With all the acronyms being used today in
radiology, it’s easy to get confused, especially considering how the terms are
sometimes misused. From CIS to EHR to DICOM and HIS or PACS, navigating them
and verifying that they are what they say they are takes some effort. And what
about PACS and cloud
PACS – is one better than the other?
As the technology evolves, so too will the terminology, abbreviations, and
inevitably, confusion. Staying informed on what’s new and what can be useful to
your radiology practice is imperative. One of the key players in the current
technology landscape is cloud PACS, a hosted offsite solution that can be
leveraged to bring plenty of value to the way you work.
The Benefits of Cloud PACS
Everyone wants the latest and greatest radiology solutions to hit the market,
but cost can be an issue. However, this is not the case with a cloud PACS
solution. In fact, if you replace your old PACS with a cloud-based PACS, you
can reduce your costs quite substantially.
The price tag isn’t the only advantage in this cloud-based solution. You also
hand over a lot of the daily tasks associated with an on-premise PACS, as the
vendor will provide the updates, upgrades and maintenance while storing your
data on commercial servers, often with disaster recovery and business
continuity solutions attached.
Speaking of storage, the best cloud PACS providers will allow you to grow as
needed. Rather than invest in more hardware that takes up precious space, your
data will be stored securely on offsite servers. These servers are physically
protected by onsite security personnel, but there are also encryption services
and cyber protections applied to ensure your data isn’t corrupted, stolen or
misused.
Choosing Your Cloud PACS Provider
Fortunately, you’ve got options to choose from when it comes to cloud PACS
providers. The best providers are those offering cloud-based DICOM viewers,
which means when you want to view an image remotely, you won’t need a
proprietary viewer or special software to access it. If you’ve ever struggled
with remote viewing, you’ll see an instant advantage in choosing a cloud-based
PACS with DICOM viewer capabilities.
Everyone has their own set of requirements when it comes to how they manage
their workflow. With some due diligence, you can match your needs to the
services offered by vendors. At OffSite Image Management, our cloud PACS
options are a perfect match for critical access and rural hospitals, specialty
hospitals, surgery centers, orthopedic centers and urgent care facilities.
We know that some facilities won’t require all capabilities of a fully-loaded
PACS, which is why we offer three different tiers of PACS solutions. Contact
us and let’s discuss your needs and which solution will work for
today’s and tomorrow’s needs.
