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Carolyn J. Loss (703) 648-8928; [email protected]
Filmless Radiology System Draws High Praise
The vast majority of medical and surgical staff at the Baltimore, MD VA Medical Center say that they prefer reading radiologic images on a digital, filmless system compared to standard x-ray film.
The hospital-wide Picture Archival and Communications System (PACS) received high praise from a variety of departments, according to a three-year study presented May 5 at the 97th Annual Meeting of the American Roentgen Ray Society in Boston, MA.
PACS is a digital medical imaging network that can be used by the entire hospital staff for storing and retrieving radiologic images, in place of conventional x-ray film.
The Baltimore VA Medical Center is one of the few facilities across the nation that have completely filmless radiology departments.
Overall, PACS resulted in increased efficiency, improved availability of images and better use of physicians' time, lead study investigator Dr. Zenon Protopapas said.
He noted that 78 percent of the staff strongly preferred PACS over film; 7 percent still preferred film and 15 percent had no preference.
A total of 90 percent of the physicians said the filmless system contibuted to a more efficient use of clinical time and 79 percent attributed an actual savings of time to PACS. The average amount of time saved was estimated at 36 minutes a day per physician.
Dr. Protopapas, a member of the staff of the Department of Radiology at the VA hospital, said that 57 percent of the staff responding to the survey said PACS use did not change the frequency with which they consult with radiologists.
A total of 35 percent reported a decrease in the frequency and 8 percent said the rate had increased, he said.
The American Roentgen Ray Society, with some 12,000 members, is the first and oldest radiological society in the United States. It is dedicated to the advancement of medicine through the science of radiology.
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