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Physicians wear many hats, including serving as educators and researchers. Since medical images can be invaluable during presentations, Purview Image™ is often used by these physicians and their staff to collect, store, and access cases for subsequent review. Purview Image™ has also been used by large health systems to conduct major research initiatives because the platform easily grants users the ability to collaborate remotely and securely back up files within a HIPAA compliant, cloud-based system.

In case you missed the webinar, How Far Can Horos Go?, where Les Trachtman and I spoke about Horos, here's a recap!

Horos is a free medical image viewer for Mac computers that allows users to view studies that are locally stored on their machine. It's great for quick and easy access to scans that you have a local copy of.

Although it has its perks, there are a few drawbacks to Horos. The limitations of Horos include no Windows PC version, limited reporting options, and no FDA approval for primary diagnosis.

Common issues for Horos users include:

Although lumped together into the category of telemedicine, the law of most U.S. states and territories treatsepisodic medical consultations (physician to physician consults or remote second opinions) differently. 

Currently, 15 states and territories specifically permit an out-of-state physician to provide a consultation or second opinion directly to a local patient. An expanded number of 35 jurisdictions allow this consult to occur as long as this consult or opinion is done in conjunction with the local physician who maintains the physician -patient relationship.

Only 4 states actually prohibit these consults, leaving 15 jurisdictions silent on whether this practice is or is not permitted.

If you’ve used Horos, a free open-source DICOM viewer for Mac computers, you may know about the helpful tools accessible at your fingertips. The locally installed program allows users to view images in 3D, generate multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) images, and even perform DICOM sends over a network.  All of this for free? Yep. Horos is a great app that happens to be supported by Purview, a software-driven healthcare company whose mission is to open access to medical expertise, improving patient outcomes.

Even when Mage “placed” in the Florida Derby several weeks ago in an impressive run, no one would have imagined he’d win the run for the roses at Churchill Downs.  While 15-1 odds are sizable for a Derby winner, the odds of seven horses dying in the days leading up to the Kentucky Derby were more remote.  Both beat the odds. As of this week, there was an eighth death, as Rio Moon suffered a, “catastrophic injury to his left leg,” according to NBC News. 

While the insiders who make their livings on or around the racetrack know that injuries and even the death of a horse is not entirely preventable, Churchill Downs might want to take some lessons from other venues and racing associations who have gotten out in front of this issue.