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Cimar Ltd

CIMAR Cloud Diagnostic Image Management and Vendor Neutral Archive (VNA)

A Single Source of Medical Imaging Data with CIMAR's cloud VNA. Images can be archived, transferred, viewed, and connected. Non-DICOM imaging can be stored side-by-side with DICOM providing a holistic view. CIMAR provides elastic storage - no need to purchase space in advance or be concerned about high-watermark budgeting.

Features

  • VNA - Centrally accessible and searchable vendor agnostic storage
  • Disaster Recovery - long-term storage for business continuity assurance
  • PHI Normalisation - Standardise patient identifiers across all data
  • Remote Access/diagnostic viewer – Log-in from any connected device
  • Legacy archive data migration - Vendor neutral long term storage
  • 3rd Party Integrations - Integrate with EMR, RIS, Portals
  • Image Ingestion - Improve normalising incoming exams processes
  • Image Sharing – Secure real-time image sharing to anyone, anywhere
  • Image Routing - Gateway technology used to auto-route imaging
  • Automation - workflows automate activities around PHI normalisation sharing, etc

Benefits

  • Reduce On-Premise data storage and IT costs
  • Low-cost Vendor Neutral Archive
  • Low-cost disaster recovery
  • Borderless image sharing and transfer to anyone, anywhere
  • Elastic, Scalable Storage
  • Serve multiple clinical specialities
  • Image Enable Patient portals and Electronic Medical Records
  • CD Elimination [Patient Portal]
  • Cloud based deployment for AI vendors plus support
  • Professional services and consultancy support

Pricing

£0.75 to £5.00 a transaction

  • Education pricing available
  • Free trial available

Service documents

Request an accessible format
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at d.wait@cimar.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

2 8 7 5 5 9 4 1 7 4 5 5 2 5 4

Contact

Cimar Ltd Mr Dennis Wait
Telephone: 07771824829
Email: d.wait@cimar.co.uk

Service scope

Service constraints
Minimal scheduled downtime for software updates and planned maintenance; scheduled during early morning hours to minimise disruption during core working hours.
System requirements
  • OptiPlex 7060 Micro Core i7-8700T 6Core 12Thread 16GBRAM 256GBM.2SSD
  • Internet Connection: Wifi, Broadband or 4G, 5G
  • Internet-connected device - PC, MAC, Laptop, Tablet, Phone (IOS, Android)
  • User devices maintained with anti-virus and local security policies
  • Internet Browser supporting HTML5 (see supported list)
  • Cloud automated connectivity (optional): CIMAR Gateway (DICOM or HL7 Broker)
  • Gateway Host VM(Windows) / Appliance (Windows or MacOS)
  • No VPN or custom config required
  • (Minimum bandwidth requirements dependant on workflow. Contact for advice)

User support

Email or online ticketing support
Email or online ticketing
Support response times
Support queries are vetted and triaged. Urgent requests will be answered within 2 hours during office hours [08:00-18:00] with on-call support out of hours.
Weekends are supported through on-call.
User can manage status and priority of support tickets
No
Phone support
Yes
Phone support availability
9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
Web chat support
No
Onsite support
Yes, at extra cost
Support levels
Standard support: Levels 1-3 are provided as per our standard contract. All accounts are assigned a primary application specialist (technical account manager) who will monitor and support the account. Cloud support engineers oversee all accounts where required.
Enterprise support for high volume organisations is agreed on a per contract basis.
Support available to third parties
Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

Getting started
CIMAR provides an extensive library of on-line user support material (self-guided), and provide 'train-the-trainer' knowledge transfer as required. Additional training services can be provided upon request, including online web-event tutorials by arrangement.

CIMAR also assists in providing custom support material for our clients that can be accessed by all users via our client's intranet, or log in to CIMAR's service.
Service documentation
Yes
Documentation formats
  • HTML
  • PDF
End-of-contract data extraction
Data can be extracted or migrated at any time from CIMAR via CIMAR's Gateway - directly to any DICOM node or suitable receiving system.
Large volumes are best migrated by arrangement with CIMAR, where a cost for such migration will be quoted, dependent on volumes, and our clients' requirement complexity. e.g. to physical drive/NAS/SAN, or if we are required to transcode data to specific syntaxes for import into other systems. Numerous variables can apply, and CIMAR is always committed to making the migration as painless as possible for our clients.
End-of-contract process
Since CIMAR is entirely Vendor Neutral, we are able to export/migrate data we host - in formats our clients require - that match other DICOM 3.0 compliant systems.
Depending on the workflow CIMAR has been used for, we agree with our clients what data migration needs should be accommodated.
In some workflow scenarios, CIMAR holds only copy images, and their retention may not be required. In other workflows, we are the core archive - in which case all images will most likely require migration to another system.
Users continue to use CIMAR as normal throughout the termination period, whilst planning and execution of the transitional process between systems of their choice occurs.

Using the service

Web browser interface
Yes
Using the web interface
Viewing medical imaging studies, sharing studies, downloading workflow management, security, roles and permissions and full administration of the platform is accessed via the zero-footprint CIMAR user interface.

CIMAR's services are all accessible via 3rd party applications via API, including Electronic Health Records, Radiology Information Systems and any other applicable applications.
Web interface accessibility standard
None or don’t know
How the web interface is accessible
CIMAR's UI is accessed via the zero-footprint, browser-based user interface. The interface is 'white labelled' using client logos, terminology, colours, language, workflows, and vanity URL.

Accessibility is subject to normal requirements for use of a web interface, keyboard and mouse as well as navigation skills and requirements. VR (voice recognition) functionality is available within the platform, this is for reporting functions and not for navigating the platform.
Web interface accessibility testing
Testing is performed within the constraints of the intended use of the software with UAT across the user base.
API
Yes
What users can and can't do using the API
CIMAR provides a complete RESTful API, featuring all functionality as embeddable components. This ranges from a raft of image harvesting, manipulation, transcoding, and viewing functionality, to web diagnostic reporting, voice recognition (VR) support, and RESTful cloud archiving and recall.

All API integration is via JSON and web-hooks. Integration can be done via synchronised encrypted hyperlink exchange or as native JSON calls between platforms. CIMAR supports AD and SSO via Ping identity services.

Embedded imaging functionality can be achieved in as little as a few hours, or complete integration at a granular level typically takes a few weeks development.

CIMAR can also be embedded using simple hyperlinks to CIMAR hosted image harvesting and dynamic viewing services - including a complete, customisable Second Opinion Portal. All User Interface presentation can be customised and honed to match applications into which CIMAR is embedded.
API automation tools
OpenStack
API documentation
Yes
API documentation formats
  • Open API (also known as Swagger)
  • HTML
  • PDF
Command line interface
Yes
Command line interface compatibility
  • Linux or Unix
  • Windows
  • MacOS
Using the command line interface
CIMAR's service interface can be extensively customised.

Scaling

Scaling available
Yes
Scaling type
Automatic
Independence of resources
Our host platform is hosted with AWS and is built on a dynamically expandable architecture where load balancing manages system performance and on-demand resource availability. All of our data is stored using S3 and RDS. Storage is elastically expandable, as is application and database layer infrastructure running as a virtual environment. Both the client facing architecture and the storage is set up to provide High Availability through redundancy and intelligent load balancing.
Usage notifications
Yes
Usage reporting
Email

Analytics

Infrastructure or application metrics
Yes
Metrics types
  • Disk
  • HTTP request and response status
  • Network
  • Number of active instances
Reporting types
  • API access
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Regular reports
  • Reports on request

Resellers

Supplier type
Reseller providing extra features and support
Organisation whose services are being resold
Intelerad Medical Systems

Staff security

Staff security clearance
Other security clearance
Government security clearance
Up to Security Clearance (SC)

Asset protection

Knowledge of data storage and processing locations
Yes
Data storage and processing locations
United Kingdom
User control over data storage and processing locations
Yes
Datacentre security standards
Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 3.0)
Penetration testing frequency
At least once a year
Penetration testing approach
‘IT Health Check’ performed by a Tigerscheme qualified provider or a CREST-approved service provider
Protecting data at rest
  • Physical access control, complying with CSA CCM v3.0
  • Physical access control, complying with SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
  • Physical access control, complying with another standard
  • Encryption of all physical media
  • Scale, obfuscating techniques, or data storage sharding
Data sanitisation process
Yes
Data sanitisation type
  • Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation
  • Deleted data can’t be directly accessed
Equipment disposal approach
Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v.30, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001

Backup and recovery

Backup and recovery
Yes
What’s backed up
  • Compute services (all web and application services)
  • Data base storage (PHR / PHI and user data)
  • Object storage (images and reports)
Backup controls
CIMAR platform is cloud based and set up to handle all backups automatically per industry best practices and for disaster recovery.
In line with GDPR, users can request for specific data to be deleted.
Users can request bespoke backup services on request.
Datacentre setup
Multiple datacentres with disaster recovery
Scheduling backups
Supplier controls the whole backup schedule
Backup recovery
Users contact the support team

Data-in-transit protection

Data protection between buyer and supplier networks
  • Private network or public sector network
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • Legacy SSL and TLS (under version 1.2)
Data protection within supplier network
TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Availability and resilience

Guaranteed availability
Service Level (System Level Uptime) is determined as a percentage of time in a month that the system is available and functioning properly as defined below. Additionally, any downtime caused by the Subscriber environment as recurring maintenance windows, scheduled downtime, and emergency updates are excluded from the system level uptime percentage calculation. Not considered downtime for any component of the CIMAR application. (i.e. Subscriber internet connection is down, a power outage at a Subscriber site, etc.)

System Component/Function Service Level (System Uptime): Application Suite and Gateway 99.8%

Regular maintenance windows are agreed upon as needed with our clients.
Approach to resilience
In summary, CIMAR's cloud is replicated across multiple data centres and meets the AWS best practice for cloud architecture and high availability. We leverage AWS S3 storage across multiple availability zones and physical data centres to ensure that all backups and primary data meet the 99.99999999999% AWS standard of resilience (the eleven 9s of durability).

Further information: CIMAR utilises the AWS infrastructure that is built around multiple data centres replicated between Availability Zones i.e. physical data centres across physically isolated Availability Zones that are connected with low latency, high throughput, and highly redundant networking. These Availability Zones offer an effective way to design and operate applications and databases. They are more highly available, fault-tolerant, and scalable than traditional single data centre infrastructures or traditional multi-datacenter infrastructures. Availability Zones are connected to each other with fast, private fibre-optic networking, enabling the ability to architect applications that automatically failover between Availability Zones without interruption.

Additional ways we've enhanced resiliency is through "principle of least privilege", versioning and delete protection.
Outage reporting
A public dashboard (status page) and email alerts.

Identity and authentication

User authentication
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Username or password
Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels
Customers have the option to raise a support request via HelpScout (online support and ticketing management tool), telephone or email. CIMAR authenticates the enquirers' identity by validating known phone numbers and asking them for specific characters within their pre-agreed memorable word. Application administrative access is only available to those users, that our clients permit. this is only application-level admin, and no deeper system access is possible. Such access is used to configure the client's own account settings, which are entirely separate from all system and infrastructural configuration settings.
Access restriction testing frequency
At least every 6 months
Management access authentication
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
Devices users manage the service through
Dedicated device over multiple services or networks

Audit information for users

Access to user activity audit information
Users have access to real-time audit information
How long user audit data is stored for
User-defined
Access to supplier activity audit information
Users contact the support team to get audit information
How long supplier audit data is stored for
User-defined
How long system logs are stored for
User-defined

Standards and certifications

ISO/IEC 27001 certification
Yes
Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001
QMS International
ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date
Original 05/04/2019 and Current 05/04/2023
What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover
Any functionality outside the scope of: THE PROVISION OF CLOUD-BASED MEDICAL DATA, SHARING AND STORAGE SERVICES
ISO 28000:2007 certification
No
CSA STAR certification
No
PCI certification
No
Cyber essentials
Yes
Cyber essentials plus
Yes
Other security certifications
Yes
Any other security certifications
  • ISO9001
  • FDA 21CFRPart11
  • The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”)
  • Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (NHS DTAC)
  • NHS DSP Toolkit [Exceeded]

Security governance

Named board-level person responsible for service security
Yes
Security governance certified
Yes
Security governance standards
ISO/IEC 27001
Information security policies and processes
We adhere to a formal, monitored and reported information and system security program. This is comprised of our own policy library as is reflected in our ISO 9001 accreditation and GDPR policy documentation. Policy documents include; hazard analysis, information security program, 3rd party integration policy, breach policy, incidence response policy, system access policy, disaster recovery and business continuity policy, privacy policy, encryption policies and additional systems specific monitoring and reporting policies. Our policies provide the structure for periodic and continued monitoring and reporting. Exceptions are reported upstream through management, with ultimate responsibility sitting with the CTO and CEO.

Operational security

Configuration and change management standard
Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
Configuration and change management approach
CIMAR uses the Github System for configuration management of source code. All application change development is managed on a siloed principle, before deployment to a complete UAT environment with full roll-back capability. A full assessment is comprised of tests for all known web application vulnerabilities using both automated and manual tools based on the OWASP test principles. Deployment to LIVE is only done once a new release version has been resilience tested, performance validated, security and stress tested.
Vulnerability management type
Supplier-defined controls
Vulnerability management approach
CIMAR has a documented vulnerability management policy and process with Intelerad, which have been implemented, maintained and assessed in accordance with the guidance from ITIL v.3. Where technically possible, real-time updates and status reports are identified and sourced from credible sources. For other systems and software, assigned Intelerad personnel have responsibility for regularly reviewing technical forums and specialist groups to promptly identify and evaluate any emerging patches or updates which require technical attention or preventative action.
Protective monitoring type
Supplier-defined controls
Protective monitoring approach
In accordance with best practice from the National Cyber Security Centre, and Cyber Essentials, CIMAR thoroughly protects its applications and systems at the hypervisor level and below. Our approach to protective monitoring includes realtime checks on malicious threats, Portscan attacks, evidence of unauthorised access to privileged accounts and anomalous occurrences that are not related to specific applications on the host, suspicious activities at a boundary, network connections and the status of backups, amongst others. All alerts are immediately notified to us for prompt investigation.
Incident management type
Supplier-defined controls
Incident management approach
Incident Management is managed through our own/Ambra policies which conform to the requirements of 21CFRPart11 and as detailed in our ISO9001 procedures. Our Incident and security monitoring policies define the chronological processes and remedial activities in the event of a detected threat that requires action above our systems automated threshold of control. Such action is reported through a predefined command/responsibility structure, and all such reports are recorded.

Secure development

Approach to secure software development best practice
Independent review of processes (for example CESG CPA Build Standard, ISO/IEC 27034, ISO/IEC 27001 or CSA CCM v3.0)

Separation between users

Virtualisation technology used to keep applications and users sharing the same infrastructure apart
Yes
Who implements virtualisation
Supplier
Virtualisation technologies used
Other
Other virtualisation technology used
TBC
How shared infrastructure is kept separate
N/A

Energy efficiency

Energy-efficient datacentres
Yes
Description of energy efficient datacentres
451 Research show that AWS’s infrastructure is 5 times more energy-efficient than the median surveyed. More than two-thirds of this advantage is attributable to the combination of a more energy-efficient server population and much higher server utilization.

Social Value

Social Value

Social Value

Fighting climate change

Fighting climate change

CIMAR utilises AWS cloud infrastructure and is helping the healthcare industry to migrate to more sustainable cloud solutions. AWS infrastructure is up to 5 times more energy efficient than typical European data centres.
In order to continue our progress to achieving Net Zero, we have adopted the following carbon reduction targets:
- CIMAR’s cloud is being migrated in stages (resulting in its entirety) to AWS London (a carbon neutral data centre – see here for
details).
We continue to implement further measures such as:
• Continued effort to resource electricity only from renewable energy providers.
• Reducing travel to a minimum, with Cloud-First and Web First approaches to software we use and meetings we conduct with suppliers and clients.

Pricing

Price
£0.75 to £5.00 a transaction
Discount for educational organisations
Yes
Free trial available
Yes
Description of free trial
Access to the trial (demo) account to test and assess functionality.
Time-limited access to a trial account.
Ability to upload unlimited own studies for the trial period, all studies will be anonymised on upload.

Service documents

Request an accessible format
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at d.wait@cimar.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.