Images Anywhere, Anytime: Web-based PACS & RIS/PACS

Begley says he has seen measurable savings as well with PACS. “Previously we were spending over $600,000 for film, 20 percent more for processing and had a squad of clerks to manage, store and transport films throughout the hospital and to and from physicians offices. In addition, space for storage of these films had to allocated, heated, cooled, cleaned and lighted. Total cost was close to $1,000,000 per year. Almost all of that cost has been eliminated with the PACS while increasing efficiency that produces more savings, especially in prospective payment systems.” Aside from the cost-savings experienced, another benefit has been the capability to integrate any study from another hospital or imaging center and put it into the system at Bayhealth for means of comparison, says Michael Samaha, MD, pulmonologist and intensivist at Bayhealth. He is able to remotely access patient studies to perform STAT reads if need be, whether he is at home or at another remote location. “The beauty of it is that you can access those images from the hospital, from home, from the office or even a remote location where you are asked to evaluate,” Samaha says. “I can look [the study] up, give immediate feedback and get the patient going where he or she should go.” Nelson Eric Wiegman, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Bayhealth in Milford, Del., says that with the implementation of Web-based PACS, he has eliminated the need to archive images at his office. “I currently have three storage units of x-rays—I don’t need that. [With PACS images,] the hospital is doing it for me,” he says. While there a minor time [cost] to retrieve images electronically every time he wants to view them, he is no longer responsible for having to store films in an environmentally controlled unit. Additionally, he has eliminated the cost associated with having staff pull films the night before a patient’s appointment. Looking back on the PACS deployment, radiologist Jonathan Patterson, MD, says that it is important to keep an open mind when transitioning from film to digital. “You have to be open to change and you have to change the way you look at things,” he says. “But I think it has been for the better—I couldn’t go back to a non-PACS environment and I never look at my studies not in stacks.” As more and more workstations come online with PACS and on other computer systems, it will ultimately increase patient care and safety, he notes. “There is a lot more to look at and it can be a little overwhelming at first,” he offers to other potential users. “But I don’t think you will be able to go back after you have gone in the direction of Web-based PACS.” Images—anytime, anywhere The benefits of deploying a Web-based PACS are manifold. Bayhealth Medical Center now has a transparent way to add additional imaging centers or equipment. “We simply extend our network to wherever it’s needed—be it an offsite imaging center or another new piece of imaging equipment coming into one of our hospitals,” Walczak says. “We literally just plug it in, configure the system and it is available for us. It is like adding a printer onto your network—it just works.” With the speed of delivery the health system now has, radiologists have improved workflow and productivity and information is getting to caregivers much faster. This has translated into clinical benefits of having the immediate availability of studies for clinicians to make informed decisions on how to change the care plan or alter treatment for the patient. “That is a huge benefit of having this technology at a physician’s fingertips,” Walczak adds. ■ Words from the Wise When it comes to choosing technology, one thing to keep in mind is that Web-based PaCS is not just an it system—it cannot be driven by it. it is a joint effort by many clinical and it departments powered by end-users from technologists through radiologists. a facility looking to deploy a PaCS or Web-based PaCS should consider the following to make sure the “i”s are dotted and the “t”s are crossed: ✓ Look outside radiology. establish a good working relationship with diagnostic imaging, clinical engineering and it to make things happen. ✓ engage your vendors early. make sure vendors work with it staff on the different configuration changes to create a robust and highly available system. ✓ engage your end-users. having the end-users of the system involved prior to selection and actively during preplanning will help drive the process and selection of the system while keeping in line with the business plan. ✓ Plan appropriately. the transition from a legacy system to a Web-based system is a complex process that requires a great amount of planning—it’s not going to happen overnight, but once your plan is established, you’ll achieve your milestones faster than you might think. ✓ Listen to key decision-makers. the key decision-makers are going to be radiologists, department heads and managers, and technologists—the ones who are going to determine if a system is going to work to enhance the facility’s particular workflow. ✓ align with the overall business plan. make sure the recommendations from the end-user community align with the administrative and financial considerations and overall strategic goals of the organization. Health Imaging & IT | Images, Anywhere, Anytime: Web-Based PACS & RIS/PACS July 2008

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Images Anywhere, Anytime: Web-based PACS & RIS/PACS Contents Why Web-based PACS Works for the Community Hospital Keeping Referrals Coming: Neuroradiology Group Reaps PACS Benefits Tracking Imaging Center Operations with Web-based RIS/PACS Teleradiology Group Shows Strong Growth Demands Strong PACS Replacement PACS: How to Plan, Purchase & Put It in Place PACS Optimizes Orthopedics Practice

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