VNA and the Architecture of the Future
All good things take work. That’s true of gaining advantages regarding your medical image
management needs as well. With all the talk about vendor neutral archiving (VNA) these days, is it worth the work? By and large, the answer seems to be a resounding “yes.”
One of the biggest issues regarding most VNA platforms is that it has to work in concert with other components, often multiple components. When this goes off without a hitch, all the medical images you have can be accessed through a single repository. The advantage of this is that the entire enterprise gains access, regardless of their viewer type.
But what about upgrades? Yes, this is an area that can cause some stress due to the various PACS in use today, which means careful management is required. Despite this area of trouble, VNA is well worth the effort it takes to put more resources toward IT management.
Many healthcare organizations are keen to upgrade their PACS as a way to standardize and consolidate their images throughout their entire enterprise. Again, choosing a VNA model can actually reduce all the heavy lifting that usually goes with moving data. However, it’s important to note that the vendor you choose operates under the definition of “true” VNA, because there are a few definitions out there and they are definitely not all created equal.
Your vendor must be able to offer you a solution that has the ability to store the complete suite of DICOM SOP classes. However, all your objects must also be stored in a non-proprietary format, and this is where going with the wrong provider can pretty much make the term “VNA” a moot point. You want to have access to your images without being tied to a specific type of viewer, and a true VNA solution will give you this option.
Another consideration is context management and HL7 data. This includes the ability to prepare a PACS through HL7 for ingestion of images from a separate PACS, perhaps one in a different department or even a different facility.
You will want to be able to manipulate DICOM tags so you can better manage your workflow. If your provider says they offer a VNA solution but doesn’t offer this, then you need to walk away.
Hospitals are facing major challenges on a daily basis, which means moving data shouldn’t be a thorn in their side. Since many clinics and hospitals are now a multisite environment, there must be a willingness for any cloud provider to assist, especially where migrating data is concerned.
At OffSite Image Management, Inc., not only will we provide you with true VNA solutions, we’ll also communicate with you through every step of the migration process. Join our solution and save money while gaining better access to your data.