PACS, or Picture Archiving and Communication System, is a combination of different devices working together to digitize films and store them. Prior to PACS, physical films required large storage areas for housing. Digital PACS is far superior in cost and ease of use compared to physical storage.
With the increasing expenses of operating on-site systems, the necessity to cut costs is as important as ever. As a result, on-site PACS systems are now being replaced with Cloud PACS. This can be done by shifting data from a conventional server system to cloud-based storage. Cloud PACS can provide high-quality systems with flexible configurations. Expensive hardware and square footage to house the hardware are no longer necessary.
The Advantages of Cloud-Based PACS
Cost
Medical Practices are realizing the benefits of this technology and slowly incorporating it into their new-generation radiology systems. Most practices, imaging centers, or hospitals that have implemented Cloud PACS have noticed a great reduction in costs. Providing space and keeping the onsite data center powered with uninterruptible power supply and HVAC systems is no longer needed. The responsibility of data backup and recovery is now managed by the cloud vendor.
Access and Patient Care
Cloud-based PACS solutions supply flexibility to doctors who need access to medical records that reside outside of their hospital’s network. If internet is available, a physician can access files from anywhere, at any time to have a closer look at the patient’s symptoms for diagnosis. This can reduce the workload on an individual Radiologist as case collaboration between Radiologists is much easier. Location no longer matters in terms of access to medical records.
With the reduction in the workload of the Radiologist, more time can be spent on the patient, improving the quality of patient care. For the secure PACS administrator, less time spent managing physical systems means cost savings.
Environmental
These changes will also end up helping the environment. Lowering the carbon emissions produced from on-site data storage centers, will lower the amount of energy needed to run, cool, and eventually dispose of these systems. Lower energy demands help organizations adopting cloud-based PACS to fulfill a greater corporate social responsibility.
Overcoming Fear of Adoption
Healthcare providers may still be skeptical of security protocol and disaster management for cloud-based servers. This fear and apprehension can be abated by making sure that implemented Cloud PACS systems use documented HIPAA enforcement rules and Health-Level 7 (HL7) transmission protocols ensuring data encryption.
Conclusion
To keep up with the growing needs of patients, medical practices must shift to adopt innovative technology that supports the result of better patient care. Adopting the use of cloud-based PACS servers is a win for everyone – doctors, patients, and PACS administrators.
Interested in moving your PACS to the Cloud? Learn more about how we can migrate your system with Store XR.
