officer, NCCN. “We are grateful to NDSC for their willingness to be an NCCN Health Information Technology (HIT) licensee; providing NCCN Imaging AUC at point-of-care through technology helps assure quality cancer care while minimizing unneeded or inappropriate imaging.”

Adapted from the NCCN Guidelines^®, NCCN Imaging AUC™ support clinical decision-making around the use of imaging in patients with cancer by outlining all imaging procedures recommended in the NCCN Guidelines, including radiographs, computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional nuclear medicine imaging (PET, SPECT), and ultrasound. NCCN is recognized by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as an approved provider-led entity (PLE) for development of imaging AUC.

“NDSC’s collaboration with NCCN expands on the more than 15,000 clinical endpoints already contained in our solution, installed at more than 150 health systems nationally,” said Michael Mardini, Chief Executive Officer, National Decision Support Company. “The robust NCCN criteria sets the standard for imaging appropriate use criteria for cancer patients.  Our relationship with NCCN will enable NDSC to apply our proven competence to deliver guidelines into EMR workflows and enable us to provide a comprehensive cancer AUC set consistent with our mission to deliver standard-based, nationally recognized guidelines at the point of care.”

A clinical decision support solution from NDSC, CareSelect Imaging leverages the ACRselect Technology Platform to deliver a comprehensive range of AUC for diagnostic imaging. Within the system, AUC is sourced from approved PLEs, including the American College of Radiology, the American College of Cardiology, and NCCN. CareSelect delivers AUC directly into the electronic health record (EHR) workflow to provide real-time support that is actionable and compliant with Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA).

NCCN Imaging AUC™ are currently available for 12 NCCN Guidelines; NCCN Imaging AUC™ are expected to be integrated into CareSelect Imaging beginning in the third-quarter of 2016.

More information about NCCN Imaging AUC™ is available at NCCN.org/ImagingAUC.

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About National Decision Support Company

National Decision Support Company provides enterprise wide Clinical Decision Support solutions that enable more efficient and appropriate care, improve population health, and save money. Our technology platform converts published guidelines from credible, compliant content sources into actionable decision support criteria delivered directly into the EMR workflow.

 

ACR Select powers Radiology-TEACHES and R-SCAN program aimed at raising awareness for point-of-care imaging CDS and important role radiologists play as imaging stewards

MADISON, Wis., May 17, 2016 — Today, National Decision Support Company (NDSC), in collaboration with the American College of Radiology (ACR), announced that the company’s technology platform now powers two important ACR initiatives:

• Radiology-TEACHES, an Imaging Appropriateness Clinical Decision Support Education Pilot Project for Medical Students; and
• R-SCAN, Radiology Support, Communication, and Alignment Network, a new initiative that brings together radiologists and referring clinicians to collaboratively improve imaging utilization.

These two efforts are designed to raise awareness for point-of-care imaging clinical decision support and the important role that radiologists play as imaging stewards. Both programs train current and future physicians to order the right study, at the right time, for the right reasons by providing web-based access to ACR Select.

These timely educational and quality initiatives help all clinicians comply with implementation of the federal mandate for appropriateness guideline consultation before ordering advanced imaging studies under provisions of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA 2014).

Radiology-TEACHES, spearheaded by Dr. Marc H. Willis, a radiologist and Associate Professor at the Baylor College of Medicine, is an education portal designed to improve a learner’s knowledge of the appropriateness criteria, patient care, and cost of medical care.

Participation in the initial pilot at Baylor was voluntary, but an overwhelming majority of participating medical students have asked for inclusion of Radiology-TEACHES as part of their clinical education program. One participating student said, “I want to be a doctor who does what is needed and evidence driven, not someone who orders everything just to cover all the bases. I do not feel prepared to order correct imaging based on what I have learned in medical school and there is definitely a need for this in the curriculum.” As a result of this success at Baylor, the pilot scope has been expanded to include other clinical trainees such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners across 5 healthcare facilities, including leading academic centers.

The R-SCAN clinical improvement initiative was developed by the ACR so that radiologists and their referring providers could collaborate with a turnkey, web-based, quality activity to improve imaging utilization. R-SCAN, which is supported by aTransforming Clinical Practice Initiative (TCPI) grant award, equips participants in the network with tools that improve the quality of care, increase patients’ access to information, and spend healthcare dollars more wisely.

As a TCPI Support and Alignment Network, the ACR will support at least 24,000 clinicians to expand their quality improvement capacity, learn from one another, and achieve common goals that focus on appropriate imaging. R-SCAN participants will reduce unnecessary testing and procedures based on imaging Choosing Wisely™ topics and participating clinicians will have access to tools that help them transition to value-based care over the course of the 4-year grant cycle.

“The R-SCAN program aligns with the ACR Imaging 3.0 initiative in which radiologists help referring providers select the best imaging exam, help patients avoid unwarranted testing, reduce errors and improve quality and safety,” said William T. Thorwarth, Jr., MD, FACR, chief executive officer of the American College of Radiology. “We are also pleased that this program highlights the Choosing Wisely™ recommendations,” added Thorwarth.

“R-SCAN, through the ACR Practice Quality Improvement Project, provides all the needed instructions, tools, and interventions to connect radiologists and referring clinicians, focus the conversations on imaging appropriateness and safety, and document improvements over time,” said Max Wintermark, MD, clinical advisor of the American College of Radiology R-SCANProject. “We could not be more pleased to have the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) support for this project,” added Wintermark.

Through these two initiatives, NDSC and the ACR are providing practical educational and support tools for healthcare providers at any point in their career to understand the economic and clinical benefits of appropriate imaging.

About ACR Select ACR Select is a digitally published version of the American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria (AC), which covers more than 1,000 exams, 3,000 clinical scenarios and 15,000 discrete clinical endpoints.  This market-validated gold standard Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) was created over the span of 25 years by thousands of physicians—representing more than 20 medical specialty societies reviewing over 6,500 discrete pieces of evidence—and has been the standard for virtually ever payer-driven utilization and quality management program for more than two decades. The process to author these criteria exceeds the rigor specified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 for provider-led entities to author qualified AUC.

About National Decision Support Company National Decision Support Company (NDSC) provides integrated solutions for developing, maintaining, accessing, delivering, and analyzing actionable, standards-based Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for imaging, lab, and the healthcare enterprise.  Through its flagship solutions, CareSelect and ACR Select, NDSC provides access to nationally recognized clinical content to healthcare providers within their EHR workflow and covers a growing list of high priority healthcare areas, allowing healthcare organizations to leverage the latest evidence-based guidelines to manage utilization and improve quality. The company partners with healthcare provider organizations and national medical societies—including American College of Radiology (ACR), American College of Cardiology (ACC), and European Society of Radiology (ESR)—to structure content and deliver it through physician-centric workflows. NDSC’s clinical solution set provides physicians access to the latest evidence-based approaches to medicine, allows providers to develop and deliver local care pathways and protocols, and lets healthcare organizations continuously analyze the impact that AUC has on care delivery without disrupting the doctor-patient relationship.

New technology hub dedicated to growth, innovation and advancing the quality of patient care

MADISON, WI (April 5, 2016) –Today, National Decision Support Company (NDSC) announced opening offices in Madison, WI.

“With over 2 million monthly transactions being generated by more than 100 health systems using our flagship solution ACR Select, and our recent expansion into new clinical areas through CareSelect, our development needs are growing rapidly,” said Michael Mardini, CEO, NDSC. “By creating a dedicated R&D headquarters in Madison, we’re able to attract top talent and create the collaborative atmosphere required for an agile development team.”

The company’s new software development headquarters is located in the historic Jackman Building, which overlooks the Wisconsin State Capitol in downtown Madison.

“We selected Madison to capitalize on its reputation as a technology startup hub and access to qualified talent,” said Tom Conti, VP of Product and Technology.

The company’s flagship solution, CareSelect, is designed to house and manage both national and local guidelines and enable healthcare organizations to directly manage the delivery and configuration of EMR advisories using the most up to date clinical knowledge—all within native EMR user interfaces. The company’s clients include healthcare providers globally, and its solutions are delivered through partnerships with leading EMR providers, including Epic and Cerner.

“Our software teams are comprised of young, talented people who value the quality of life Madison has to offer and are truly excited to be in an environment suited to software development,” said Conti. “Many of our implementation and support staff are also local and use the space, helping to connect our product to customer experience. The collaboration and energy created by a dedicated development facility, coupled with the rich talent pool the area has to offer, will enable NDSC to continue its rapid growth.”

To explore career opportunities and read about team member’s firsthand experiences working at NDSC, visitcareers.nationaldecisionsupport.com.

About National Decision Support Company
National Decision Support Company (NDSC) provides integrated solutions for developing, maintaining, accessing, delivering, and analyzing actionable, standards-based Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for imaging, lab, and the healthcare enterprise. The company partners with healthcare provider organizations and national medical societies—including American College of Radiology (ACR), American College of Cardiology (ACC), and European Society of Radiology (ESR)—to structure content and deliver it through physician-centric workflows. NDSC’s clinical solution set provides physicians access to the latest evidence-based approaches to medicine, allows providers to develop and deliver local care pathways and protocols, and lets healthcare organizations continuously analyze the impact that AUC has on care delivery without disrupting the doctor-patient relationship. For more information, visit www.NationalDecisionSupport.com.

At HIMSS16, the companies will preview Appropriate Use Criteria embedded in PatientKeeper CPOE

LAS VEGAS, NV (March 1, 2016) –HIMSS16 — PatientKeeper®, Inc., a leading provider of healthcare applications for physicians, and National Decision Support Company (NDSC), a globally recognized leader in innovative solutions for integrated guideline delivery, today announced an integration initiative that will enable physicians to access a comprehensive set of imaging Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) as part of their electronic order entry workflow. The companies are previewing NDSC’s ACR Select embedded within PatientKeeper CPOE at HIMSS16. ACR Select contains over 3,000 structured clinical indications and 15,000 clinical end points delivered through a flexible content delivery engine. The delivery of this clinically valuable information from within the PatientKeeper CPOE workflow dramatically enhances the clinical decision and ordering process.

The companies are previewing NDSC’s ACR Select embedded within PatientKeeper CPOE at HIMSS16. ACR Select contains over 3,000 structured clinical indications and 15,000 clinical end points delivered through a flexible content delivery engine. The delivery of this clinically valuable information from within the PatientKeeper CPOE workflow dramatically enhances the clinical decision and ordering process.

“We are pleased to be collaborating with NDSC to offer our physicians an innovative and clinically relevant tool,” Sally Buta, PatientKeeper’s co-founder and senior director of innovation, said. “Once the integration is completed, PatientKeeper CPOE users will be able to utilize the myriad guidelines and applications of NDSC from within their natural ordering workflows.”

“The collaboration with PatientKeeper represents an opportunity for NDSC to expand its market presence and create a practical and valuable solution for physicians,” according to Robert Cooke, vice president of marketing and strategy at NDSC. “The integration with PatientKeeper will enable presentation of actionable guidelines to the provider when needed, and will help guide the provider to the right test by presenting more appropriate or required tests for the patient’s condition,” Cooke said.

“Our efforts are in direct response to our customers’ requests to integrate AUC into provider workflows to meet the provisions of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014. ACR Select is the most comprehensive, qualified set of AUC on the market, and our clients are now prepared to meet these requirements and begin the transition to value based services through guideline delivery, well in advance of the deadline,” Cooke added.

PatientKeeper and NDSC will discuss their initiative and preview their integration at the HIMSS16 conference in Las Vegas, March 1-3. NDSC’s exhibit is in booth 11010; PatientKeeper is in booth 5249.

David Domeshek
PatientKeeper, Inc.
(781) 373-6232

Robert Cooke
NDSC
(203) 918-5085

NDSC Europe GmbH established to support rollout of ESR iGuide

VIENNA, AUSTRIA (February 25, 2016) – Today, National Decision Support Company (NDSC) announced the establishment of its European Headquarters in Vienna, Austria.

Building on the formal announcement of its exclusive relationship with the European Society of Radiology (ESR), NDSC has announced the formation of NDSC Europe GmbH, a dedicated European Headquarters. “There has been a lot of progress over the year and we’re excited to formally announce our dedicated European organization,” said Michael Mardini, CEO, NDSC. “NDSC GmbH will provide sales, contracting and support to the European and Middle East markets to ensure providers can deliver ESR iGuide into their clinical practice through EMR integrations.”

s the exclusive, trusted partner to the European Society of Radiology for the delivery and implementation of ESR iGuide, NDSC Europe GmbH has appointed local resources to adapt the deliverables to European market requirements. “We’re pleased to announce that our European operations will be led by Mr. Marcel Wassink, Managing Director, NDSC Europe GmbH,” said Mardini. “We sought an experienced leader with a proven management track record and the required entrepreneurial spirit to grow the business.” Mr. Wassink has held previous leadership positions for organizations such as Philips Healthcare, Nuance Communications, and has led several startups in the European market.

“I am excited to join NDSC and this is a tremendous opportunity to improve the quality of care across Europe by ensuring patients get the most appropriate imaging test,” said Marcel Wassink, Managing Director, NDSC Europe GmbH. “Working together with the European Society of Radiology is a tremendous honor and at NDSC we recognize our responsibility to represent the ESR through their guidelines.”

Also joining the company is Mr. Florian Demuth who will continue his current assignment in the ESR Department of European and International Affairs and will now support NDSC Europe. He brings a wealth of experience and domain expertise and will act as the liaison between NDSC Europe and the ESR.

“We’ve already made great progress in the European market by leveraging the EMR relationships already established by NDSC and are now building local relationships,” said Mardini. “This dedicated organization will allow us to leverage the depth of NDSC’s experience in the US market, with an approach more suited to the European experience.”

NDSC GmbH will demonstrate ESR iGuide and its latest developments, including integrations with leading EHRs, at ECR 2016, March 2-6, 2016, Vienna, Austria.

New offering delivers Choosing Wisely™ and other guidelines through existing EHR integrations

MADISON, WI (February 23, 2016) – Today, National Decision Support Company (NDSC) announced CareSelect, a new enterprise-wide appropriate use criteria (AUC) and clinical pathway delivery engine integrated with electronic medical records (EMR). “With over 2 million monthly transactions being generated by more than 100 health systems using our flagship solution ACR Select, we have rapidly become the market’s choice to enable the delivery of EMR integrated imaging appropriate use criteria (AUC),” said Michael Mardini, CEO, NDSC. “Through this experience we have also earned the trust of EMR vendors and guideline publishers alike, and due to the rich interoperability we’ve achieved with our EMR partners we have expanded into new clinical areas through CareSelect.”

CareSelect is designed to house and manage both national and local guidelines and enable healthcare organizations to directly manage the delivery and configuration of EMR advisories using the most up to date clinical knowledge—all within the native EMR user interface.

Guidelines are constantly changing and providers are struggling to manage the delivery of all this new medical knowledge to healthcare providers in a meaningful way. Compliance and quality are critical success factors in a value driven healthcare environment and CareSelect enables the delivery of a wide range of medical knowledge to healthcare providers without the need to reconfigure the EMR each time a guideline changes or needs to be added.

Through the company’s work with the American College of Radiology and numerous other imaging criteria sources, NDSC has proven its competence in distilling medical knowledge into actionable criteria. “With CareSelect, we are now applying natural language processing and sophisticated algorithms to the EMR data, enabling high impact advisories across the care continuum,” said Mardini. “These new capabilities also extend the sophistication of the imaging guidelines we can deliver with ACR Select, to include automated indication calculation, and to cover more complex clinical scenarios.”

Through CareSelect, the company is delivering high impact clinical advisories covering a range of medical conditions across the care continuum, such as those from Choosing Wisely, an initiative of the ABIM and theNNT.com that cover a range of care settings and conditions, including anti-biotic stewardship, high cost lab testing and utilization management in the Emergency Department.

NDSC is currently deploying CareSelect at select healthcare organizations and will demonstrate its latest developments, including integrations with leading EHRs, at HIMSS 2016, booth #11010, March 1-3, 2016, Las Vegas, NV.

About National Decision Support Company
National Decision Support Company (NDSC) provides integrated solutions for developing, maintaining, accessing, delivering, and analyzing actionable, standards-based Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for imaging, lab, and the healthcare enterprise.  Through its flagship solutions, CareSelect and ACR Select, NDSC provides access to nationally recognized clinical content to healthcare providers within their EHR workflow and covers a growing list of high priority healthcare areas, allowing healthcare organizations to leverage the latest evidence-based guidelines to manage utilization and improve quality. The company partners with healthcare provider organizations and national medical societies—including American College of Radiology (ACR), American College of Cardiology (ACC), and European Society of Radiology (ESR)—to structure content and deliver it through physician-centric workflows. NDSC’s clinical solution set provides physicians access to the latest evidence-based approaches to medicine, allows providers to develop and deliver local care pathways and protocols, and lets healthcare organizations continuously analyze the impact that AUC has on care delivery without disrupting the doctor-patient relationship. For more information, visit www.NationalDecisionSupport.com.