SAM #36C24426Q0622

VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System Teleradiology Staffing Services

The Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking teleradiology staffing services for the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System to address physician shortages in Radiology Services. - Government Buyer: - Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contract Office 4, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System - Services Requested: - Professional teleradiology staffing services - 24/7 offsite radiology interpretation by board-certified radiologists - Preliminary and final interpretation of imaging exams (routine and STAT) - Immediate communication of critical results - Secure transmission of images and reports - Training, maintenance, and quality assurance - System Compatibility Requirements: - Must be compatible with VA imaging systems: VISTA Imaging, Powerscribe, and Philips ISite Radiology - Notable Requirements: - Contractor must be a U.S.-based corporation - Radiologists must have specific credentials and malpractice insurance - Compliance with HIPAA, VA security standards, and Joint Commission accreditation - Minimum 99% uptime for services - Contractor responsible for all personnel, technical support, equipment, telecommunication, supplies, and supervision - No specific OEMs or vendors are named, but compatibility with VA's imaging systems is required

Description

Department of Veterans Affairs VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. Teleradiology Services-VAPHS Pittsburgh Imaging PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS) The contractor agrees to provide the Pittsburgh Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), the services and prices specified in the Section entitled Schedule of Supplies/Services of this contract. GENERAL The Pittsburgh Department of Veterans Affairs has the requirement to provide Veterans within the service area with Radiology Services. BACKGROUND Physician personnel shortages in the Radiology Services of the Pittsburgh VAMC have created a significant need to provide preliminary and final radiology interpretation for exams performed on off tours and in some cases for exams performed during routine tours to cover leave and staff vacancies. The use of Radiology Services outsourcing should provide a highly cost-effective and expeditious alternative to meet an ongoing need within the VA. The Pittsburgh VAMC uses an electronic image management and distribution system called VISTA Imaging. In conjunction with Vista Imaging, the facility uses Powerscribe and ISite radiology to complete Imaging Dictations. WORK STATEMENT Contractor shall provide professional teleradiology services for radiology examinations performed at the Pittsburgh VAMC. Contract services will include off-campus film interpretation via network connection to the VA informatics system. Interpretation will include immediate communication of results both when an interpretation is requested STAT or with a critical emergent test result. Contractor must be a U.S. based corporation capable of final interpretation and reporting services via the Contractor's secure Teleradiology network. Interpretation services will be conducted by board certified Radiologists. Contractors shall provide all professional personnel and technical support, medical and other equipment, telecommunication, supplies, and supervision necessary to perform, implement and administer these teleradiology services to meet the specific medical needs of the Pittsburgh VAMC. The Contractor is responsible for all Contractor personnel, Subcontractors, agents, and anyone acting for or on behalf of the Contractor. All services SHALL be performed within the territorial borders of the United States. I. Teleradiology Services The Contractor shall be responsible for management of all aspects of the contract, and this includes the following: Electronically distribute appropriate studies to board certified Radiologists for primary diagnosis. Provide professional radiology services, offsite from Pittsburgh VAMC. The most frequent regular usage of teleradiology services will be Monday-Thursday 8pm-8:00 am, and Friday 8pm through Monday 8:00 am, but 24-hour coverage is expected. Some interpretations will be requested STAT and others routine. Imaging procedures will include plain film cases, US cases, CT cases, CTA cases, and MRI cases. Provide configuration of the physical, operational, and procedural environment within the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center facilities radiology department and installation for the system to include broadband connectivity and assist VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) facility in site preparation and support during transition. The images will be sent by VA's Teleradiology System (ISite Radiology) to the Business Partner through a VA approved Business Partner Gateway (BPG). Radiologists shall be available for telephone consultation regarding examinations and provide recommendations for appropriate procedures to referring clinicians. VA Technologists performing procedures to be interpreted may consult the Radiologist/contractor with questions regarding protocol of exams, possible contrast allergy questions or for direction regarding abnormal laboratory values, or questions regarding premedication. Relevant prior studies will be made available to the teleradiologist. Interpretations must compare current and prior studies. Radiologists will have access to CPRS, or to a health summary or be able to contact the ordering physician to obtain clinical information such as history, progress notes, medications, and laboratory values, as well as reports of prior radiologic examinations. The Radiologist providing the preliminary interpretation shall also perform the final interpretation and communicate any change in that interpretation to the referring or treating clinician and the practitioner contacted, date and time of this communication must be documented in the final report. If the study is technically limited or incomplete, and cannot be interpreted with certainty, the teleradiologist shall notify the referring clinician so that the study may be repeated. If this is not feasible, cannot be done immediately, or is not likely to be productive, the study must be reported, and the technical limitations of the interpretation described in the report. Documentation. All film interpretations will either meet or exceed established standards of timeliness, accuracy, content, and signature. Only VAPHS approved abbreviations will be used for documentation of the patient health record. Routine interpretations: Completed and verified reports for routine studies are available in CPRS/Vista Imaging Information System within 48 hours of exam registration. STAT interpretations: Provide preliminary report by fax to referring clinicians within 45 minutes of the teleradiologist receiving the request for interpretation. If the exam is a critical/emergent rest result, results also must be communicated by telephone to the referring physician. Final report will be verified within 48 hours of exam registration and available in CPRS/VISTA Imaging Information System. Each report (routine and stat interpretations) shall identify the films reviewed, objective findings, the Radiologist's impression of the patient's condition, and recommendation for treatment. Any incomplete report will be dedicated, transcribed, and verified within 24 hours of notification at no additional cost to Pittsburgh VAMC. Additional requirements apply if any exam demonstrates a critical/emergent test result, as defined in a Medical Center Memorandum, as excerpted, and listed as diagnoses #1 - #8 re-listed below in this SOW under 1(a) (4). Reporting Imaging Test Results/Critical Results: In the case of a critical finding, results must also be communicated by telephone to the referring physician or a licensed clinician who can address the critical finding. This communication must be documented in the report and includes the name of the clinician receiving the report, date, and time communicated. All reports are to be in accordance with American College of Radiology (ACR) standards. Interpretations must include the following information: patient's full name, SSN, date of birth, reason for study, exam case number (accession number), date of study, date of interpretation, requesting physician, description of the exam, (body of the report), impression, name of interpreter and signature of Radiologist providing interpretation. The report shall list pertinent positive and negative findings. Preliminary reports are to be provided by fax to referring clinicians within 45 minutes of receipt of exam. If the exam is a critical/emergency test result, the report also must be communicated by phone to the referring physician. Preliminary written reports must be kept until the final report is verified and until they are no longer needed for quality assurance and peer review purposes. Preliminary reports need not be entered in the medical record, however, any significant discrepancies between the preliminary and final report must be documented in the final report and the treating team notified with date and time of notification in the final report. Final written reports shall be transcribed and verified by the teleradiologist (electronically signed) within 48 hours of exam registration. The facility or Contractor providing teleradiology interpretation may temporarily store copies of reports and images but must delete or destroy all copies after the contract has expired, excepting records required for billing and reimbursement purposes.

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