Jose Maria Sevilla, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jose Maria Pinto, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Celia Varela PhD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Jaime Jimenez, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Milagros Pinardo, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Antonio Del Barrio, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

The deployed solution has allowed creating a regional-wide radiology department where images from any patient can be viewed at any point of our region. The system gives service to more than 130 radiologists and more 8000 users of primary care centres.

The SESCAM includes 18 hospitals, 220 Primary care centers, and 10 Centers of specialized diagnosis and treatment. The goal set in 2003 was to implement a Regional-wide PACS-RIS solution. Independent RIS-PACS systems have been implemented in each hospital. The challenge was to establish communications between the different PACS and RIS to permit examinations to be viewed from any point in the region. To achieve this objective, a multicentre RIS was used, making a connection between any two given hospitals and thus allowing the radiologist to report on the examination from any point in the network. In addition, a centralized database containing consolidated information allows previous reports and studies to be consulted using web services.  

The robustness and flexibility of the solution provided a reliable framework where new advance tools and services have been provided to the staff of the Healthcare Service. Speech recognition has been integrated with the regional RIS. The RIS is integrated with our PACS viewer and also with more specialized viewers, like FFDM viewers. Nowadays, teleradiology services are also being performed. Centres with a shortage of radiologists are being attended by radiologists sited in another centres. CAD systems are being deployed to help radiologists in the interpretation of FFDM, lung and liver TAC studies. In addition, general practitioners working in the primary healthcare centres can access radiology studies by using their own EHR system. From 2006 to 2008 the regional radiology department has reduced its consumption of film in a 93%.  

The deployment of a common solution in the whole region allows the interoperability among the different centres. However, each centre is independent and therefore any failure in one of them does not affect to the others.

Sevilla, J, Pinto, J, Varela, C, Jimenez, J, Pinardo, M, Del Barrio, A, The Regional Radiology Department of the Public Regional Healthcare Service of Castilla La Mancha (SESCAM): Seven Years Experience.  Radiological Society of North America 2009 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 29 - December 4, 2009 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2009/8011040.html