"Permanent" records: Experience with data migration in radiology information system and picture archiving and communication system replacement

In the replacement of both a radiology information system (RIS) and a pictu re archiving and communication system (PACS) archive, data were migrated fr om the prior system to the new system. We report on the process, the time a nd resources required, and the fidelity of data transfer. We find that for two PACS archives, both organized according to the Digital Imaging and Comm unications in Medicine (DICOM) information model, data may be transferred w ith full fidelity, but the time required for transfer is significant, Trans fer from off-line backup media was found to be faster than transfer from ou r robotic tape library. In contrast, the RIS replacement required extensive labor to translate prior data between dissimilar information models, and s ome data were inevitably lost in the translation. Standards for RIS informa tion models are needed to promote the migration of data without loss of con tent, Copyright (C) 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.