FAQs
- How do I access PACS?
- How do I get a user ID and Password?
- Can I access PACS from home?
- Will community physicians have access to PACS
- How will patients obtain their films?
- How will I obtain films for conferences?
- Can I get films in a TIF or JPEG file to print slides?
- How is data stored on the Archive?
- Will Raw data be stored?
- What is DICOM?
- Can the physicians at Grady Hospital obtain access to PACS
- How will the overlap between the current film room process and the new PACS system work?
What is the time frame for go live at EUH, TEC, and CLH?
- Will access to patient studies be any different with the PACS system than they are currently with other computer applications?
- Can I view two different types of studies on the same patient via the web server?
- Can I view images 2 on 1?
- How will the old studies get into the system?
- How deep will the archive be?
- How will my staff obtain training?
- Is MagicWeb and WebMagic the same thing?
- What Web Browser should I use?
- Will hard copy films still be available for viewing?
- Can I print images to a standard printer?
- How will attending physicians take images elsewhere for physician consults?
- How will consulting physicians gain access to different user groups?
- How is this going to affect my practice?
- Can departments other than radiology store images on PACS?
- Will outside films be stored on PACS?
- Who do I call if I forget my log-on ID or password?
- How do I change my password?
1. How do I access PACS?
Ninety percent of users will access PACS via the Web browser on a standard PC. You first need a user id and password. Once you have them you can access PACS by doing the following:
Open Internet explorer 5.5 and type in the location: https://pacs.eushc.org/magicweb and press Enter key.
Return to top
2. How do I obtain a user id and password?
To gain Web access to PACS you will need to have a user id and password. You can contact your Access Coordinator for your specific department. If you don´t know who your Access Coordinator is you may call 8-HELP.
Return to top
3. Can I access PACS from home?
Physicians, PA´S and Nurse Practitioners with a valid user ID and password can access PACS from home.
Return to top
4. Will community physicians have access to PACS?
Community physicians can view images on PACS via the Web browser if they have access to the Emory Healthcare network and have a user id and password. They must contact Steve Bible the access coordinator for Community Physicians at 404-686-2836 .
Return to top
5. How will patients obtain their images if needed?
The success of PACS depends largely on the elimination of film. Images can be burned onto compact disc that will include the necessary DICOM viewing application so images can be viewed from any standard PC. When justified, and an alternate means of transferal is not an option, films will be printed at a minimal cost.
Return to top
6. How will I obtain images for conferences?
The success of PACS depends largely on the elimination of film. Images can be burned onto compact disc that will include the necessary DICOM viewing application so images can be viewed from any standard PC. Where electronic conferencing is available, images can be viewed via the Web browser or on CD. There will be a charge for film in instances where electronic conferencing is not an option.
Return to top
7. Can I get images in TIF or a JPEG file to print to slides?
You will have the capability to capture images through the Web browser and transfer those images to a Power Point presentation or on CD in a JPEG format. The Web browser has a feature that allows for the removal of patient demographics. In order to comply with patient confidentiality standards, this should be done prior to downloading all images.
Return to top
8. How is data stored on the archive?
Images are transferred from the modality at a loss-less compression rate of 3:1 and remain on the short-term archive (RAID) for approximately 12 days. Images are transferred to the long term archive immediately and can be stored indefinitely. Images on the Web server are transferred from the modality at a lossy compression of 10:1 (not perceptible visually, only statistically) and remain there for approximately 40 days.
Return to top
9. Will raw data be stored?
Currently in the film environment raw data is not stored on hard copy and will not be stored in PACS. There is the potential for sharing data with the modalities that store raw data however, this requires increased archive storage space and DICOM compliance with each modality vendor, which is currently not available.
Return to top
10. What is DICOM?
Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) is an industry standard for the transmission of medical images and related information. ACR-NEMA is responsible for the ongoing development of the standard.
Return to top
11. Can a physician at Grady Hospital obtain access to PACS?
A physician at Grady Hospital can obtain access to PACS if they have access to the Emory Healthcare network and have a user id and password for the Web browser.
Return to top
12. How will the overlap between current film room process and the new PACS system work?
There will be a seamless transition. Prior to the go live date, images will be transmitted to the PACS archive. If there is a need for images prior to archive they can be digitized and loaded into PACS or can, in the case of CT and MRI, be reloaded onto the modality and transferred to PACS. Studies have shown that on average radiologists require a 10 day archive and clinicians require a 40 day archive.
Return to top
13. What is the time frame for go live at EUH, TEC, and CLH
The tentative schedule for CLH go live is July 30 2002, for EUH January 2003, and for WCI August 2003.
Return to top
14. Will access to patient studies be any different with PACS than they are currently with other computer applications such as Power Chart?
There is a desire to have some unification between PACS and Power Chart however this is in the design phase and is currently not available. Authorized users for current technology will continue.
Return to top
15. Can I view two different types of studies for a single patient via the Web Server?
Yes. When viewing images via the Web Server several tools will be available. Your viewing options are: view two different types of studies side by side for comparison, view the current and previous exam of the same study, and view the image and report side by side. Some of the tools available are: window/level (adjust brightnes and contrast), zoom, pan, invert/rotate and measure distance and angle.
Return to top
16. Can I view images 2 on 1?
Yes. PACS images are displayed in a predefined layout - depending on modality. However, several other layouts are available for viewing images at the same time.
Return to top
17. How will the old studies get into PACS?
The PACS archive will be receiving images from selected modalities prior to the go live date. If images are needed prior to the beginning of archive, they can be digitized on an as needed basis and transferred to PACS.
Return to top
18. How deep will the archive be?
Currently federal regulations mandate how long films must be stored. At minimum, PACS will adhere to federal regulations.
Return to top
19. How will my staff obtain training?
An extensive training program is currently in development. On line registration with class postings via the EHC PACS web site is being investigated.
Return to top
20. Is PACS (Magic Web) and WebMagic the same thing?
No.
PACS (MagicWeb ) is Siemens solution for state of the art image and report distribution via Intranet and Internet.
WebMagic is the call tracking system used by Emory Healthcare's IS department.
Return to top
21. What Web browser should I use when accessing PACS?
The only current certified Web browser is Microsoft Internet ExplorerŽ 5.5 (Virtual Machine installed).
Version 6.0 is currently not certified; however, may be available by go live date. Updates will be posted.
Return to top
22. Will hard copy films still be available for viewing?
The success of PACS depends largely on the elimination of film. There are some areas where there is not a current PACS solution i.e. the O.R., and film will be printed for those areas. We are currently investigating alternate means of providing adequate imaging solutions for these areas.
Return to top
23. Can I print images to a standard paper printer?
Via the Web browser, images can be printed on a standard printer if connected to your PC. The Web browser has a feature that allows for the removal of patient demographics. In order to comply with patient confidentiality standards, this should be done prior to downloading all images.
Return to top
24. How will attending physicians take images elsewhere for physician consults?
The success of PACS depends largely on the elimination of film. Images can be burned onto a compact disc that will include the necessary DICOM viewing application so images can be viewed from any standard PC. When justified, and an alternate means of transferal are not an option, films will be printed at a minimal cost.
Return to top
25. How will consulting physicians gain access to images ordered by attending physicians?
The practice of viewing privileges currently used will continue. Any changes to this practice dictated by HIPAA would mandate a change in the current process.
Return to top
26. How is this going to affect my practice?
PACS can have a very positive affect on the clinicians practice. The success of PACS depends on how closely clinicians work with the radiology PACS team in evaluating work flow and customizing optimum PACS solutions for your practice.
Return to top
27. Can departments other than Radiology store images on the PACS?
The long-term goal of Emory Healthcare is to have a uniform archive for all medial imaging. This goal is currently out of the scope of the current project and budget.
Return to top
28. Will outside films be stored on PACS?
At this time there are no plans to store outside images on the Emory Healthcare PACS archive.
Return to top
29. Who do I call if I forget my log-on ID or password?
Call 8-HELP and they can reset your password
Return to top
30. How can I change my password?
Call 8-HELP and they can reset your password
Return to top
|
