Accessible from anywhere, anytime. Just launch the web application.
Unlimited customization ensures speed, accuracy, and standardized information and terminology throughout the entire system.
Document with the level of detail that fits your clinical specialty.
Reference historical information, embed graphs and images, analyze and extract data, and more.
Sonographers are an essential part of diagnostic ultrasonography, which has rapidly grown into a powerful and invaluable medical tool.
Using ultrasound, doctors can monitor a variety of health conditions from heart disease to breast abnormalities to several gynecological problems-accurately while limiting invasive procedures. Ultrasound helps doctors make a diagnosis and determine the best and most effective means possible to achieve health. (SDMS)
The demand for sonographers is rising, and as the profession grows faster than average, more sonographers are experiencing the physical and mental demands and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) that accompany sonography.
Itâs important that both sonographers and employers understand the physical toll of the profession and take the necessary steps to alleviate and prevent sonographer pain and encourage safe working environments that reduce the risk and prevalence of WRMSDs.
Sonographer scanning techniques include repetition of physical risk factors that strain tendons, inflame muscles, and place pressure against nerves. âWRMSDs symptoms include inflammation and swelling, numbness, muscle spasm, burning or tingling, and loss of sensation. Some of these symptoms may cause a loss of muscle strength, making it difficult to hold a transducer. As this is a cumulative disorder, seemingly minor symptoms can progress over time to more serious, even debilitating, symptoms.â (Coffin C)
Some typical activities that can lead to sonographer pain over time include:
Awkward postures of the trunk, neck, and upper extremities, as well as excess gripping and downward force applied with the transducer, contribute to sonographersâ symptoms of discomfort and risk for injury. For sonographers, the mechanism of injury to the shoulder is felt to correspond to frequent abduction of the scanning arm combined with static loading of the muscles related to pressure applied with the transducer. (SDMS)
The physical and mental toll of WRMSDs on sonographers is extensive. Over time it affects their ability to perform not only their professional duties, but also daily living activities.
The study âWork-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSDs) Among Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographers and Vascular Technologistsâ indicated that 90% of clinical sonographers experienced symptoms of WRMSDs.
In addition to physical pain, WRMSDs both contribute to and can be exacerbated by the psychological stress of the profession. âIncreasing workload, poor control over schedule, and lack of management support lead to mental burn-out, anxiety, and decreased job satisfaction. Sonographers may scan in pain to meet the department’s demands contributing to the development of WRMSDs.â (AIUM)
The impact of these injuries on so many sonographers can cost employers up to $20 billion yearly in direct costs such as Workerâs Compensation and medical expenses, and up to five times that in indirect costs such as lost revenue, absenteeism, and costs related to hiring and training new employees. (SMDS)
Employers should closely follow industry standards to prevent WRMSDs, which have been provided by the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration also recommends implementing a more ergonomic workflow to reduce the severity and cost of WRMSDs.
The process includes these steps:
The Reports in Medical Imaging article âWork-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Sonographers: A Review of Causes and Types of Injury and Best Practices for Reducing Injury Riskâ outlines positioning tips to help sonographers prevent strain.
Positioning tips:
More specialty-focused best practices are also outlined in the article, available here.
Preventive measures range from simple work posture changes that conform to the departmentâs existing equipment to upgrading the department with state-of-the-art ultrasound systems, exam tables, and chairs. (Coffin C)
Itâs important to understand the long-term impact of WRMSDs on sonographers and their workplace. By taking steps to prevent and mitigate sonographer pain, sonographers, employers, and equipment and technology providers can help improve workplace morale and reduce pain.
AS Software provides more effective ultrasound reporting and customized support to help create safer working environments and ideal workflows for sonographers, so they can have more time in their day for adequate breaks. To learn more about how we can help reduce sonographer pains, schedule a demo.
You have a very experienced background in sonography, tell us about your career journey!
âIâve pretty much covered the whole gambit in ultrasound, in both shared services and hospital settings. I received Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS) board registries in abdomen, vascular, OB/GYN, and adult echocardiography specialties and was able to work in departmental head positions in my career. â
âCurrently, I serve on the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS) Continuing Medical Education (CME) board review committee that vets products for continuing medical education for approval.â
âAbout 9 years ago I decided to segue into a different ultrasound career path in sales.â
What motivated that career transition?
âIâve enjoyed working with ultrasound equipment and reporting companies and representatives through the years, and I knew my personality would translate well. Iâm definitely a people person and I enjoy the process of getting to know and interacting with people. It was a good fit where I can leverage all my clinical understanding.â
âThese folks spend their whole day, every day taking care of people. I love figuring out how we can help improve their day to day and understand what makes it better, so they can be better at their job and take care of patients.â
How did you begin your relationship with AS Software initially as a clinician?
âWhen I was running the ultrasound department for a rural state hospital in New Mexico, we made a collaborative deal with an MFM based out of Santa Fe. Thatâs when I was trained in AS Software and we began to use it at the hospital, so MFMs could read all our high-risk OB studies.â
âI decided to work for AS years later because as a previous user I really love and believe in the product. Itâs the best product in the market and itâs easy to be excited about.â
When you were a sonographer what were your favorites parts of the job and what were some of the biggest challenges?
âMy favorite part is that medicine is really like a puzzle. You have labs, clinical symptoms, history, etc. and when you put them together its predictive of what you expect to see before scanning. That whole complex puzzle is very interesting.â
âWhen you have a part in work that is lifesaving, itâs also very rewarding. But the challenge is that when itâs not lifesaving, it can be very deflating. Itâs also very tiring, and sonographers have busy days. With the physical exhaustion it can feel like you need to go to get a massage at the end of the day!â
As a clinician, you want to spend time caring for patients, not making sure all the systems have the proper reporting for billing and making a million clicks. Thatâs why a system like AS that reduces these burdens is so beneficial and I feel so good about our impact.
And tell us a little bit about yourself outside of your work!
My family and I love the outdoors! Hiking, fishing, camping, any physical activity is great. Iâve also won a barbecue competition â for best pork butt!
The 2023 Conference was a great time to connect with you to learn and collaborate together on delivering the smartest solutions for Women’s Health.
If we didn’t have a chance to meet at the conference, our team would be happy to meet with you. Request a demo and we can share how we can help:
Conference attendees
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, NJ & OVERLAND PARK, KS, Feb 28, 2023 â AS Software, a leading provider of ultrasound reporting and image management solutions, today announced that Scott Coons and Thomas Schneck have been appointed to the companyâs board of directors, following AEA Growth‘s investment in the company. Coons and Schneck bring more than 50 combined years of software leadership experience to the company.
Coons previously co-founded Perceptive Software in 1995, which provides enterprise content management software solutions. Coons led the company from its inception through its rapid growth and ultimate sale to Lexmark International, where he later became President of Lexmark Enterprise Software. Coonsâ extensive background in strategic leadership includes the successful expansion of enterprise content and business process management solutions into the clinical and corporate healthcare space. He was a key influencer in the early transitions from traditional to automated workflows for thousands of hospital information systems across the U.S. and has in-depth knowledge of strategic planning and operations for systems integrations, installations, and technology.
âI am a strong proponent of automation that makes problem-solving easier for clinicians,â said Coons. âAS Software provides customized solutions for women’s health, general ultrasound, and vascular clinicians and empowers them with all the information they need to provide the best patient care possible.â
Schneck joined DocuWare, which provides cloud document management solutions and workflow automation software, as a founding partner in 1990. Schneck scaled DocuWare to become a global market leader with a presence in 60+ countries. Schneck has deep leadership experience in building and scaling document management software and was instrumental in making previously niche paperless solutions accessible to organizations in mainstream healthcare markets. His comprehensive understanding of go-to-market strategies and ability to create a global footprint with differentiated technology aligns with AS Softwareâs long-term vision to innovate and expand globally.
âAS Software has a strong product solely focused on improving the efficient workflow and reporting for maternal-fetal medicine specialists (MFMs), sonographers and other clinicians. There’s a robust global market for the solutions AS Software offersâ, says Schneck. âBy executing on AS Software’s strategy, the company can bring value to hospitals of all sizes and become the standard for structured reporting.â
AS Software CEO David Lintz recently spoke of the value Coons and Schneck bring to AS Software. âBoth Mr. Coonsâ and Mr. Schneckâs hands-on approach and emphasis on strategic operations and product value will help us naturally grow while we focus on delivering the right tool for clinicians,” said Lintz. âBoth have successfully built and deployed cloud solutions and their leadership experience and backgrounds are an invaluable addition to the board.â
Read the release on PR Newswire.
About AS Software
Founded in 1991 and based in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, with offices in Overland Park, KS, AS Software offers a suite of structured ultrasound reporting and image management solutions tailored for Womenâs Health, Radiology, and Vascular specialties. AS Softwareâs integrated and vendor-neutral technology allows practices and hospitals of all sizes to capture, review, and retain comprehensive patient ultrasound data seamlessly and efficiently. AS Software is deployed in over 35% of U.S. hospitals and leveraged by over 8,000 clinical users. For more information, visit as-software.com.
About AEA Growth
AEA Growth provides technology-enabled, healthcare and software companies with flexible capital and operational resources to accelerate growth. AEA Growth is part of AEA Investors LP, which was founded in 1968 by the Rockefeller, Mellon, and Harriman family interests and S.G. Warburg & Co. as a private investment vehicle for a select group of industrial family offices with substantial assets. AEA has an extraordinary global network built over many years which includes leading industrial families, business executives and leaders. Today, AEAâs approximately 110 investment professionals operate globally with offices in New York, Stamford, San Francisco, London, Munich, and Shanghai. The firm manages funds that have approximately $18 billion of invested and committed capital, including the leveraged buyouts of middle market companies and small business companies, growth capital, and mezzanine and senior debt investments. For more information, visit aeagrowth.com.
AS Software Media Contact:
Stephanie Gunter – VP, Marketing
417.772.2612
The future of ultrasound reporting and image management is in the cloud. Find out more about our innovative cloud solution for more streamlined workflows, with:
Learn about our UltraInnovative cloud solution, built for clinicians by clinicians
If you didn’t have a chance to meet with us to learn about our innovative cloud solution, please schedule a demo with our team to find out how we can help you transform your ultrasound workflows.
Nasrin Benion
Jeanne Sottile
Derek DellaVecchia
Location: Signia by Hilton Bonnet Creek
14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Ln, Orlando, FL
Dates: March 25 – 29, 2023
When I purchased my first personal computer, the only way to obtain software was to drive to a big box store and pick it up, like a bag of chips. But unlike a bag of chips, the package wasnât immediately useful. Instead, you had to make sure it would run on your machine first and then install it â sometimes, the install wouldnât work.
This painful method of distributing software via physical media was frustrating for software producers and users.
Soon we could download and update the software. Before long, the software was handling this for us. Software companies also began offering solutions that didnât need to be installed, only accessed.
âCloudâ or Software as a Service (SaaS) applications offer significant advantages for consumers. These consumer benefits are amplified in enterprise software, which costs more and requires more expertise and infrastructure to run.
Delivery of the application via a browser, which is nearly universally available by default on all computers, means nothing must be installed to begin getting value from the software. It reduces the need for powerful local machines and prevents any potential loss of data.
Before cloud technology, enterprises had no choice but to build out large data centers and find, hire, and retain experts for costly servers, networking, databases, and security. Teams were asked to run and manage many critical business systems without being experts in those systems.
Cloud-based solutions offload this complexity and enable enterprises to focus on utilizing their solution. Each cloud solution adopted reduces the number of systems that overloaded IT teams need to support.
Cloud providers can react to customer feedback at a pace no solution delivered in another fashion can match. All great companies listen to their customers and incorporate their feedback, but every software producer is constrained by the pace their customer base can receive updates.
For example, if it takes a customer a month to roll out a minor update, and two to six months for a major update, how many updates can a software producer realistically expect a customer to take in a year? One? One every other year? If each customer needs to engage their IT team, spin up a project, get resources assigned, and execute the upgrade, those might even be conservative estimates.
Ultimately, the fundamental promise of cloud products is to enable customers to toggle on and configure new features as they become available, allowing customers and software companies to engage in a much tighter feedback loop.
Given that cloud solutions can reduce implementation time and complexity while enabling a tighter product feedback loop, it is no wonder why there has been a strong movement to adopt cloud technologies across all industries.
In healthcare specifically, the benefits of cloud technology will continue to help increase efficiency and quality of care while lowering IT burdens as more organizations migrate to cloud technologies.  Â
To learn more about the benefits of cloud healthcare technology solutions for your organization, schedule a demo.
Intermountain Health is a not-for-profit system of 33 hospitals and 385 clinics delivering best-in-quality care. Dr. T. Flint Porter is the Director of Intermountain Healthâs Maternal-Fetal Medicine Division. As Intermountain Health looked to unify their MFM operations under the direction of Dr. Porter, they uncovered that many challenges were caused by outdated technology. A more connected ultrasound reporting system was needed to serve the needs of a growing, modern MFM division.
Frequent reporting crashes caused by an outdated ultrasound reporting system were creating challenges at Intermountain Health, including missed billings and workflow interruptions.
The ultrasound reporting application that was included with their machine hardware was unreliable. Some offices even had to begin keeping paper copies of reports and images, costing them too much time and threatening the accuracy of data.
The team needed a trusted solution that would adapt to their workflow and create consistency.
With the implementation of AS Software ultrasound reporting and image management, Intermountain Health was able to create automated, seamless workflows.
By customizing macros, AS Software was able to meet the unique needs and ever-changing guidelines of their MFM division. Billing processes were streamlined with automated coding directly from AS into the Oracle Cerner EHR, eliminating the need for manual data entry.
âI canât emphasize what a big deal the billing is to me. It makes me more efficient. I have a better lifestyle because Iâm not charting until 7 p.m. AS is more efficient, the images are included. Before, we had the reporting system and the PACS system separate.â
Dr. T. Flint Porter
Director, Maternal-Fetal Medicine Division
Intermountain Health
Additionally, recommendations were standardized within AS, ensuring consistency in patient care and preventing confusion among referring providers.
Without the need to toggle between separate systems and complete manual tasks, the Intermountain Health sonographers and physicians can focus on patient care and ensure they are capturing and extracting accurate data.
Now the MFM division has greater peace-of-mind knowing the AS Software system remains up-to-date, stable, and aligned with evolving best practices in the MFM field.
To explore how ultrasound reporting automation can drive revenue and streamline your clinical process, schedule a demo.
January is National Birth Defects Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness for birth defects and their impact on the health and well-being of families, individuals, and parents.
Nearly 120,000 babies are affected by birth defects each year, which can occur during any stage of pregnancy. Birth defects are also a leading cause of infant mortality in the U.S., accounting for 1 in 5 infant deaths, and in the U.S. each year, the total hospital costs of children with birth defects exceed $2.6 billion. (CDC.gov)
Screening and diagnostic ultrasounds are an important part of prenatal care, helping to provide diagnosis that allows families to make decisions and plan for the future.
Download and view an infographic on ultrasounds and National Birth Defects Awareness Month and view more resources below.
Data and Statistics on Birth Defects
Educational and Other Resources for Sharing
Birth Defects and Infant Disorders Resources
Awareness of Birth Defects Across the Lifespan
Learn more at www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects
