Hospitals enter the digital age of imaging

Hunter New England Health has recently completed rolling out a new digital imaging system to 23 sites across the Area Health Service, making it the first Area Health Service in NSW to have a fully digital imaging service in all facilities.

The system has been installed as part of a $6 million project which has been co-funded by the Australian Government under the Clever Networks Program in partnership with NSW Health and Hunter New England Health.

Hunter New England Health Chief Executive Dr Nigel Lyons said the project involved the introduction of a PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) and RIS (Radiology Information System) to all facilities in the Hunter New England Health Area.

“The new system will give these facilities access to state-of-the-art digital imaging, allowing an x-ray to be taken on site and then be available online to multiple clinicians on their computer screen,” Dr Lyons said.

“Diagnostic images are electronically stored and viewed via a computer network. Storing images electronically means they cannot be misplaced or lost like the traditional film x-rays can.

“This will be particularly beneficial for patients in the rural and regional parts of the health service because it means images will be available to clinicians at the point of care. It will also allow clinicians to discuss patient images, facilitating second opinions from specialists at larger hospitals more quickly,” Dr Lyons said.

“This consultation may result in patient transfers being avoided or allowing pre-treatment planning to commence while the transfer is taking place so that the patient is treated more efficiently”.

Dr Lyons said that the new system was also a vast improvement on the traditional film- based radiology previously used at the facilities.

“The old system required all examinations to be printed on film and the film could only be transported manually between hospital and referral sites. Only one clinician could have access to the film at one time which was quite inefficient and delayed the reporting by radiologists,” Dr Lyons said.

The completion of the rollout fulfils a key recommendation of the Garling Inquiry to introduce digital imaging technology to all Hunter New England Area Health sites within 18 months.

Media Inquiries: Sharna McCarthy – ph 4921 4501 and 0414 883 074 (Ref: HNE-2107)

Contact: Sharna Mccarthy

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