Why did you decide to bring in an image management platform?

I need quick and easy access to my patients’ clinical images whether I am in the exam room, in my office preparing for surgery or reviewing patient data from my home computer. I also wanted to be able to do more than just review static images or reports. I often need to scroll through OCT B-scans to isolate pathology, zoom in on an area of interest in a fundus photo, or compare two different imaging modalities side-by-side.

My EMR software did not offer these advanced features and made image review cumbersome and time consuming, so I began evaluating image management software.

Why did you choose Topcon Harmony?

My practice uses instruments from many different manufacturers, so it was critical to find an image management platform that was device agnostic. Some of the image management options I evaluated worked well with software developer’s devices but didn’t work as seamlessly with instruments from other manufacturers. Topcon Harmony delivered the best integration with devices from any manufacturer and connects with my EMR software, so patient information is sent directly to and from connected instruments. It’s a huge time saver!

Harmony also has several features that streamline my review of patient data. First, it groups my patients by the day they were seen, so I can quickly access the records I’d like to view. It also allows comparison of multiple types of images from a single exam and historical comparison, which gives me a complete picture of the patient’s eye health and has been invaluable for patient education.

How does Harmony benefit your daily clinical practice?

Harmony gives me all of a patient’s exam data and images on a single screen, which helps me make better diagnoses and treatment decisions. It has also been a great tool for educating patients. Whether I am showing a patient an image of their healthy eye or explaining a complicated OCT B-scan or topographic image, everything is right at my exam station allowing me to show and educate patients on their eye health.

What would you tell a colleague considering image management software?

I would highly recommend this technology for any busy practice. It saves so much time in accessing and viewing information, it puts all of the images and data I need in single portal that can be accessed from anywhere and it has analysis features that go far beyond what an EMR can provide. My experience with Harmony and the Topcon team has been phenomenal. The service and support have made implementation easy, new features are regularly added to the software as a part of my subscription, and the software is easy to operate from my PC or my Mac. I can’t imagine practicing without it.