Type:
Educational Exhibit
Keywords:
Patterns of Care, Image verification, Cost-effectiveness, Computer Applications-General, Teleradiology, RIS, PACS, Management, eHealth, Computer applications
Authors:
P. R. Hart; Milwaukee, WI/US
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2013/C-2178
Conclusion
Through a wholesale re-modelling of radiology based on digital technology,
PACS has significantly contributed to increased productivity and improved clinical effectiveness of medical imaging while demonstrating the benefits of integration. Paradoxically,
however,
in successfully realising its potential PACS has also exposed its own limitations. With the radiological model well proven,
the greater clinical community is now becoming aware that a single-specialty or department-based solution is not sufficiently intelligent,
versatile or integrated to address ever increasing demands of the patient within the whole medical enterprise. These kinds of inadequacy are especially inconvenient and apparent as the EMR now seeks to embrace multiple specialties in order to provide integrated and holistic clinical information.
It is not sufficient for existing PACS simply to add a few integration features to operate as a VNA and only a true VNA can deliver all the higher level supra-departmental and trans-departmental functions. Moreover,
even the small number of true VNA’s currently offered are based on different philosophies which are implemented in different configurations and have different clinical benefits. As the paradigm shifts end-users and institutions need to be aware of the differences between enhanced PACS and VNA,
as well as between different VNA’s,
to ensure they choose the right solution to meet their requirements.