SIR data registry

FAQs

BENEFITS

Why is VIRTEX critically important for the interventional radiology specialty? To date, the IR specialty lacks a robust clinical data registry that other specialties have. VIRTEX will change this—and provide interventional radiologists with the depth of evidence needed to demonstrate the capabilities and potential of IR. VIRTEX will be a hub of knowledge that will help advance the standing of IR among medical specialties and show that IR therapies can be first-line solutions that are often less invasive and more efficient than traditional approaches while delivering equivalent or better outcomes.

There are other data sources available now that provide helpful information for IR. What makes VIRTEX superior? While other data repositories exist today, these generally are focused on areas that address IR tangentially; none are intended to meet the needs of interventional radiologists exclusively. VIRTEX is designed from the ground up to accommodate the full scope of knowledge that will help IR. And as more interventional radiologists participate in the registry, the depth of data—and value of the registry—will grow as well, accelerating the visibility and capabilities of the specialty.

How will private practices benefit from VIRTEX? The registry will be a powerful asset for private practice sites to advance their effectiveness and efficiencies in a wide range of ways. These include the capability to 1) better define quality standards, 2) enhance service quality, 3) improve practice performance, and 4) achieve better patient outcomes. In addition, the registry will facilitate the sharing of best practices and innovative ideas that can help support research and product development.

How will academic IR environments benefit from VIRTEX? As academic hospitals stand at the forefront of advancing the understanding and development of new therapies and approaches, the registry will be a gold mine of data and information to advance clinical research and establish national quality and performance benchmarks. Furthermore, academic sites will be further empowered by the registry to solidify their thought leadership, expand education, and drive public support for IR.

Will the registry help improve reimbursements? Yes! By establishing a critical mass of data for the specialty in one central location, VIRTEX will provide the proof points and confidence that insurers need to extend coverage for a wide range of IR procedures. Private practice sites and labs will be able to see better reimbursement rates, and the registry will also help facilitate coverage approval with CMS, especially for new and emerging IR procedures.

How will VIRTEX help IR suppliers/partners advance the specialty? Enterprises and organizations that support the practice of interventional radiology will be able to use the registry to see how their products and services perform in the real world, and access research that can build the foundation for future development. With greater recognition and understanding of opportunities to improve their value to IR, these partners can play an important role in strengthening the specialty’s capabilities and potential.

I don’t have time to unravel complex data. Will VIRTEX help me interpret and apply data in ways that directly impact my practice’s performance? You won’t have to sift through raw data to extract meaningful information. The registry has powerful tools that provide users with data that is based on an understanding of their patient population. Risk adjustments can be applied so that fair comparisons are made to understand potential areas of improvement and opportunities. In addition, VIRTEX can help users understand their data as granularly as possible. If a user sees something of curiosity, or instances where their data differs from similar sites, they can drill down into that data more specifically for answers.

How will VIRTEX support the long-term impact of IR therapies?

In addition to providing valuable data to support research and technological advancements for IR, the registry will help interventional radiologists more clearly see the value of their treatment after a patient has left their care. VIRTEX will automatically trigger surveys to patients who have undergone IR procedures and gather data that will inform the development of future IR therapies, tools, and processes and ultimately help enhance patient outcomes.

REGISTRATION

When will VIRTEX be available and how do I get started? VIRTEX is scheduled to be rolled out in fall 2020—the exact date will be announced soon. When it is available, email us at sirregistry@sirweb.org and we will help you get registered. In the meantime, we will be happy to answer any questions about VIRTEX; please contact us at the same email address or visit sirweb.org/virtex.

How much will it cost to participate in the registry? Pricing is simple—we have a one-time integration fee of $750 per site and an annual subscription rate of $125. These assume a few basic requirements; however, you’ll see that the value your site realizes from the registry will be well worth the minimal participation cost.

SYSTEM INTEGRATION

How will I share and/or access data with VIRTEX? Will this process fit into our workflow?

Using the registry will require minimal technical knowledge. The registry platform does not require installation of any hardware or software—all you’ll need is an internet connection and a web browser. Furthermore, data intake from your site to the registry is completely automated. You can set the parameters and scheduling for your data uploads to your convenience so there will be little to no impact on administrative processes or practice workflow.

Will there be training or technical support available for the registry? The registry is developed by ArborMetrix, a highly respected provider of clinical registry platforms. While the VIRTEX user experience is designed to be intuitive and user friendly, a variety of training and onboarding resources, such as video walkthroughs and user guides, will be available to familiarize you with the registry’s features and capabilities.

What systems are compatible with VIRTEX?

VIRTEX will easily integrate with widely used systems and trusted resources commonly found in sites everywhere. These include:

HI-IQ
Nuance PowerScribe
Electronic health records
Radiology Information System (RIS) and Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS)

Will the data be secure? Nothing is more important to us than the security and integrity of the data residing within the registry. Accordingly, the platform uses the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) to protect hosted data as well as encryption protocols, such as HTTPS and SFTP, to transfer data between users and ArborMetrix. Furthermore, ArborMetrix does not outsource any functions that involve access to protected health information or other sensitive data.

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