Ballad Health launches Cortexflo technology to strengthen forensic nursing care across the Appalachian Highlands

New forensic imaging equipment builds on years of regional collaboration to expand access, strengthen documentation and support forensic nursing care in rural communities

Ballad Health patients receiving forensic nursing care now have greater access to specialized imaging technology through seven new Cortexflo forensic imaging systems deployed across the health system.

Ballad Health launched the new technology in mid-August, marking the culmination of a multiyear effort to identify and implement an imaging system designed for the clinical, security and documentation needs of forensic healthcare.

Ballad Health provides 24/7 forensic nursing coverage across 18 facilities and performs more than 300 forensic medical examinations annually for patients affected by sexual assault, intimate partner violence, strangulation, child abuse and other forms of violence.

“This has been a long-term goal and seeing it become a reality is incredibly meaningful,” said Ashleigh McMahan, director of forensic nursing for Ballad Health. “Cortexflo gives our nurses another tool to provide specialized care while improving the quality, consistency and security of forensic documentation.”

The Cortexflo project grew from a grant initiative at East Tennessee State University.

“This is a great example of what grant funding and community partnership can accomplish beyond the life of a grant,” McMahan said. “Years of collaboration helped us get to this point, and now this technology becomes part of how we continue moving forensic care forward.”

Four of the new Cortexflo systems are portable and will travel with Ballad Health’s full-time forensic nurse examiners, allowing the same specialized imaging technology to accompany nurses as they respond to patients across the region. Three additional systems will be based at Johnson City Medical Center and Niswonger Children’s Hospital in Johnson City, Tennessee, Johnston Memorial Hospital in Abingdon, Virginia and Russell County Hospital in Lebanon, Virginia.

“Our responsibility is to ensure patients have access to specialized, compassionate care no matter where they live,” said Morgan May, associate chief nurse executive for Ballad Health. “This innovative approach of offering a combination of portable and facility-based technology strengthens our ability to bring forensic care closer to patients when and where it’s needed.”

Cortexflo is designed specifically for forensic healthcare, bringing specialized imaging and secure image management into a standardized workflow. The technology provides high-quality clinical photography, more consistent documentation and enhanced security for some of the most sensitive information collected during a patient’s care.

Forensic photographs may become important well beyond the initial medical examination. Depending on a patient’s circumstances and choices, documentation may later assist law enforcement, prosecutors and other professionals involved in an investigation or legal proceeding.

The technology also gives Ballad Health’s forensic nurses an additional way to collaborate during complex examinations. When a forensic nurse examiner needs a second opinion or additional clinical support, another forensic nurse examiner can securely consult remotely in real time, adding an extra layer of internal expertise and peer support when needed. For a team providing 24/7 forensic nursing coverage across 18 facilities, the capability helps connect nurses caring for patients many miles apart.

The technology’s benefits extend beyond the examination room. High-quality, consistent forensic documentation can support collaboration among medical providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, children’s advocacy centers, family justice centers, victim advocates and other multidisciplinary partners while preserving appropriate protections for sensitive patient and forensic information.

That collaboration is particularly important in rural communities, where responses to violence often depend on strong relationships among organizations serving the same patients and families.

“This equipment ultimately supports the story a patient has trusted us to document,” May said. “We want our community partners to understand the technology, see what our nurses will be using and continue building a response where healthcare, advocacy, law enforcement and the legal system work together for the people we serve.”