Hallmarq’s PetVet MRI upgrade will improve user experience for both Specialists and RVNs

As makers of the only equine standing MRI and the only veterinary specific high field small animal MRI, PetVet, Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging has already broken new ground by developing MRI imaging equipment purely for veterinary use. Now the company has gone one step further with a software upgrade aimed at improving the user experience for both veterinary nurses and imaging specialists.

Dr Karen L. Johnston, VMD, MRCVS, PhD, MBA, Hallmarq’s Small Animal Global Business Development Director, explains that PetVet is designed to be operated by veterinary nurses, “Veterinary business owners told us that it was important to use the skills of the whole veterinary team to deliver high quality patient care. We responded by ensuring that the PetVet MRI was easy for veterinary nurses to use via drop down menus and in most veterinary practices and hospitals, it is the RVNs who are carrying out most of the routine scanning.”

For some patients, imaging specialists need to adjust specific sequences, which in the past often involved working with the support team of physicists at Hallmarq’s head office. The new upgrade now provides an option for specialists or clinicians to alter specific sequences directly from the control panel, giving this group of users greater flexibility.

Creating different levels of user privileges ensures that PetVet remains easy to operate on a day to day basis, while also offering specialists the ability to refine the approach to get the best diagnostic image when the case demands, giving them greater control over the process.

Karen says it’s all about listening to the end users, “Our focus is purely on what the veterinary profession needs and that’s often very distinct from the needs of the human medical community, where it’s not only the patients that are anatomically different but also other parameters such as job roles and financial considerations. The aim is to ensure that PetVet MRI not only produces high quality images but is also the best match in terms of flexibility and practicality.”

As with all routine software upgrades from Hallmarq, the new upgrade will be rolled out to all sites free of charge.