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Film x-ray replaced w digital image at Waikato DHB
Media information
For immediate release
5 November 2009
Film x-rays replaced with digital images at Waikato DHB
A new system that replaces film x-rays with digital
images is live at
Waikato, Thames, Tokoroa, Taumarunui
and Te Kuiti hospitals.
The Picture Archive Communication
System (PACS) allows hospital staff
to view images and
results from x-ray, CT, ultrasound, MRI,
nuclear
medicine, fluoroscopy and angiography instantly
on their computer
screen.
Images are magnified, rotated, enhanced and printed for a better view.
Health
Waikato chief operating officer Jan Adams said it is an
exciting
time for the five hospitals.
"PACS will make
us much more efficient and as a result, will improve
the
service we provide to our patients.
"Instant access to
images and the ability to enhance them means a
quicker
and more accurate diagnosis," she said.
PACS allows clinicians from across the five hospitals to view results.
Waikato also joined forces with Bay of Plenty DHB
to implement the same
system across the two
regions.
This means clinicians from Health Waikato
hospitals, Tauranga and
Whakatane hospitals and Opotiki
Medical Centre have access to the same
system to view the
same results.
"Before PACS there was only ever one copy of
a result, so only one
person could view it and others had
to travel to get to it or wait for
it to come by mail,"
Mrs Adams said.
Now staff log-in and view the same image,
at the same time, from any
hospital computer.
Because
of this, the new system promises to reduce the number
of
patient transfers between hospitals.
"PACS provides
staff from different hospitals with the ability to
view
the results on their computer and assess the patient before
he or
she is transferred," Mrs Adams said.
Many DHBs
already use PACS but Waikato and Bay of Plenty are the
first
to implement the system together.
One team worked
across the two regions to ensure a smooth
implementation
at all sites.
"PACS went live over there in August and
staff praised the system for
being so much better than
they anticipated and they are incredibly
pleased with
it..
"It has saved them time, saved them from several
trips to different
departments and ultimately made huge
improvements to the way they work
each day.
"PACS makes
it all much easier and we're all very excited that it
has
finally arrived in the Waikato," Mrs Adams said.
Last
month, Waikato DHB launched a new radiology information
system to
work alongside PACS.
More than 1000 Waikato
DHB staff completed training for the new systems
and the
project team are providing ongoing support during the
transition
period.
ENDS
Waikato District Health Board
Healthy People. Excellent Care
Waikato District Health Board (DHB) employs over 6500 people and plans, funds and provides hospital and health services to more than 391,770 people in a region covering eight per cent of New Zealand.
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