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As more hospitals jump on the digital-imaging bandwagon, Picture Archiving and Communications Systems (PACS) are fast becoming standard equipment in the world of radiology -- and giving rise to new career opportunities for already in-demand radiology professionals.
PACS refers to software that enables healthcare facilities and physicians to manage and archive patient images and information, and to share both via the Internet. PACS environments do away with film.
"The industry is headed toward a filmless environment," says Joanne Orozco, human resources manager for Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. "PACS streamlines the radiology department and reduces legwork."
That may be so, but, like any new technology, PACS also has the potential to cause major headaches for department personnel. How do imaging professionals really feel about working with PACS?
Passionate About PACS
"I love my PACS system," says Daren Burns, PACS/radiology information systems administrator at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California. Providence implemented its system about two years ago and now runs a completely filmless department without regrets.
"The PACS finally gives us the ability to handle and distribute images in a more efficient and natural manner," Burns says. "Images are acquired digitally, so that's how they should be distributed and stored."
Walter Brisebois, PACS coordinator for Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital in Windsor, Ontario, worked with PACS for about two years with a previous employer before the Canadian hospital hired him to head up the implementation of its new system.
"We lose about 5 percent of all X-rays, which is typical in healthcare settings, and most of those lost films can't be billed," he says. "From that viewpoint, PACS is going to eliminate more headaches than it causes, because the film won't get lost."
Loss of Patient Contact
Burns admits that his job is a "little more intense" in the PACS environment, because hospital staffers are still getting comfortable with the technology. Like all technology-based solutions, PACS is less than perfect, but Burns says the department's number of after-hours calls related to user errors is declining monthly.
"My stress is not so much in maintaining the system, because we use an application service provider model," he explains. "My stress is in adding workstations, adding users and adding environments."
Some operators complain about the loss of patient contact in a PACS environment. "Technicians with more advanced positions that deal strictly with PACS enter into a computer-based job that is void of clinical interaction," Orozco says. "That can be a drawback for some."
Good Pay, Good Opportunity
PACS technicians say that the higher salaries they earn over other radiology professionals often make up for the decreased patient interaction.
Those in this growing healthcare niche anticipate abundant opportunities for PACS-savvy healthcare workers in the future as more hospitals begin migrating to filmless environments. Children's Memorial Hospital created three positions -- applications specialist, manager and director -- when it migrated to PACS. PACS departments also need super users, those with high levels of training on the software, as well as back-end support technicians.
While PACS will require more tech-savvy personnel, it will also eliminate some clerical positions, Orozco notes, so technological experience is beneficial to radiology professionals in an increasingly digitized healthcare landscape.
"There's just not enough people out there to take on the technology challenges in healthcare," Brisebois says. "A lot of people in the field are jumping from one job to another, because the price for people with PACS experience is getting up [there]. The demand for people with PACS skills is so high."
