The EXAM-Sender is a product system composed of a family of DICOM and web-based utilities developed for the purpose of “automatic” transmittal of radiology images, voice clips, reports, patient information (both general and PHI) across data links directly from hospital imaging departments and/or free standing imaging centers to specified referring physicians and other qualified interested parties. The product also is ideal for the automatic, secure and encrypted transmission of any and all medical information and data for all healthcare entities regardless of specialization, size or geographic location.

The CoActiv EXAM-Sender can be coupled with the successful CoActiv EXAM-Filer to create secure CD and DVD storage disks for use by the imaging center, the patient, the referring physician and for archival storage. (See separate section on the EXAM-Filer as well as the CoActiv EXAM-Vault, the first cost-effective solution to off-site, redundant, secure and instantly available bulk storage of critical healthcare information, digital exams and medical records. The CoActiv EXAM-Vault facilities reside in redundant, HIPAA audited, class-A data-centers.)

CoActiv has created a system that incorporates a combination of state-of-the-art PC hardware technology, coupled with a library of custom developed DICOM and other utilities to transmit healthcare (and other) data in a wide variety of formats, sizes and numbers to one or more remote locations on a global basis. These remote locations can be other locations of the same healthcare entity, referring or affiliate healthcare entities or secure data-center archival record storage facilities.

CoActiv utilizes hardware and various custom software applications (as determined by the specific, unique, requirements of the client, such as: digital data connectivity requirements, budget, geographic location, transmission bandwidth requirements as well as available data connectivity choices) that allow healthcare information to be either automatically “pushed” or “pulled” between entities. What this means is, that for the first time, secure, protected healthcare information can be moved between entities, automatically in a “background mode” in order to appear almost by magic on a physicians desktop.

This system utilizes unique CoActiv developed proprietary technology to deliver the images to the referring physician’s office, eliminating the need for the normally expensive, cumbersome and more technical VPN connection used by others. Our system utilizes a newly developed CoActiv process that publishes the full-size images (unlike the drastically compressed images of other web-based systems) to a CoActiv EXAM-Server^™ at the imaging center and automatically delivers the images to the doctor’s remote desktop, once again, at full resolution and without doctor intervention.

This method utilizes the proprietary CoActiv EXAM-Console-Lite^™ application that automatically polls the imaging center’s EXAM-Server^™, also in background mode, and instantly starts to upload any new studies designated for that particular doctor, still in background mode, to the doctor’s desktop where he is then notified of their local availability on his PC. This process uses Secure Socket HTTPS web technology to assure the required privacy and security. This system also employs Department of Defense 128bit data encryption to effect all data transmission. The only elements installed on the doctor’s PC is the EXAM-Console-Lite applet which uses the doctor’s existing Internet connection in a secure manner to accomplish data transfer and the CoActiv EXAM-Viewer-Lite^™ DICOM clinical viewer. A minimal DSL connection, cable modem or ISDN connection is recommended; however, this system will work with a simple dial-up connection as an emergency backup system of connectivity, though at a significantly reduced speed.

The images are packaged, compressed using lossless compression and encrypted before sending, transmitted securely, and then un-encrypted and un-compressed when they arrive at the doctor’s PC. This all is takes place in a background mode, transparent to the physician.

The busy doctor does not have to wait while the image is transmitted to either view or store the image locally. The EXAM-Sender^™ automatically pops up a bubble telling the doctor that new studies have arrived and even flashes a desktop tray icon to call his attention to the information arrival. The doctor can click on the bubble to immediately view the uncompressed high-resolution images with the pre-installed EXAM-Viewer^™ or choose to view them at a later time. The small tray icon continues to flash until the images are actually viewed by the doctor. This system is completely automated and requires absolutely no action on the doctor’s part other than clicking a button to instantly view the newly arrived study(s). The doctor then has the option of keeping the study in the prescribed data directory, transferring them to a specified storage area on his Local Area Network, deleting the study to free-up disk space; or (optionally) even burning them locally to a CD for insertion on the patient’s file jacket… or to give a copy to the patient.

EXAM-PACS^™ Configuration Guide