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X-ray film imagery to be obsoleteA $5.9 million investment in radiology and cardiology digital imaging systems at five Health Waikato hospitals will make viewing traditional x-rays outdated. Waikato and Bay of Plenty district health boards yesterday formally agreed to use Philips Healthcare’s Picture Archive and Communication System (Pacs) software. In addition to the Pacs acquisition, the DHBs are to share a single radiology information system (RIS), provided by Philips Healthcare from an Australian vendor, Kestral Computing Ltd. The RIS is a recent development by Kestral (called KaRISma) and is a major development from Kestral's longstanding radiology management system. A key feature of RIS and Pacs is the high degree of integration between the two systems ensuring all relevant information and images go to the doctor looking after the patient. Under the Pacs’ system, doctors and radiologists will view digital radiology images on desktop computers. Computer monitors with displayed images will replace hardcopy x-rays. The advantage of this technology, due for installation by the end of September, is that doctors consulting on the care of the patient see images at the same time. Prior to Pacs, doctors could only see hard film x-ray images if they were in the same room. The upgrade links radiology departments and clinical staff across both district health boards at Tauranga and Whakatane hospitals, Opotiki Medical Centre and hospitals at Hamilton, Te Kuiti, Tokoroa, Thames and Taumarunui. Bay of Plenty DHB is spending $4.6 million. The joint purchase makes it the largest Pacs installation in the country. All radiology and cardiology images are Health Waikato chief operating officer Jan Adams said Pacs’ clinical advantages were enormous. “There are a number of benefits for clinical staff, GPs, private sector consultants, patients, hospital, and within the radiology department,” she said. Radiographers would no longer have to work with chemicals to process films. “This technology enables simultaneous access to images for patient treatment, colleague consultation, teaching, rural hospitals support and advice. It will provide clinical staff with immediate access to images and reports at clinics and wards. “It will eliminate lost or misplaced radiographic films and eliminate multiple radiology film packets - one radiology image archive for all patients across both DHBs. It will eliminate the need to hold old film packet files in the radiology departments with all images being stored electronically,” said Mrs Adams.
Radiology PACS-RIS Cardiology PACS-CIS Implementation of both Pacs-Radiology Information Systems (RIS) and Pacs-CIS involves Waikato Hospital and the rural hospitals at Taumarunui, Tokoroa, Thames and Te Kuiti. The implementation will occur at the same time as the Bay of Plenty sites. Who will use it? What stage is the project at? Implementation by end of September 2008. What are the key features and benefits?
Mary Anne Gill |