Problems facing the radiologist tendering for a hospital wide PACS system

As PACS becomes a reality the practical difficulties of installing the new technology become evident. The practical issues of developing a strategy, u nderstanding the market, writing a business case, and an outline based spec ification are considered. The complexities of European procurement, the eva luation of responses, the contracting process and the problems of implement ation, training, assessing the benefits and foreseeing the problems are cov ered. Provided there is careful attention to detail a hospital can expect t o implement a successful PACS system. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd . All rights reserved.