Departmental technologies like PACS are changing and breaking free of their traditional roles, and being redefined to respond to patient needs across the entire hospital, according to former NHS radiographer, Chris Scarisbrick, from Sectra UK & Ireland.
The advent of the radiology picture archiving and communication system, or PACS, signalled an early and pioneering shift to digital within NHS hospitals some 15 years ago. As an NHS radiographer, and then PACS manager, during the early parts of this journey, I witnessed first-hand the end of working with restrictive light boxes and acetates, and the improved flow of information that resulted from the new technology.
It was an important departmental development, borne out of necessity, at a time when radiology was by far the largest producer of imaging data in the hospital. It was also a move that saw radiology departments across the NHS rapidly move ahead of many of their diagnostic counterparts in digital ways of working, with significant benefits for streamlined working that would ultimately benefit patient care.
Fifteen years later and PACS is no less important as a means of storing and quickly accessing crucial images and other related data that are essential for making diagnoses and supporting clinical decisions.
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