MiniCAT™ Collaborative Success Story:

Going the Distance to Enhance Patient Care

Since its establishment, Mountain State ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery has continued to raise the bar. Not only does the Beckley, WV, clinic outdistance the competition, but it leads the way as the first clinic in West Virginia and the first surgery center in the U.S. with a MiniCAT™ upright CT scanner from Xoran

Technologies®. The revolutionary MiniCAT™ scanner rivals larger, more expensive scanners for image quality and often exceeds their efficiency.

"The MiniCAT™ has definitely made us more efficient," said Kimberly Paine, Vice President of both the clinic and surgery center. "And, our patients love it. It saves them a whole lot of time when they’d otherwise be running back and forth between the hospital."

Established in 1995, the Mountain State ENT clinic is staffed by two full-time physicians, James Paine, M.D., and David A. Blaine, M.D.; one part-time physician, Gilbert J. Paine, M.D.; one physician assistant; one full- and one part-time audiologist; and four medical assistants. Up to 70 patients are examined daily, and services run the gamut: ENT, audiology, vestibular testing, allergy treatment, plastic surgery, and cosmetic services—botox, collagen, hair removal, vascular lesions and vein treatment.

Of particular interest to patients is the adjacent Beckley Surgery Center, which opened in 1999. It is staffed by one administrator, three full-time registered nurses, two scrub techs, and three part-time RNs. Seven physicians with various specialties use the surgery center.

Prior to surgery, most patients undergo CT imaging using the Xoran MiniCAT™ scanner, which is linked to a surgical navigation system in the surgery center. With the push of a button, images are quickly and easily downloaded to the navigation system, giving clinicians total control over how the scans are completed in order to meet navigation protocols.

"The Xoran system has really helped to streamline the image-guided surgery process," said Dr. James Paine. "We import the images directly from our CT scanner into our navigation system. Because the scanner is right here, we have more control over the imaging protocols—that gives us image consistency from patient to patient.”

The MiniCAT™ received FDA clearance in 2004, three years after Ann Arbor, MI-based Xoran was established. The system, which produces 0.40mm slices in three planes for 3D reconstruction, enables otolaryngologists to generate high-resolution digital images for display, storage, or transmission. The lightweight (450 pounds) system features 40-second scanning and full compatibility with most image-guided surgery systems, and can be installed in a 6- by 9-foot room.

Since its installation, Dr. Paine has seen many surgical benefits. During surgery, the Xoran software is accessed in the operating room and images captured in the clinic are displayed on a three-panel workstation directly in front of the surgeon rather than on view boxes 10 feet away, permitting easy surgical navigation

Magnification also is enabled. The costly storage and disposal of conventional films has been eliminated, and the radiation dose is less than that of full-body CT scanners.

Additionally, patients no longer are referred to a local hospital or imaging center for CT scans. Instead of undergoing a physical exam, having a scan done offsite, then returning for the results a week or two later, everything is done during one visit—with only one co-payment.

"It has really enhanced patient care," Dr. Paine said. "In the past, patients would come in with suspected sinusitis, but we weren’t always sure. With the CT scanner, it takes 40 seconds to scan, a few minutes for reconstruction, and we know instantaneously whether the patient has something that needs to be treated with antibiotics."

He added, "If we have the images available immediately, it facilitates faster treatment and healing. We can schedule patients for surgery much more quickly."

Lisa Sisk, the surgery center administrator, said the MiniCAT™’s speed and efficiency benefits the health-care system as a whole.

"Being able to treat the day of a patient’s visit has to save the payors money," she said. "The scanner eliminates two office visits and saves the patients—especially working patients—time."

Patient compliance also has improved substantially, largely due to the convenience of the MiniCAT™.

"Before, patient compliance was horrible," said Angie Green, the clinical coordinator. "Probably 50% of our patients missed their CT exams, requiring one of the staff to try and reschedule. It’s particularly difficult for the elderly to comply."

According to Green, who positions patients for CT exams, the elderly can least afford to run around for a CT exam. Many don’t drive and cannot afford multiple co-payments; others have no prescription coverage and cannot afford unnecessary antibiotics. Thanks to the MiniCAT™ for CT, those problems have been ameliorated.

"With sinus CT scans, compliance has pretty much been 100%. Our patients are so incredibly happy."

Stacy Hatcher, a medical assistant, also positions patients. She applauded the MiniCAT™’s friendliness with helping to calm pediatric patients.

"They seem fine with it," she said. "We tell them it’s a spaceship. It’s really fast, and they’re out of there very quickly."

Additionally, the MiniCAT™ has eliminated “the irritation factor,” said Lauren Dillon, a physician assistant.

"Patients get irritated when they have to schedule a CT, find another time to go over to the hospital, wait an hour there, then come back here for their results. And in the winter, our elderly population doesn’t like to go out at all. Our patients really love the MiniCAT™."

Ease of siting and installation. A short learning curve. Ease of operation. Surgical enhancement. Speed of imaging. Efficiency. Indeed, the Xoran MiniCAT™ has made life infinitely easier for Mountain State ENT.

"It’s convenient for the patient and the doctor," Dr. Blaine said. "Any time everyone benefits, you come out ahead."

Dr. Gilbert Paine, a physician for 50 years, agreed, citing image quality as a top draw for physicians.

"The images are every bit as good as the ones we were getting at the hospital," he said. "In some cases, they may be better."