PACS for Huntington Beach Hospital

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA, US: Huntington Beach Hospital has announced that it has installed Dynamic imaging's integrated Web PACS, a leading Web-based Picture archiving and communications system (PACS). 

The new PACS will help Huntington Beach Hospital provide improved service to its patients and referring physicians by eliminating the need for traditional x-ray film, while quickly transitioning to an all digital workflow. "The new PACS at Huntington Beach Hospital is an example of Prime Healthcare Services' commitment to the hospital and the community it serves to improve the infrastructure and update the equipment with state-of-the-art technology that helps in providing high quality patient care," says Prem Reddy, MD, FACC, FCCP, Chairman of the Board. "Prime healthcare services (PHS) is investing millions of dollars in Huntington Beach Hospital to improve operational efficiencies," continues  Dr. Prem Reddy.

 This transformation will enable radiologists to interpret diagnostic imaging studies digitally instead of using traditional film viewers, resulting in radiology results (e.g., images and reports) quickly available for secure review across Huntington Beach Hospital and beyond, by appropriately privileged hospital staff members, clinicians, and referring physicians. Dynamic imaging is an established leader in Web-based image and information management. "Huntington Beach Hospital has embraced the most modern PAC technology, which will dramatically enhance our level of care and the overall service we provide. Fundamentally, Integrate PACS represents revolutionary change in the way we practice radiology," says Lex Reddy, MBA, MHA, President and CEO of PHS.

 Today's modern imaging modalities, such as computed topography (CT) scanners, produce an enormous amount of data. In years past, standard radiology practice was to print, for example, CTexams to x-ray film. The stacks of films were then managed using film folders, file rooms and manual processes, such as hanging film on light boxes or film viewers. In contrast, the latest scanners can produce thousands of images per study, which make it no longer feasible to print and manage imaging studies using film. "Once the exam has been completed, our radiologists have immediate PAC access to patient images. Our radiologists can then manipulate the images using the latest diagnostic techniques, quickly interrogating every nuance of the data, to include three-dimensional manipulation. That's simply not possible using film," adds Lex Reddy.

 Through the elimination of numerous manual processes required with the handling of x-ray film, efficiencies will be gained and directly will result in tangible benefits to patients and their physicians. Huntington Beach Hospital's patients will no longer have to carry around stacks and stacks of x-ray films from physician to physician, as they will now be given CDs that include their imaging exams and reports complete with an auto-launching image viewer. Referring physicians may be immediately alerted (via e-mail) when the results of their patients' examinations are available, and also have secure access to all of their patients' imaging exams online -- all from the convenience of a Web-accessible desktop PC. This will provide them immediate access to imaging results both inside and outside of Huntington Beach Hospital. Lex Reddy adds, "Our PACS provides complete, secure, and most importantly, convenient referring physician access to imaging results. No more couriers, no more waiting, and no more delays.

 PACS allows our radiologists to describe their findings to referring physicians in a very sophisticated, yet easily understandable way, through carefully created key image collages that supplement and provide a visual explanation of the radiology report." Key image collages, also described as "print pages," maybe printed by the referring physician along with the radiology report. The PACS tools of the radiologist are also the same tools for referring physicians. This enables referring physicians to digitally view imaging exams when consulting with radiologists, viewing exams at home or at the physician office and also, during patient consultation. This conversion to a digital imaging workflow, we believe, will be very well received by our referring physicians and our mutual patients. By implementing PACS, Huntington Beach Hospital demonstrates its commitment to investing in leading-edge healthcare technology, providing the ultimate in radiology services for referring physicians and the patients they serve. The ease of use and broad functionality of Integrted Web PACS is a product of many years of clinical input from world-class radiologists , physicians and information technology professionals.