Dear PACS Insider,
It can be a frustrating and time-consuming process for radiologists to communicate image quality issues to technologists. At Thomas Jefferson University (TJU), however, researchers have developed a PACS plug-in that can handle that important quality control task with minimal interruption to workflow.
Called Technique Logger, the tool has helped improve communication between radiologists and technologists. It was also instrumental in detecting faulty equipment maintenance on one of the institution's radiography systems.
Our coverage of TJU's PACS plug-in is the subject of this month's Insider Exclusive, which you can access before the rest of our AuntMinnie.com members by clicking here.
In other news in this issue, discover what disturbing trends in radiology practice an ex-teleradiologist discovered during his two-year tenure at a teleradiology services firm.
While currently being used for only a small percentage of imaging studies, vendor-neutral archives (VNAs) are projected to take off worldwide over the next few years, according to market research firm InMedica. How big will the VNA market be by 2016? Click here for the details.
We also have a report this month on PACS adoption in China. Despite heavy investment by the Chinese government in healthcare IT, the PACS and digital revolution is still immature, according to the report from contributing writer Louise Gagnon.
You can also learn how the iPad can be a reliable tool for radiologists in diagnosing pulmonary embolism.
Those thinking about using the cloud for image management may be interested in a two-part series on a recent talk by attorneys Melissa Markey and Margaret Marchak on the challenges of bringing healthcare data to the cloud. In Part 1, you can learn about the benefits, regulatory issues, and risk assessment of the cloud. Part 2 covers their thoughts on vendor selection, contracting matters, and disaster recovery.
Do you have a topic you'd like to see covered in the PACS Digital Community, or are you interested in submitting an article? Please feel free to drop me a line.
