When you consider that around 75 percent of all imaging procedures are being carried out off the campus of the hospital, it’s easy to see why using a cloud solution would create more efficiencies in healthcare practices.
More radiologists and hospitals are taking their picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) to the cloud to form cloud PACS. Why? It’s practical, efficient and a less
costly method of storing and sharing images and data.
Some radiologists might say cost is the most compelling reason to switch to cloud PACS, but others might point to the on-demand applications available through cloud PACS. These include advanced three-dimensional apps and radiology information systems. Billing software is also available for cloud PACS.
Without any physical hardware or software to expand, maintain, upgrade or renew, cloud PACS are virtually hassle free. Another big reason radiologists and medical practices are switching to cloud PACS is due to the ability to gain access to images from anywhere at anytime. Radiologists can report their images remotely from anywhere outside the hospital, which means patients in rural communities can have their images connect to the specialists anywhere, even over state lines.
It’s an unfortunate piece of the medical process but many images are lost and patients have to reschedule appointments with their radiologists for another round of x-rays. For example, when a medical facility operates without cloud PACS they will hand carry images from department to department. A recent survey of doctors and IT staff revealed that when the images are hand carried or emailed directly to doctors, it’s not uncommon for them to be misplaced. This simply doesn’t happen with a cloud PACS because the images and data are stored on a secure server and can be accessed through mobile workstations. There is nothing to lose.
Radiologists are constantly looking to improve their referral services. Not only are radiologists expected to provide excellent quality images and quick turn around, but they’re also expected to collaborate while reading images on the fly and then offer their opinion. Doctors are increasingly expecting this so they can make a plan for a proper course of treatment. Cloud PACS offer this level of collaboration.
Radiologists and physicians are increasingly using mobile devices such as smart phones and tablet computers to view images. It’s an efficient, fast and effective way to provide excellent patient care.
Another advantage that healthcare providers are finding is developing an image strategy based on vendor-neutral archiving. This is also a cloud-based solution for image management and image storage. This solution offers maximum scalability. This also offers clinics, hospitals, imaging centers and many other healthcare professionals a place to store their images and share them with the appropriate people.
OffSite Image Management, Inc., realized the power of cloud PACS and offers clients excellent solutions that maximize their services. Clients get all the mobility they need and zero administration duties – OffSite provides all the maintenance and upgrades. Speaking of upgrades, clients get them automatically to their workstations.