4D Photo Imaging™ combines the capabilities and benefits of photography with the image file management and reporting capabilties found in medical imaging or document image management systems.

Advances in digital camera technology makes it simple for anyone to quickly take pictures. In fact, picture taking technology is showing up in devices like cell phones, MP3 players, and tablet computers. Unfortunately, taking a picture is just the start when it comes to having a fast and efficient clinical workflow. The consumer orientied digital picture software that comes with most cameras does not address the unique requirements you will face in using photo imaging in your healthcare environment.

There are however, expensive and elaborate image archival and retrieval systems called either Picture Archival and Communications (PACS) systems or Document Image Management (DIM) system. In healthcare markets, PACS systems are designed to handle the complex visual data formats created by digital Xray, and CT,  MRI, and PET scanner. Their costs can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars to implement and require dedicated IT support for data storage and networking. In commercial markets, DIM systems are designed to capture not only photo data, but also all kinds of business documents and files. While DIM systems offer a broad range of functionality, if you need a simple and cost effective system to make sense of your visual data, like PACS systems, DIM systems can be expense to purchase and maintain.

4D Photo Imaging brings the basis organizational, archival, and retrieval capabilites of PACS and DIM systems into a simplied, easy to deploy solution targeted at digital photo imaging. Contact us to find out more about how we can simplify your photo documentation workflows.

There are several things to consider when establishing a photography workflow. To begin, you should be able the answer some basic questions, including:

• How many cameras will be used?
• Will a single camera be used by one person or multiple people?
• Will you capture photo images for a single patient and then process / load those photo images before moving on to the next patient? Or will photo images of multiple patients be captured before performing the processing and loading?
• Will the photo image processing be done at a single, center workstation? Or will each person taking photo images have access to their own computer while taking the photo images.
• What information is critical to be associated with the photo images? Do these include any measurements?
• What sorts of procedures will be documented using photo images and have you standardized the steps / views you desire to be captured using photo images?

These are just a few of the things you need to consider when creating a standardized photo imaging workflow.

Photo images can be stored on a shared on a networked file server or even up in the cloud to enable sharing across multiple locations.

Whether you are using the PhotoStation Manager software or the PhotoStation System, you do not need a dedicated photography room. The PhotoStation Manager makes it easy to use off-the-shelf digital cameras to shoot medical photo documentation in any of your patient examination rooms for upload later into the PhotoStation Manager system. With the all-inclusive 4D PhotoStation System, you can move the camera system from room to room and take consistent high quality photo images. The PhotoStation System allows for the setup of camera settings files for each room in which pictures will be taken. Before capturing new photo images, select and load the predefined settings and take great pictures.

While taking consistent high quality photo images requires more than pointing your camera and pressing the shutter release button, you don't need to be an expert in photography to get the job done.

Many digital cameras include options that make it easy to take pictures in a variety of situations. While most cameras have a sports mode, or fireworks mode, unfortunately no camera we've seen has a 'consistent high quality medical photo image' mode.

By understanding the four key ideas of shutter speed, aperture, white balance, and ISO level, you can take high quality photo images at your facility without becoming a photo expert.