Why Workflow Inefficiency Still Plagues Cardiology Imaging
Cardiology departments have seen remarkable advances in imaging resolution, portability, and cloud access over the past decade. Yet behind the scenes, many teams still grapple with fragmented systems, slow reporting processes, and missing measurement tools that impede both clinical efficiency and patient care.
In conversations with cardiologists, technologists, and IT directors across the field, a pattern has emerged: imaging technology has outpaced the infrastructure meant to support it. From legacy PACS limitations to interoperability roadblocks, the industry’s core workflows haven’t caught up with its clinical capabilities.
This blog brings together the top pain points we’ve heard from across the industry — not to sell, but to share. Because the first step in solving a problem is seeing it clearly.
The Core Workflow Challenges in Cardiac Imaging Today
1. Fragmented Tools Across Imaging Modalities
Most cardiology environments still rely on a patchwork of systems: one for echo, another for EKGs, another for structured reporting. These systems often don’t integrate — requiring clinicians to jump between platforms, retype data, or rely on hallway conversations to close the loop.
This fragmentation increases risk, slows down care, and creates avoidable inefficiencies in nearly every department we’ve spoken with.
2. PACS Designed Without Cardiology in Mind
Many cardiology teams are still using platforms originally designed for radiology workflows. These systems may technically “work” — but they don’t reflect the speed, complexity, or flexibility needed in cardiac care.
What we’ve heard:
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- Slow loading times that interrupt flow
- Workarounds that become daily routines
- Interfaces that frustrate rather than guide
The result is technology that becomes a burden instead of a bridge.
3. Limited Access to Complete Patient Data
Even in multi-site or cloud-based environments, cardiac data remains surprisingly siloed. Whether it’s an ECG that’s stored elsewhere or an echo that hasn’t synced, teams frequently report that they lack a complete imaging picture at the point of care.
For large networks and collaborative teams, this isn’t just an IT inconvenience — it’s a clinical limitation.
4. Reporting Delays That Impact Patient Care
Structured reporting is critical in cardiology. It drives clinical decisions, supports billing, and communicates findings clearly. But too often, it’s the slowest part of the workflow.
Why? Because many systems:
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- Rely on separate software that doesn’t integrate
- Have rigid templates that don’t reflect clinical nuance
- Force manual steps that slow everyone down
These bottlenecks frustrate technologists and delay treatment decisions.
5. High IT Overhead and Lack of Scalability
We repeatedly hear that current systems are hard to maintain and harder to grow. Complex installations, long configuration timelines, and vendor-specific code requirements leave IT teams stretched thin.
This becomes a bigger issue when departments want to:
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- Expand to new locations
- Integrate new tools
- Standardize across service lines
Technology should accelerate growth — not inhibit it.
The Overlooked Gap: Missing EF and VTI Post-Processing
There’s another inefficiency hiding in plain sight — and it’s one of the most universally frustrating: the lack of integrated tools for Ejection Fraction (EF) and Velocity Time Integral (VTI) in many PACS systems.
These are cornerstone measurements in cardiac care — yet in most environments, they’re only available during live scanning. This creates significant workflow friction.
6. Delays Due to Repeat Measurements
When EF or VTI weren’t recorded during the scan — or need to be confirmed — clinicians often have no choice but to:
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- Return to the scanner
- Request a re-scan
- Wait for measurements to be sent manually
This leads to delays in finalizing studies and unnecessary workload for already busy staff.
7. Workflow Interruptions Across the Care Team
A missing measurement doesn’t just slow the cardiologist — it interrupts techs, nurses, and referring physicians, all of whom depend on timely diagnostic data.
8. Inconsistent Measurement Standards
Relying solely on live-acquired EF and VTI means accuracy can vary based on technique, timing, or user skill. Post-processing tools enable clinicians to:
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- Recalculate as needed
- Standardize measurement technique
- Document with auditability
This enhances both diagnostic confidence and clinical documentation.
9. Remote Collaboration Suffers Without Visual Tools
In today’s hybrid and multi-site models, referring physicians and subspecialists often review cases remotely. But without access to measurement tools and visual verification, collaboration can become “data-blind.”
True collaboration requires both numbers and context — and that only happens when the PACS supports deeper visibility.
10. The Disconnect Between Innovation and Implementation
Cardiology is not lacking in innovation. What’s missing is access. Too many tools remain:
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- Trapped in proprietary scanners
- Available only via paid add-ons
- Disconnected from the clinical review workflow
This disconnect creates frustration for teams that want to modernize but find themselves blocked by vendor constraints, budget limitations, or IT capacity.
Where Do We Go From Here?
The cardiology imaging community isn’t short on innovation — but the full benefits of that innovation are only realized when technology, clinical workflow, and operational strategy align.
So what needs to happen next?
Vendors Must Build for Cardiology — Not Retrofit Radiology Tools
Too many PACS platforms started with radiology in mind. Going forward, we need solutions that reflect cardiology’s unique pace, complexity, and reporting needs — from the ground up.
Hospitals and Health Systems Should Prioritize Workflow Integration
When evaluating systems, decision-makers must look beyond storage and archiving to the full workflow journey — acquisition, measurement, reporting, and collaboration. Interoperability should be a non-negotiable.
Clinical Teams Deserve More Input in Tech Decisions
Cardiologists, technologists, and echo lab staff are the daily users — and they should have a seat at the table during purchasing, implementation, and optimization phases.
EF and VTI Tools Must Become Standard, Not Optional
EF and VTI are foundational to cardiac diagnosis. Making them available in post-processing workflows — not just on scanners — should be considered a clinical imperative, not a luxury.
The Industry Needs Shared Standards for Cardiology Imaging Data
As cloud-based systems expand, we must work toward better data standardization for post-processing, structured reporting, and cross-platform collaboration.
We believe the future of cardiology imaging depends on platforms that are:
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- Built for clinicians
- Connected across teams
- Flexible enough to evolve
- Focused on outcomes, not just images
That future is possible — but it will take partnership, listening, and a willingness to let workflow drive the roadmap.
Final Thoughts: Why This Conversation Matters
The future of cardiology imaging will not be won on specs or features. It will be shaped by platforms that genuinely understand — and solve — the workflow problems clinicians live with every day.
And it starts by listening.
We believe this conversation must be industry-wide, vendor-inclusive, and centered around patient outcomes. That’s why we’re sharing what we’ve learned — and why we’re building tools that respond directly to these challenges.
Want to Keep the Conversation Going?
If these challenges resonate with your team, or if you’re exploring new approaches to cardiac imaging workflows, we’d love to connect — not with a pitch, but with perspective.
Because solving these problems takes more than tools. It takes trust.