Understanding Cloud PACS for the Private Practice
A Publication by DICOM Grid
management and exchange.
Using our solutions, medical practices like yours have
transformed the way they manage medical images in order to improve collaboration and patient safety while reducing costs.
Improve Interoperability: Connect patients, care providers, and facilities Reduce Cost: Minimize unnecessary duplicate radiation procedures Save Time: Improve productivity and stop waiting to receive images Grow Network: Accept imaging information from out-of-network facilities
Image Share CD Ingestion Image Transfer
VNA/Storage Workflow Automation Mobile Viewing
Key Features
Talk to a product specialist to see how DICOM Grid can help you.
Table of Contents
Introduction...4
What is a Cloud PACS...5
When should you consider a Cloud solution for your practice?...6
Why opt for a Cloud PACS?...7
Make waves with Cloud PACS...9
What if you already have a PACS?... 10
Conclusion...12
Case Studies...13
Everyone who works at an image-intensive specialty practice has one thing in common: the need for on-demand access to diagnostic studies. Whether you’re an office administrator viewing a study burned onto a disc, a radiologist retrieving a prior from an archive, or a surgeon pulling up an exam in the OR, having the right image, at the right place and time is a business and clinical necessity.
Let’s preface by saying that this is not an eBook about software. Repeat, this is not an eBook about software. It’s more than that. Rather, it’s a document about how to strategize your prac- tice’s image management approach to yield a competitive advantage. A lot of moving pieces and elements go into building out a successful image management program. At the same time, we know that you are very busy and only looking for the information that you absolutely need to know.
So yes, we will discuss how new technology and software delivery models can give your practice an edge. More importantly, we’ll break down the strategic advantages of embracing DICOM Grid’s cloud image management philosophy and what a Cloud PACS can do for you – as clearly and as briefly as possible.
Introduction
Who should read this?
If you are reading this, it’s probably because you’re looking into purchasing your first PACS or you want to replace your current setup. You may have heard the term “Cloud PACS” and are wondering how it differen- tiates from a traditional PACS. Or maybe this topic is completely foreign to you. Either way, this eBook is for you.
First, what is a Cloud PACS? Let’s start there.
A Cloud PACS shares many similarities with a traditional PACS. The main difference is that rather than the hardware being located and managed in your facility, everything is hosted off-site in a centrally managed data center. To access studies with a Cloud PACS users simply log in to a browser-based interface. A Cloud PACS is a solution that falls under the umbrella term of Cloud image management. Although many people use Cloud PACS and Cloud im- age management interchangeably, the latter is a broader term that can encompass a variety of other web-based point solutions for handling imaging. More on that topic to come! For now, let’s explore a few basic topics that cover when and why?
What about Security?
In the medical world, security is where the rubber meets the road. In order to keep imaging secure in a Cloud environment, Cloud PACS vendors must comply with robust standards involving physical security, end-to-end encryption, user management, and auditing.
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What is a Cloud PACS?
Traditional PACS
Location 2 VPN
CT MR CT MR
Location 1
Cloud PACS
Data Center Storage
Patient viewing study upload
Location 2
CT MR
Gateway
Location 1 Gateway
CT MR
When it comes to image management, your current scenario probably falls into one of the four categories below.
1. “We need a PACS”
You are a new practice looking to invest in your first image management solution.
2. “We need a new PACS”
You are in the market for a new image management solution.
3. “Our PACS needs more functionality”
Your practice already owns a PACS but needs more capabilities such as image sharing, zero-footprint web viewing, etc.
4. “We need a backup PACS archive”
Your practice owns a PACS but needs a disaster recovery plan.
When should you consider a Cloud PACS? Simple, if you’re looking to invest in a new image management system you should be looking at Cloud solutions as an alternative to traditional PACS. Or, if you need to extend the functionality of your current setup with additional features you may consider Cloud solutions as a PACS supplement.
When should you consider a Cloud solution for your practice?
Is the question “what’s in it for me” a subconscious mantra playing loudly in the back of your mind as you read this? It should be! It’s the most important ques- tion to be asking. Upon first reading, the differences between a Cloud PACS and a traditional PACS may seem simple on paper. In one scenario, the data is hosted off-site and in the other, it is hosted in-house.
But, that’s not the only differentiator. Another distinc- tion is the software delivery model. Cloud PACS are provided as a “Software as a Service”.
SaaS Definition:
Software delivery model where software and associat- ed data are centrally hosted in the Cloud. SaaS solutions are typically accessed by users using a thin client or a web browser.
Why opt for a Cloud PACS?
Shift from CapEx to Opex:
One way of controlling expenses is to lower standing costs and replace them with discretion- ary costs. With a Cloud PACS you don’t need to purchase expensive hardware and/or infra- structure to get up and running. Shifting from a capital expenditure (CapEx) to an operational expenditure (OpEx) reduces the upfront investment in hardware and infrastructure.
Pay-as-you-go:
Rather than paying once and riding off into the sunset (only to be hit with additional charges for maintenance and upgrades down the road), a Cloud PACS payment model is subscription based. This means that users pay a set rate every month. The inherit benefit of pay-as-you-go is that it creates a predictable cost structure and allows you to budget without any hidden costs.
Reduction in total cost of ownership:
The underlying advantage of a SaaS payment model is to reduce the total cost of ownership for your image management ecosystem. Because the Cloud PACS provider maintains the hardware off-site, the implementation fees, maintenance, upgrades, user and IT support, and data storage costs can be significantly reduced if not eliminated entirely.
Software-as-a-Service, or SaaS for short, is a delivery model that has clear advantages for the private practice and makes a compelling case for the Cloud.
Advantage #1: The Cost/Payment Structure of SaaS
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Support:
If you’re practice is a small-scale operation, you probably run a tight ship. You may be the head surgeon of your clinic, but more often than not you’re also the finance department, marketing department and the “IT-guy”. Realistically, your time could be better spent on ac- tivities that don’t involve configuring networks and managing hardware updates. But do you know who has the time to be the “IT guy”? The professionally trained personnel employed by your Cloud PACS provider, that’s who! As part of the “Software-as-a-Service” model it is their responsibility to keep your system in tip top-shape around the clock.
Painless Upgrades:
Another eye opening comparison be- tween Cloud PACS and traditional PACS are how upgrades are handled.
In a Cloud environment, new features and functionality can be rolled into your account automatically and seamlessly.
Usually, upgrades occur on a pre-sched- uled date/time to ensure that you are always running the latest version of the
software. Alternatively, on-premises solutions differ in that the upgrades typically involve patch- es, and will require new hardware and installed software over time.
Seamless Integration:
The flexibility of cloud architecture makes it easy to bridge the gaps between the technologies that are already in use at your organization. A few widely adopted examples include con- necting DICOM devices using a gateway. A gateway allows you to seamlessly move studies between both modalities and viewers within the walls of your facility and beyond. Another example is to pull reports from your RIS and update PHI or send messages to your EMR using an HL7 feed. DICOM Grid is one of few imaging providers to integrate with EMRs. By gener- ating contextual imaging links and embedding them into the patient record, doctors can view studies directly from the EMR/EHR.
“At DICOM Grid, we believe in the service aspect of SaaS whole-heartedly, which is why each and every customer is teamed up with a dedicated account manager and 24/7 support. Our experienced support staff is on call to help with any questions that arise.”
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Advantage #2: The Service Aspect of SaaSInteractive Guide: How to Image-Enable the EMR
Experience first-hand how seamless integration makes diagnostic studies accessible within the patient record.
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The right image, at the right place, and the right time.
1 2 3 4
Viewing
Archive Exchange
Workflow
Software Services Support Mission
Strategic Pillars
Foundations
Zero-Footprint Viewer Mobile Access Remote Access EMR Integration Collaboration Operationalized
Lower Cost Disaster Recovery
Searchable Scalability Vendor Neutral
Web-based Sharing Gateway Technology
CD Ingestion Real-time Exchange PHI Normalization
Routing Automation
Analytics 3rd Party Integrations
Now that you know the basics of a Cloud PACS, when you should consider one, and how it can help your practice, let’s talk strategy. Stepping back and looking at the big picture, imaging is being impacted by a number of changing healthcare trends and regulations that promote collaboration and real-time information sharing. The result is that both patients and providers are seeking ways to exchange information at a faster and more efficient rate than ever before. This is why having an agile framework around image management is becoming both a regulatory and practical requirement in order to compete in the new marketplace.
There are many moving parts to an image management strategy, and it would become need- lessly complicated to explain in this eBook. Fortunately, we have created a graphical explana- tion to address many of the pieces. What it boils down to is a fairly simple philosophy which we outline using this handy image:
DICOM Grid’s W.A.V.E. Philosophy
The W.A.V.E philosophy is DICOM Grid’s approach to helping practices develop a com- prehensive framework around imaging. By providing a combination of software, services, and support and executing on the four pillars of image management (Workflows, Archiving, Viewing, and Exchange) we help you to ensure the right image is available at the right time and the place. Everything is bundled together into a next generation Cloud PACS solution that addresses all of your image management needs.
Make waves with Cloud PACS
What if you already have a PACS?
If you have already invested in a PACS, and it sufficiently handles the majority of your imaging needs, you may want to extend its functionality. You can supplement your current PACS invest- ment with Cloud solutions aimed at solving your specific challenges, such as CD ingestion, image sharing, mobile access, long-term storage, etc. In addition, you may want to consider utilizing a Cloud platform as a form of redundancy to ensure business continuity if your prima- ry PACS goes down.
Cloud solutions can help your practice streamline…
PHI Normalization
Standardize the patient identifiers across imaging data being received by outside facilities
Image Routing
Gateway technology can be used to auto-route imaging to groups of users or DICOM destinations
Automation
Create workflows to automate activities around PHI normalization, image sharing, etc.
Analytics and Audits
Get a snapshot of your practices imaging flow and see which users are viewing, sharing, downloading information and more
3rd Party Integrations
Integrate imaging with other technologies such as your EMR and RIS
Disaster Recovery
Implement long-term image storage as part of your business continuity plan
Vendor Neutral Archive
Create a centrally accessibly and search- able vendor agnostic storage system Mobile Viewing
Pull up exams using a viewing applica- tion that is specifically optimized for small screens
Remote Access
Log into your worklist from any device with Internet connectivity
Real-Time Collaboration
Take advantage of instant image sharing, annotation and reporting tools in a HIPAA safe environment
Web-Based Sharing
Facilitate real-time image sharing securely across the web
CD Ingestion
Improve your process around uploading and normalizing incoming exams burned onto physical media
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Better Patient Care
Streamlined care is one of the most practical benefits of implement- ing Cloud solutions. Image interoperability is key to delivering better patient care and is becoming a cornerstone topic in today’s world of accountable care, HIEs, and mobile health innovations. By breaking down vendor silos and achieving interoperability, Cloud PACS and cloud image management can improve care coordina- tion and clinical outcomes.
Process Improvement
From reducing the time for staff to burn and mail a CD, to eliminating manual data entry, there are count-
less examples of how Cloud image management platforms help to improve productivity and
save time on unnecessary activities.
Grow Network
In an increasingly crowded industry, attracting new opportunities for your medical business is cru-
cial to maintaining a competitive edge. One of the surest
ways to build out the pipeline is through referrals from physicians
and current patients. This requires that an efficient, timely referral process be in place. Having the right tools for transferring information between provid- ers and the recipients of your service are critical for success. A web accessible imaging platform makes it easy for referring doctors to send patient information in real-time, attract new sending sites, and ultimately increase referral volumes.
Quality of Life
Although very difficult to measure in quantitative terms, technology that can achieve a better work/life balance is important. One of the benefits of im- plementing a Cloud PACS is mobility and eliminating the need for users to be tethered to a workstation to access imaging and associated data. Cloud platforms help to ensure that imaging data is at the users fingertips. This means that if something comes up during non-clinical hours the information is just a few clicks away.
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Introduction to Cloud PACS for the Private Practice
Join us for an introductory webinar, jam-packed with information about transitioning to the Cloud.
In this eBook we covered a lot of ground - all the basics about Cloud PACS and Cloud im- age management. Practices around the world are using DICOM Grid as a complete PACS replacement while facilitating image exchange, remote access, second opinion reads, and more. To further shed light on these ideas, please download the case studies on the next page to learn how practices like yours are riding out the Cloud wave.
Of course, reading about a concept can only go so far. This is why we invite you to chat with one of our knowledgeable imaging experts to learn how DICOM Grid can help you. Get started by requesting a consultation.
Conclusion
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