Impact of cross-enterprise data sharing on portable media with decentralised upload of DICOM data into PACS

Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate portable media utilisation for image data sharing between enterprises. To predict the costs required to keep up with the trend. To identify related problems.

Methods

A software package was developed to include patient image data from CD into our normal workflow. The trend in the workload of CDs that were uploaded into a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) over 89 months was analysed. The average number of images per month (and per investigation) was calculated to provide the estimation of storage and cost required in the whole process.

Results

All Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) files can be read from compact disc (CD) on any workstation in the hospital, processed quickly to the central server and checked after storage using the software tool. A total of 33,982,404 images from 88,952 CDs have been stored into the PACS system. In recent years, the stored images have reached an average of 4.2 terabytes (TB) uncompressed annually.

Conclusion

Integrated information about patients is clearly needed to provide easy and timely access to these data. The steadily growing storage can be solved by a more automated approach to portable media handling or the installation and acceptance of network-based transfer using cross-enterprise document sharing (XDS).

Get the full paper (Open Access) here.

Cross enterprise data sharing

In radiology the data sharing between healthcare enterprises is a growing challenge and concern. Large amounts of CDs and DVDs are being shipped daily with big problems concerning the handling, viewing, upload, etc. Health Imaging has published a short article about 5 tips for optimizing image sharing. It is worth to read for those involved.

AJR: Beware—Non-DICOM CDs on the rise

We already noticed in our hospital that the amount of CDs coming in that could not be read by our DICOM tools was increasing. This is now confirmed by a publication in the American Journal of Roentgenology. Wonder what other peoples experiences are in this area.


Although the number of hard-copy films submitted for secondary neuroradiology interpretations have plummeted, the volume of non-DICOM CDs has nearly doubled, according to a study published in the April issue ofAmerican Journal of Roentgenology. 

AJR: Beware—Non-DICOM CDs on the rise

Is the end of the CD era approaching?

The distribution of patient imaging data on CDs and DVDs is commonplace in almost every hospital in developed countries. However, with the increasing demand on imaging and the increase in the amount of data generated at each acquisition, the number of CDs and DVDs is increasing dramatically and the flood of portable media is almost impossible to handle. Network based sharing over the internet using secure protocols and profiles such as XDS(i) could solve the problem. Read the story from the HIMSS by Healthcare Technology Management for more information. HIMSS: Is the end of the CD era approaching?