Deconstructing PACS With Effective VNA
In the healthcare industry today, deconstructing PACS has become a hot topic. However, does
everyone have the same definition of what deconstructing PACS means? Let’s take a look at what some industry experts perceive as a deconstructed PACS and see where the differences lay.
We know that as technology evolves, so too does the way healthcare professionals carry out their duties, especially in regard to how disparate technologies interact. The goal is for a seamless interaction, but this is often not the case thanks to proprietary measures taken by PACS vendors.
In the traditional sense, PACS involves building a lot of walls. Therefore, the new way of looking at PACS is taking down those walls, thus the “deconstruction.” The goal in deconstructing PACS is to expand the ability to view medical images as well as diagnostic findings, and not just to a single department, but all departments regardless of specialty.
Furthermore, rather than just gaining access to traditional reports as traditional PACS offers, providers are expecting more specialized reports, customized reports for electronic medical records (EMR).
A big step in deconstructing PACS comes through another hot topic today – vendor neutral archiving (VNA). Most IT professionals in the healthcare industry will attest to VNA as laying the essential groundwork or foundation in deconstructing PACS. For many facilities it’s all about economies of scale, especially when you consider all the different radiological technologies available today. VNA and deconstructing PACS becomes a way to achieve those economies of scale.
Integration is also vital to healthcare providers today. They are looking to get the right information to the right places and in the least amount of time as possible. Traditional PACS can severely impede this process when the information is going from one department to another with a disparate PACS. The same can be said for sharing information from one facility to another. Rather than getting hung up on proprietary PACS, the deconstructed method using VNA can be of great benefit.
The future of deconstructing PACS could include more collaboration, regardless of what vendor made your PACS. Using an open approach, the roadblocks that have always been present when talking about integration and collaboration can be less challenging. Physicians could be more direct in their patient management as they have better access to the information they need to better care for them. Furthermore, a more collaborative approach could open the door to more patient involvement in their care, including portals that allow them to see their exams and doctor’s notes on their case.
At OffSite Image Management, Inc., we’ve led the industry in providing a VNA solution that can help our clients deconstruct PACS more thoroughly, providing more collaborative options and better integration. Contact us today and let’s talk about customizing a solution for you.