title: PACS and CR implementation in a level I trauma center emergency department.
abstract: Implementation of a picture archive and communication system (PACS) at a large teaching hospital is an expensive and daunting endeavor. The approach taken at the University of Alabama Hospitals has been to assemble an institution-wide system through focused integration of smaller mini-PACS. Recently a mini-PACS using Computed Radiography (CR) has been placed in the Emergency Department (ED) of a Level I Trauma Center completely replacing conventional screen-film radiography. This area of the hospital produces approximately 250 images per day and provided many challenging requirements: the need for rapid radiography; providing good image quality for difficult examinations with potentially uncooperative patients; reproduction of lost films to maintain availability of images to multiple consulting teams; and frequently unknown patient demographics. The PACS includes both vendor-supplied and in-house developed devices for image storage, distribution, and display. Digital images are produced using two photo-stimulable phosphor CR systems. Currently, all radiographic examinations are acquired digitally with production of a hard copy film as well as electronic distribution via the PACS. Interpretation of images is done primarily via hard copy with a goal of transition to soft copy interpretation. This paper discusses the functional requirements of the PACS and solutions to workflow issues arising in the ED.
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama Hospitals, Birmingham, USA.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Junck
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Berland
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Bernreuter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McEachern
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grandhi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lewey
mesh_terms: D000407:Alabama; D003626:Data Display; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008122:Local Area Networks; D011873:Radiology Information Systems / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*