FAQ

  1. How do we get started?
    Our website should address most of your questions but we are happy to personally discuss our services. Please feel free to call us at 713.349.0248. When you are ready to initiate the process, please fill in the NightRays site survey and email it to us. If you have any questions regarding this document, please call 800-213-5885 and our trained technologist will help you fill in the form.

  2. What is the quality of your radiologists?
    All are ACR board certified MD’s and fellowship trained. We do not knowingly accept radiologists who have been dismissed from any hospital, insurance arrangement, or medical staff or have had to surrender licenses or privileges, or have been disciplined by any medical organization. We choose radiologists who are hardworking, courteous, helpful, efficient, patient, and skilled.

  3. Is your system secure and HIPAA compliant?
    NightRays and your department configure a secure VPN tunnel between our facilities.

    Our central facility houses our 5 server system and operates a fault tolerant Fiber Optic network operations center with redundant power & internet connections with Qwest, Time Warner, & Crescent Broadband (Level 3). Our server location is secured by alarm and camera surveillance. All server cabinets are under constant lock and key. We have redundant power circuits and backup generators to ensure 99.99% uptime.

    You interface with our secure, encrypted VPN solution which is a Cisco PIX 515E Security Appliance with integrated hardware VPN acceleration with up to 140 Mbps of Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES) VPN throughput and 140 Mbps of Advanced Encryption Standard-256 (AES) VPN throughput.

  4. Will your radiologists abide by the bylaws of our hospital for which they are granted privileges?
    Yes. We obtain medical staff privileges for each site we cover.

  5. Are your radiologists and company fully insured in all states for which they interpret studies?
    Yes. These details will be discussed upon contract completion.

  6. How long does it take to get NightRays services started?
    After the contract is signed, the longest process is getting credentialing at your hospital. This can take as little as 1 week or up to 5 months depending on your organization. The technical component is also variable depending on what equipment you need. Remaining issues are negligible.

  7. May we pay a discounted hourly rate instead of per case charge?
    Yes. After one month of full service, we will evaluate your department for discounted hourly billing. Hourly charging requires a minimum average of at least 1 cases/hour over the shift and is dependant on what hours are covered. This rate is open to reevaluation if your volumes significantly change.

  8. May some of our radiologists take any of their own or other radiologists’ call?
    Yes. We ask that we provide full service for at least the first month, however as detailed in the above response. After this time, simply inform us at the beginning of the shift what hours you would like us to cover.

  9. How do we pay for services?
    Your monthly statement will include a summary of activity. We prefer autodebit from a corporate checking account to avoid delays in payment but net-30 will be acceptable. Payment for setup/initiation of services shall be at the time of delivery.

  10. Can we send a comparison study?
    Yes, but we ask that it is sent at the same time as the current study if no additional charge is to be added. If a comparison study is located by the facility later in the shift and sent to NightRays, the charge shall be for one additional study.

  11. What happens if there is a discrepancy between the NightRays preliminary report and the final interpretation from the radiologist reading the study the next day?
    Our radiologists are conscientious and strive to produce accurate reports every time, but discrepancies will happen and we recognize this can produce significant angst for all involved. We pledge to uphold the high standards of your department when we assume responsibility for your services. To this end, if the ordering clinician and/or final interpreting radiologist perceive a minor or major discrepancy or even would simply like to provide a helpful tip, we request that a note be made on the NightRays Tracker    SM and the study is scored for accuracy. We will personally review the case with all of our radiologists in our NightRays M&M session to avoid recurrence. Full statistics regarding our accuracy and efficiency are available to your department.

  12. We already have an after hours radiology service, but are dissatisfied. How hard is it to switch over to NightRays?
    Assuming you are unable to resolve your issues with your current service, we humbly ask that we address these issues initially with NightRays so that we do not repeat history. If we agree that these issues will not be a feature of NightRays service, then switch over is usually simple since most of the technical components of teleradiology are probably already in place. Again credentialing is the longest process.

  13. How do our radiologists and clinicians view our images and your linked preliminary reports online?
    NightRays engineers issue usernames and passwords to your technologists, clinicians, and radiologists.

  14. Is it true that NightRays can archive ALL of our studies and provide full PACS?
    Yes. NightRaysPlus is a service supported by our sister company, ROCOVIEW. This service allows you to save your studies on our permanent, HIPAA compliant digital redundant archive for ALL of your digital studies and, following setup at your facility, the additional ability to lease full PACS. You simply pay a flat fee per case depending on the level of service you require. This is especially financially beneficial to small to midsized departments that have operating capital for film printing but not significant capital for the purchase of a permanent archive or PACS system. You can convert this seamlessly to the purchase of full PACS when you are ready.

  15. How do we get setup with NightRaysPlus?
    Please visit our NightRaysPlus page for details. Leasing discounts are provided for departments that maintain NightRays contracts. Please fill out the NightRays site survey and we will begin the process.

  16. Are there front end costs of NightRaysPlus services?
    Most of these costs are included in the initial setup of NightRays services but additional costs may include configuration of your DICOM modalities, licensing and purchasing of diagnostic workstations and optional voice recognition integration, and installation/training.

  17. We have suggestions for improvement or expansion of your services. How do we contact you?
    We are always interested in ways to serve you better. Please do not hesitate to call or email us. (see contact page) Email is preferred as this provides a written record of your suggestions but feel free to call us anytime.