Radiation SafelyTM

The indispensable toolkit.

Features

Dosimetry Records Management

Historion assists the radiation safety officer in managing dosimetry data for the long term and in controlling exposure budgets across multiple provider record types and platforms. With Historion, individual radiation dose report files can be imported to locally hosted or cloud-based, secure databases.

Historion converts different dose report data from multiple, varying provider report sources and data structures to one standard, homogenous schema.

Historion provides for importing our novel dosimetry schema specification XML files. This allows subsequent, immediate recognition of dose reports from any new provider. New dose report types and products for existing providers can be added too. Based on schema specifications, dose readings are retained in a consistent, reliable dose field mapping architecture.

With Historion, unused, unreported, lost or over-ordered badge numbers can be identified and managed. Historion provides an early warning system for late badge notifications before they cost money.

Historion provides a simple cost accounting system, assisting in internal detection and monitoring of ongoing late wearer badge returns. Time usage and costing across categories of badge administration tasks can be recorded.

Integrated Reading Data Quality Control

Historion has a built-in, integrated dose reading data quality control system, still rare in most of today’s recordkeeping products. Historion scans for duplication, overlapping doses and auto-detects missing radiation exposure readings, based on auto-detection of gaps in dosimetry records.

Historion provides a recordkeeping account of missing exposure readings, where gap reasons can be assigned, causes analysed and gaps in dosimetry record followed up at wearer, centre, site and organisation levels.

Double-ups and overlaps in dose records are detected and resolved on import, based on configurable reading data quality settings. Historion uses a flag and isolate method of handling duplicated or overlapping readings.

Historion detects and allows isolation of incomplete provider records, missing data and invalid dose record content. The officer can void invalid readings for exclusion from dose history aggregates whilst still retaining provider recorded dose history.

Duplicated wearers can be detected and the full dosimetry history for two wearers merged. Incorrectly combined wearer records can be split into two unique sets allowing correction of historical dose record assignments, after wearers have changed names or come across from other providers.

Dose Readings Online Transfer

Transfer readings online from Landauer’s Historion Data Transfer Service. Automatically detect and add new wearers with the bulk transfer process. This feature is uniquely available to Landauer Australasia clients only.

Check for readings breaching regulatory thresholds and custom set limits for individual doses or aggregates across standard or custom time periods during the online transfer process.

Store exposure reports in original format and as transacted data readings. Examine provider-indicated dose exceptions and provider notifications code for identified indications.

Reclassify and annotate designated readings with manually assigned dose applications and file notes after the transfer process.

Custom Notifications, Exposure Alerts

Historion has a custom notifications feature. Custom notifications are like parameter-based macros and are predefined, to execute as dose readings are imported into Historion either through manual or bulk importing, or via online transfer.

Custom notifications auto-interrogate incoming data for the presence of data of concern, in the immediate, incoming data, as identified in the definition of the custom notification. They trigger SMTP email-based alerts, to predetermined recipients included in the definition of the custom notification.

Exposure Alerts are a similar concept to Custom Notifications, but with this feature Historion allows the RSO to execute a sophisticated examination of exposure, including aggregation of exposure outcomes, for readings already imported. Exposure alerts can be executed at any stage. They can be set to execute immediately after new doses are imported, allowing automatic re-examination of aggregate exposure for the year to date.

With the combination of well-set custom notifications and exposure alerts, the radiation safety officer has the luxury of their own automated monitoring of both regulatory and other customised notification scenarios.

Exposure alerts are defined under four grades of severity; as Regulatory (highest), Radiation Safety Officer and Committee, Activity and Occupation based, and Normal (expected dose outcomes).

Setting custom alert levels for exposure reporting by centre and occupation beneath regulatory levels increases the likelihood of detection of problem aggregate exposure levels before they happen. This supports minimisation of exposure using lower thresholds and the ALARA principle.

Historion’s exposure alerts feature provides for auditing and follow up of the detected alert. Radiation safety officers can select multiple values from customisable lists of causal factors and follow up actions, and can then annotate alerts with file notes and more detailed qualitative analysis fields.

External attachments such as investigation reports, audit recommendations and regulatory guidance can be imported in association with any specific alert outcome.

Pregnant Wearer Monitoring Records

Historion includes features for tracking and reporting radiation exposure monitoring outcomes specifically for occupationally-exposed women who are pregnant and not yet on maternity leave.

Many organisations can prove absolute due diligence and care when they ensure the physical radiation protection of pregnant women. However, in many cases the proof and recordkeeping details surrounding the dates and times of monitoring and dosimetry results are not optimally organised or easily obtained.

This includes information surrounding when the organisation was first aware of the pregnancy, and whether formal notification was given to the organisation.

In support of the recordkeeping associated with these monitoring requirements, Historion provides a formal pregnancy notification record feature that allows external attachments, such as pregnancy declaration forms, and any other applicable attachments to be associated with the pregnancy notification.

When activated in Historion, the pregnancy notification record includes an alert start and end date for a pregnancy alerting timeframe, as soon as the new notification record is saved.

Historion’s pregnancy notification and alert feature allows pregnancy exposure alerts to be implemented, and requires all incoming exposure readings during the pregnancy alert timeframe be acknowledged.

Pregnancy-flagged dosimetry records can be separately searched and reported on in Historion by wearer pregnancy status in the context of pregnancy and foetal monitoring, and dose applications provided by participating providers such as Landauer Australasia.

Exit Letters, Corporate Templates

Historion provides customisable starting system Microsoft Word coded templates, such as exit letters, which can have organisation-specific branding, logos, colours, fonts and preferred corporate styling applied.

Historion admin users can create new letter templates, based on their own letter or report requirements, which use Microsoft Word-based bookmark and field data automation techniques.

Custom templates can merge in standard data items: exposure totals by energy and body region, wearer employment status, occupation classification, and standard demographic fields such as age, sex and location.

National Dose Register Submissions

Historion is the only commercially available software that generates dosimetry data submission files conformant to the published data transfer requirements of the Australian National Radiation Dose Register (ANRDR). The Radiation Safety Office can use the National Register Data Readiness Inspection tool provided uniquely with Historion to assess gaps in mandatory demographic and dosimetry data.

Lead Aprons, Protective Equipment

Historion provides for the ongoing administration of radiation protection equipment and supports the radiation safety officer in regulatory and standards compliance as well as audit preparation activities.

Record detailed model specifications, design, materials, types, documents and establish protective device, model-specific test regimes and responsibilities. With Historion, the radiation safety officer can record cyclic attenuation testing outcomes for equipment such as lead aprons, as legally required by the New South Wales government, and as recommended by regulatory authorities in other states.

Historion includes a detailed radiation equipment model register and separate equipment register for the actual devices. The model register provides for undertaking model safety assessments in strict accordance with the Australian AS4543 attenuation standard.

Protective equipment models can be rigorously assessed before purchasing against each section of the standard. Historion also includes an analysis system for classifying exposure likelihood and assessing exposure potentials across different body reasons whilst the model is worn.

Protective device defect reporting and tracking is included and Historion supports the importing of defect photographs. The radiation safety officer can perform protective device defect analysis, set follow-up actions and resolution steps and, as needed, can import and associate attachments, correspondence, documentation and reports.

Radiation Source and Apparatus Asset Inventory

Historion includes a unique asset inventory that is specifically designed for radiation-emitting devices and radiation source assets.

Assets are managed in Historion under four core categories: ionising, non-ionising (laser/light emitting), sealed and unsealed source apparatus.

Historion incorporates a sophisticated classification system for sources and devices, published by ARPANSA. Historion's unique classification system is extended into a third level of taxonomy through classifications provided by CSIRO, which neatly integrates into the core asset management hierarchy.

Assets of specific interest to the radiation safety officer, radiation safety committee and radiation management licence can be recorded. Historion includes maintenance, service, test event and asset defect logs. Events and timelines associated with regulatory compliance, licensing, audits and certification currency and expiry can be recorded.

Historion has sophisticated parameter-based search screens for the asset inventory, which allows devices to be immediately retrieved based on the three-tiered asset classification system. Assets can be easily retrieved based on groupings such as radiography/fluoroscopy, X-ray, densitometry and tomography types.

Historion includes a complete inventory of laser devices by type, category and security level, and provides for management of laser and other optical devices.

The radiation safety officer can record and report operator experience and usage in association with any asset in the inventory. This links to Historion's detailed skills, courses and training register.

Historion allows for the recording of standards-based specification definitions and regulatory specifications. This allows for flags by source and apparatus type, for subsequent selection and value population against the full range of assets of interest to the radiation safety officer.

Radiation Licence Management

Import and retain electronic copies of licence and permit documents, mnage and observe Licence and permit conditions, and plan for licence and permit expiry and reapplication through licence expiry reporting.

Historion’s radiation source inventory includes a Source Inventory Workbook (SIW) export option for Commonwealth licence holders. This allows expedient reporting and the exchange of data between end-users and ARPANSA’s LAD radiation inventory database.

Historion allows radiation licences to be split into specific radiation source categories and sub-categories, for assignment against different business units. Business unit radiation category and subcategory licence assignments dictate which assets can and cannot be recorded against different parts of the organisation.

Business unit source and sub-source assignment features support ARPANSA regulatory requirements for Commonwealth licence holders, where certain source types can only be used under a current licence with conditions specifically associated with the source type. This system however is customisable and reusable regardless of the jurisdiction and regulator.

Radiation Safety Training Register

Historion allows the radiation safety officer and human resource department to manage training, experience and skills that specifically pertain to radiation safety.

Integrated features pertaining to institutes and independent course providers, recognised qualification levels, radiation safety course details, training outcomes and transcripts, as well as government accreditations are included.

The radiation safety training register brings detailed course information and specialised experience details for individuals immediately to a radiation safety officer’s fingertips.

Formal Australian Qualification Association (AQA) published framework levels enable equating new or international courses to known AQA qualification levels, and known internationally-recognised experience to be grandfathered into Australian equivalents.

The radiation safety training register integrates with the radiation source and apparatus asset inventory via the operator register. The operator register allows ongoing regulation and recording of equipment usage by certification and skill levels, focussing on the concept of ensuring appropriately qualified individuals use radiation emitting assets suitable to their experience, certification and knowledge.

The radiation safety officer can easily see what radiation sources and ionising apparatus an individual is currently using, or is custodian of. From the asset side, a full history of which individuals have used the assets over time can also be seen.

Custom System Roles

Historion admin users can create and assign custom roles and permission groups that have access to specific application features.

Custom roles can be designated read-only access for management-level users, or role-specific access to features.

For example, one user might have access to the radiation sources and apparatus assets register, only for attenuation testing lead aprons. While another user can be granted access to dosimetry recordkeeping and producing exit letters only.

Managers and auditors can be given read-only access to all areas of Historion and can be granted annotation access to add file notes where needed.

DoseAutomation, Integration

DoseAutomation is a server-side companion product for Historion, currently being piloted and due for release in spring 2022. DoseAutomation includes:

  • Automated, cyclic downloading and importing of Landauer dosimetry records into Historion (Landauer Australasia clients only).
  • Automated, cyclic interrogation of aggregate 1,3 and 5-year wearer exposure versus limits, and emailing over-limit aggregate warnings.
  • Automated email-based upcoming, due and past-due reminders for any dates, for any screens, for any record type in Historion.
  • Automated cyclic emailing: Wearer exposure reports for nominated subscribers comparing their exposure results to centre, organisation, occupation and national exposure averages.
  • Automated execution of data connector utilities bringing in data from external systems, via customised data transfer applications and APIs.
  • Historion admin email-based notification of success or failure of the above automation items.

Admin users have flexible, settings-based control over all of the above features.

Flexible Standard and Custom Reporting and Analysis

Historion incorporates the ActiveReports reporting engine and ships with over 40 standard reports. Unlimited custom reports can be developed locally, within the software, with custom report definitions and design details saved in the Historion database itself. Microsoft Excel integration; export, macro and data extraction interfaces provider the Radiation Safety Officer further highly flexible analysis and data inspection tools.

Industries

Historion is applicable in any industry where people are occupationally exposed to radiation. Highly configurable settings, options and adjustable dropdowns and metadata for core features, allow Historion to be customised to meet the data requirements of the most niche dose monitoring applications.

Medical Imaging

More than eighty hospitals and health clinics in Australia use Historion to monitor their staff in medical imaging occupations like radiography and radiology and those in specialist areas such as cardiology and oncology.

Scientific Research

Scientific and research-based organisations in Australia such as CSIRO, ANSTO, ThermoFisher and the Australian National University monitor staff, students and researchers and most manage their radiation source inventories using Historion.

Government

Prominent commonwealth and state-based bodies such as ARPANSA, NSW Health and ACT Health have used Historion since 2014 to monitor the radiation exposure levels of public servants, contractors and students.

Defence

Since 2017 the Australian Defence force has used Historion in monitoring immediate dose readings and the ongoing aggregate exposure of defence force personnel.

Universities

Universities such as the University of Sydney, Charles Sturt University, Newcastle University, the University of South Australia and ANU are using Historion to monitor radiation exposure of staff, students and contractors.

Mining

The mining sector is catered for with group based monitoring records and configurable dose types that allow new dose types, like radon progeny and diesel particulate, to be added to Historion’s exposure monitoring.

Frequently asked questions

We have compiled a list of the top twenty most frequently asked questions that our sales and technical staff receive, as follows:

Why would a Radiation Safety Officer want or use Historion?

Historion was designed by Radiation Safety Officers for Radiation Safety Officers. The suite of tools, reports and import and export functions were requested, and purpose built, to make the various important data management tasks a Radiation Safety Officer’s role requires easier and more efficient. Historion is the Radiation Safety Officer’s indispensable toolkit. Please download our whitepaper from this website for more information.

What type of software is Historion?

In technical terms Historion is a desktop, client-server application that connects to an SQL Server database. Historion also interacts neatly with the Microsoft Office product suite, and it incorporates the ActiveReports reporting engine to provide an integrated and full featured local application experience.

Which database environments will Historion run on?

Historion is optimised to work with all Microsoft SQL Server databases that Microsoft currently support. We recommend proper (Standard or higher) SQL Server licensing, however for very small implementations or trials of the software Historion will work with SQL Server Express editions.

Will Historion work in the cloud, with Microsoft Azure?

Historion operates well with Microsoft Azure hosted databases. Historion has multiple Azure hosting technical and management scenarios available.

Will Historion work in the cloud, with Amazon Web Services (AWS)?

Historion operates well with AWS hosted databases. Historion has multiple AWS hosting technical and management scenarios available.

How much does Historion cost?

Historion’s pricing is based on the number of people an organisation monitors for radiation exposure. As a general guide, Historion will require an approximate 10% increase to an organisation’s cost of ongoing dosimetry monitoring services, using an average of fees charged by the main dosimetry service providers.

It is worth much more to the Radiation Safety Officer.

Our pricing strategy ensures that the cost scales according to the size of the organisation and the organization’s budget, so it remains affordable to smaller organisations such as dental clinics and veterinarians as well as larger organisations such as hospitals and universities.

Please contact us for a quotation based on your numbers of occupationally exposed individuals and requirements.

What is Historion’s subscription model?

Historion requires an annual subscription payment. A subscription key file is provided by Cybermynd at the time of renewal each year. Longer term subscriptions with associated discounts are available. For subscriptions of 5 years Cybermynd provides the best pricing discount available.

Is Historion widely used?

Historion is used in the Australian Defence Force, over 80 hospitals in Australia, 7 Australian universities including the University of Sydney, Charles Sturt University, the Australian National University and organisations such as ARPANSA, ANSTO, CSIRO, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Global Medical Solutions.

What are Historion’s data transfer options?

Customers of Landauer’s dosimetry service, only, enjoy a one-of-a-kind, reliable, online dosimetry data transfer service that is the product of a highly successful development partnership between Cybermynd and Landauer Australasia. Other customers import their dosimetry data into Historion via a manual Dose Report data import process. Historion has a configurable provider data import schema layer. This allows changes in dosimetry data over time, and new dosimetry data formats, to be configured using local administrator managed settings rather than developer provided software changes.

Will Historion generate exit letters?

Historion provides for the generation of exit letters that, by default, conform with the legal requirements of the New South Wales government and the recommendations of most remaining Australian states and territories. Exit Letters are full customisable, allowing the local artwork, letterhead, logos and corporate style of the organisation to be used.

Will Historion manage lead aprons?

Historion provides a comprehensive suite of radiation safety equipment registers for all type of protective apparatus. The Radiation Safety Officer can record cyclic attenuation test planning, methodology and outcomes and conduct safety assessments against Australian and New Zealand attenuation standards.

Does Historion have an ionising apparatus register?

Historion has detailed ionising apparatus, non-ionising apparatus, sealed and unsealed source registers. The Radiation Safety Officer can record maintenance and service events, test outcomes (such as pressure and wipe testing for sealed sources), defects and all documentation for sources.

How old is Historion?

Cybermynd first commenced development of Historion in 2010. After two years of prototyping the software, it was used in Alfred Health from 2012 onward. In September 2014 Historion became commercially available. Historion was first presented at the Combined Scientific Meeting (CSM September 2014) where Medical, Radiology & Radiography and Science specialists connected to consider conclusions and assumptions to advance expertise for Health, Science and Radiology matters.

Does a Historion licence allow multiple Historion databases to be used?

Historion licensing is based on the number of people an organisation monitors for radiation exposure, only. An organisation can use their subscription to have as many databases as they require. We encourage as a minimum: Test, Training and Production database instances be used at the same organisation, but there is no limit on the numbers of Historion databases at any one organisation.

Does a Historion licence allow use on multiple workstations?

Historion licensing is based on the number of people an organisation monitors for radiation exposure, only. Numbers of workstations is unlimited. An organisation can use their subscription to operate Historion from as many workstations as required. The same user can operate multiple workstations under their username without restriction.

Is Historion secure?

Historion is as secure as the environment it is hosted within. Historion uses SQL Server Integrated (Active Directory) security and where applicable 256-bit AES encryption. Access to the database is via Active Directory group membership, a second database role layer and a third internal application-based security layer for final allocation of use of functions and data access. All code is fully obfuscated and Historion files are digitally, taggant signed with DigiCert EV Code Signing. The software has a Norton 360 File Insight rating of “good”.

Is a trial of the Historion software available?

Cybermynd provides a free 30-day software trial. No credit card imprint is required. Please contact us for details at: support@historion.com.au

Is a "Software as a Service" (SaaS) cloud edition of Historion coming?

A SaaS version of Historion is underway. We started with a client server model release in 2014 as cloud-based services were starting to increase in popularity. We are working toward a release of Historion as a SaaS offering in 2023.

Is a browser-based version of Historion available?

A SaaS version of Historion is underway. The SaaS implementation will include choice of hosting and also a browser-based client application. We are working toward a release of Historion as a SaaS offering, including the browser-based client in 2023.

What are the Historion implementation options?

In today’s cloud, on premises and hybrid hosting environments, software implementation options have become numerous. Many clients in Australia have had good success with Historion (also for remote computing during the COVID-19 pandemic) using Citrix Winframe types of products. Basic client-server (both local and on cloud-based virtual servers) are common, as well as desktop virtualization and deployment techniques employed by Azure, AWS and App-V. Please refer to the Historion Implementation Guide for further details.

Interactive Dashboards

Historion's interactive dashboards use a traffic light system with red, amber and green indicators. The application monitors ongoing data changes against configurable metrics and thresholds.

Through the dashboard the Radiation Safety Officer can see at a glance any significant changes in exposure and compliance status either immediate or approaching over time.

Dashboard indicators are interactive, so selecting them takes the user to the screen and features designed to work with the issue flagged.

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions regarding Historion, pricing, technical or otherwise. We will be happy to assist.