Download Industry Landscape: Picture Archiving and Communications

Industry Landscape: Picture Archiving and Communications Systems
and the Electronic Patient Record
Antonio F. Garcia
Industry Analyst, Frost & Sullivan, USA
The high rate of technical and organizational change in medical imaging
requires healthcare facilities to re-think the way they manage patient data.
Over the years, many healthcare facilities have accumulated a variety of
systems to handle different types of patient data, including radiology
information systems (RIS), cardiology information management systems
(CIMS), laboratory information management systems (LIMS), and other types
of hospital information systems (HIS). Radiology imaging data now adds a
new layer of complexity in the form of picture archiving and communications
systems (PACS). Traditionally, these systems have been managed as
discrete information repositories, each the domain of a specific clinical or
administrative department. However, in an era of increasing workloads,
ballooning data sets, and tightening budgets, this model of data management
is becoming less feasible, since clinicians require seamless, interactive
access to a diverse set of imaging as well as non-imaging data in order to
efficiently carry out their clinical tasks.
Simultaneously, in the quest to provide greater efficiency and to rationalize
deployment of valuable information management resources, facilities are
seeking to decrease personnel and operational expenses without
compromising the quality and volume of the services provided. This is to be
accomplished through consolidating disparate data management
infrastructures to the greatest extent possible, and by greatly simplifying
workflow and administrative processes. This approach has the added benefit
of facilitating the creation of a seamless single-point-of-interaction with the
entire collection of medical images and data types. However, this process is
not without its challenges and risks.
This presentation discusses several issues and dynamics that are shaping the
current generation of enterprise image and data management strategies that
are aimed at consolidating medical data management from front to back. A
discussion of the major competitors, technology offerings, and implementation
case studies will be provided, with special emphasis on challenges to
optimizing the implementation of the electronic patient record (EPR). Planning
for the EPR provides a crucial mandate for streamlining workflow, optimizing
productivity, and consolidating the data management infrastructure. Important
issues in implementing the electronic patient record will be discussed,
including communication between the various clinical and administrative
databases, PACS and modalities, standards such as DICOM and HL7, and
regional differences in standardization. The presentation will also include an
interactive question-and-answer session.