A HIERARCHICAL MODEL FOR PACS

In this paper, a hierarchical model for Picture Archiving and Communic ation Systems (HPACS) is presented and implemented at Taichung Veteran s General Hospital (TCVGH) in Taiwan. Despite the fact that the HPACS is built on the architecture of the second generation PACS, it offers many improved features and has advantages over the second generation P ACS, such as the user security control, fast resource dispatch and eff icient resource management. This HPACS can be used as a reference mode l for a hospital with any scale-size. The real implementation of HPACS is currently undertaken in the Taichung Veterans General Hospital (TC VGH), Taiwan, Republic of China and consists of four phases with the f irst two phases already completed. It is the first pilot system ever t o be implemented successfully in a large-scale hospital in Taiwan. The experiences have illustrated the great promise of the HPACS in the fu ture. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.