The HUS Helsinki Medical Imaging Center and GE Healthcare IT have announced that they have signed a significant contract to implement the digital picture archiving and communication system, Centricity PACS. The hospital district of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS) is the largest hospital district in Finland and about 30% of the Finnish population lives in this area. The district produces almost one million radiology exams per year and owns over 250 images producing modalities. 160 radiologists and thousands of PACS-using clinicians work in HUS. The new solution will help to connect all imaging units throughout the wide Helsinki area. Wherever a patient goes for medical consultation his or her images will be accessible via a secure and encrypted digital portal.
When asking radiologist Mika Koivikko at Töölö Hospital for the considerations that led to replacing the existing PACS solution he said: “Imaging and image distribution have to work in any clinical environment. That’s why during PACS acquisition we specifically paid attention for applications and image distribution from the clinician’s point of view. In addition, HUS-Röntgen was looking for a partner who is able to deliver the required technology, know-how and proven reliability. With the new PACS we now have a suitable and practical solution and system maintenance is not binding too much resources.”
Even with a low bandwidth the solution provides very fast streaming and a big set of tools with a simple internet connection: MIP/MPR, integrated ultrasound, mammography and orthopedic tools, easy second opinion consulting and a lot more. By means of an easy authorization concept, external users like referring physicians get access (‘Grant Access’) to the same data, images, reports and tools as their colleagues at a hospital site. Thanks to AW Server a smooth radiology workflow with intuitive tools, advanced clinical applications and fast post processing is supported. The synergy especially between AW Server and RIS offers extensive reporting capabilities to radiologists and clinicians.
“We are very happy to connect the HUS healthcare providers to a joint platform from where they can manage, retrieve, exchange and store patient images throughout the whole region,” said Juergen Reyinger, vice president and general manager at GE Healthcare IT EMEA. “The full IT package to be installed there will, on the one hand, help to increase access and save costs and, on the other hand, will speed up workflows and ensure higher efficiency. In the end this will be to the benefit of medical staff and the local population alike,” Reyinger concluded.