| It's true; thanks to modern web PACS (Picture | | | | The DICOM Advantage |
| Archive and Communication systems), medical | | | | DICOM web based PACS such as the Vistek® |
| professionals are no longer limited by time and | | | | PACS make it possible for medical images made |
| space as to with whom they can collaborate and | | | | in any modality to be viewed by authorized |
| consult for difficult cases. Viztek® PACS are | | | | personnel using a standard PC monitor over a |
| only one of the web PACS available using the | | | | local area network as well as the World Wide |
| DICOM imaging protocol, but its numerous | | | | Web. What this means for health care |
| user-friendly and cost effective features have | | | | professionals is greater access to colleagues when |
| quickly made it one of the most popular among | | | | consultation and collaboration is required - which |
| health care professionals. | | | | can now be carried out over the Internet in real |
| A Short History of Web PACS | | | | time. No longer is it necessary to risk having |
| One of the first digital medical imaging systems | | | | valuable medical images hand delivered either via |
| was put into place at the Department of | | | | post or courier. |
| Radiology at the Ohio State University Medical | | | | In addition, web based PACS have made archival |
| Center back in 1992 - almost at the beginning of | | | | chores much easier and more efficient. Medical |
| the Internet Era. The cost exceeded well over a | | | | images can be digitally archived using a server and |
| quarter million dollars; as you might imagine, this | | | | backed up onto DVDs or compact discs in any |
| exorbitant price tag but such PACS servers out | | | | way that works best for the clinic or practice. A |
| of reach for all but the most prestigious and | | | | patient's x-rays or MRI results, saved in DICOM |
| well-funded medical facilities. | | | | format, can be stored in the same digital file as |
| Nonetheless, this web PACS has proved to be an | | | | his/her insurance information and medical history, |
| excellent investment; over the past decade and a | | | | and quickly located using the Windows or Safari |
| half, the OHUMC system has paid for itself four | | | | search function on PC or Macintosh platforms. In |
| times over, and has reduced the time between | | | | addition the Vistek® PACS offers additional |
| initial patient diagnosis and physician dictation to | | | | user-friendly features that are definitely worth |
| three hours - resulting in a savings of over 7000 | | | | learning about. |
| man-hours. | | | | Economical and efficient, a web PACS is |
| Meanwhile, the cost of PC-based technology has | | | | something no health care facility should be without. |
| continued its steep decline over the past several | | | | Web based PACS are the future of diagnostic |
| years, and this has affected the cost of digital | | | | medicine and records-keeping, and thanks to the |
| PACS servers as well. Today, there is no clinic or | | | | continuing drop in the cost of PC technology, web |
| other health care facility that can afford to be | | | | PACS are more affordable than ever. |
| without a reliable web based PACS. | | | | |