While it's becoming harder to find healthcare facilities that are working without integrated RIS/PACS than with a standalone RIS, one thing is certain -- either acronym represents standard operating procedure today.
Certainly, radiology's shift to digital imaging from analog/film helped spark the revolution, but broader advances in the information technology industry have also filtered into healthcare. For example, the rise of data mining technology has led to an explosion of digital dashboard applications that enable imaging facilities to track their operations, in some cases in real-time.
Healthcare organizations are looking for easy-to-use, plug-and-play, modular technologies for a quick return on investment. The most attractive products are those that can be interfaced or integrated with any modality or platform, as well as those with open architecture while maintaining data integrity and security.
Some of the buzzwords sprinkled in product descriptions of items for display at RSNA include "customizable," "flexible," and "scalable," as organizations look to grow in volume and expand services.
For a rundown on who's showing what in Chicago in healthcare informatics, click on the links below. If you're looking for pure-play PACS products, visit our Road to RSNA 2008: PACS Preview, and for advanced visualization software, check out the Road to RSNA 2008: Advanced Visualization Preview.
