Search
My colleague Rob Fabrizio authored an article published in Diagnostic Imaging that discusses the dire need to combat radiologic technologist burnout. Diagnostic imaging professionals like you can relate all too well, as it has already happened or could happen to any of us. Every day, radiologists encounter exasperating situations that ultimately come to a head in the form of (you guessed it) burnout. Of the many possible contributing factors, they’re bombarded with ever-growing caseloads and increasingly- complex studies. And while your PACS should be your greatest resource for conquering these mounting diagnostic tasks, using the wrong PACS can often exacerbate the problem.
So what does the right PACS look like? First of all, it shouldn’t mirror a traditional PACS. The majority of today’s PACS are designed as siloed radiology image-management systems. To achieve the goal of thorough and consistent study assessments, input from other service lines is critical. Our Senior Vice President of Medical Informatics Bill Lacy said it well:
“Across the board, there’s a need for a consolidated, centralized imaging record. Healthcare enterprises are obligated to show the full patient “picture,” so providers can deliver optimal care. Departmental imaging silos no longer fit the bill. Modern-day PACS is not just for radiology.”
If we want to tackle radiologist burnout head-on, PACS technology must function as a centralized enterprise imaging system. I spoke about a related topic in my last blog post. PACS need to bring together radiology, cardiology, mammography, and specialty department imaging and present all of the information in a way that’s conducive to the end user’s workflow.
Additionally, an enterprise PACS needs supplementary applications that are native to the platform. Take advanced visualization and artificial intelligence, for example. These tools are strategically designed to streamline and simplify radiologists’ daily tasks and workflow. While advanced visualization helps enhance diagnostic accuracy by adding insight to improve the way studies are seen, artificial intelligence can help identify abnormalities and prioritize those studies within providers’ worklists. AI can also effectively address the tedious and time-consuming tasks that bog down radiologists.
When equipped with pertinent imaging tools and provided with all relevant information in a coherent and actionable manner, radiologists can make more-informed, high-quality care decisions —without a legacy PACS getting in the way.
To learn more about Fujifilm’s enterprise PACS, Synapse 7x, watch the video below or contact us here.
