PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF PACS - INFORMATION-FLOW AND CLINICAL ACTION IN AMEDICAL INTENSIVE-CARE UNIT

PURPOSE: To prospectively compare efficiency and outcome of a standard film-only system with those of a digital picture archiving and commun ication system (PACS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The film-only system, wh ich used either analog film or computed radiography (Cd) hard copy, wa s compared with a PACS, which used CR images displayed on a multiviewe r in the radiology department and a workstation in the medical intensi ve care unit. A random sample of nonroutine, bedside chest radiographs was studied. RESULTS: Within 20 minutes of completion of radiography, 246 of 328 (75%) of the images were available at the workstation; it took 1.8 hours for 238 of 317 (75%) of the images to be displayed on t he multiviewer. When the workstation was used, the staff did not acces s the image information earlier, but clinical actions were initiated m ore promptly in response to imaging findings. Consultation with radiol ogists decreased from 507 of 561 (90%) images with hard copies to 70 o f 249 (28%) with the workstation. CONCLUSION: Use of a PACS improves f acilitates the initiation of clinical actions, and decreases input by radiologists.