PACS Gives Referring Physicians Quick Access to Test Results
Physicians are more dependent than ever on the electronic transmission of images – it is becoming an essential part of medical practice, patient care and seeking additional opinions from other specialists. That’s why RAPA is one of the only radiology practices in Arkansas to purchase and implement a Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS) provided by GE Medical Systems Information Technologies. The system combines state-of-the-art digital imaging with computerized process automation workflow software, digital image storage and far-reaching high-performance networking technologies.
PACS allows any study performed at a RAPA facility – including all images or key images and the text of the report – to be reviewed at a physician’s office or home computer. This dramatically decreases the time between the radiological images’ creation and its availability for interpretation and clinical action. It enables rapid distribution and access to images and reports. The system eliminates the hassles associated with old-fashioned film systems such as storing, checkout, retrieval, hand-delivery, and lost or damaged images. PACS’s filmless environment enables multiple users to view images at the same time from different locations and ensures that images will never be lost, damaged or unavailable.
Voice Recognition (VR) will be used in conjunction with PACS to further increase information exchange speed and productivity between RAPA and our referring physicians. VR software instantly converts spoken works into typed text on a computer screen and eliminates the traditional delays associated with manual transcription processes, enabling rapid distribution of exam results as well as the images themselves. Our Radiologists are able to dictate at the workstation and immediately review the text on the same workstation without ever touching a keyboard.
Physicians can take advantage of this service by contacting Janet Wells at 501-686-2694 to set up time for brief training. Then by signing on to the RAPA web site and agreeing to a privacy policy, the physician receives a password to allow access to the protected PACS system.
Benefits of PACS
- Faster access to images and radiology reports
- Images and reports available to clinicians whenever and wherever they are needed
- Full "patient jacket" view of patient information for improved patient care
- Misplaced films are a thing of the past
- Increased privacy and security of information
- Greater clinical confidence
- Facilitates collaborative care through simultaneous physician review
- Eliminates the information chase
- Frees caregivers to spend more time with patients instead of paperwork
- Expedites turnaround time for diagnosis and initiation of treatment
- Enhances quality of care
- Chances of medical error due to lack of critical patient information is reduced
- Alleviates patient anxiety sooner with shorter report turnaround time
- Enhances service levels and reduces report delays for referring physicians
- Improves portability of file information for the patient through use of digital media