Choosing the best solution for your clinic’s radiology workflow depends on several factors.

First, if your radiology clinic exists as part of a larger system – such as a hospital or academic institution – it’s likely that your solution will need to integrate with a master-level solution spanning multiple departments, such as an EHR. In this case, high-level system architecture and patient record are likely determined by your organization’s governance structure and it’s likely that you already use DICOM as your file management standard. Here, you may be better off requesting specific additions that meet your needs, such as PACS for image management.

Smaller clinics, including private practices, may face more difficult decisions regarding which solutions to implement, as well as when to implement them. Generally, a smaller clinic can use multiple, integrated solutions – such as an RIS for primary structure and workflow, EHR/EMR for patient records, and PACS for image management – that individually excel at meeting their unique needs. Although an EHR or other master-level system might include more functionality out of the box, these types of systems are often calibrated for large healthcare organizations, offering less of the nuance and tailored functionality provided by individual vendors.

Ultimately, no matter your organization’s size, it is important to compile a list of your clinic’s most urgent and high-value needs, and work with vendors to learn about how their solutions address those needs and improve efficiency. A qualified vendor should be able to tell you, in clear terms, how their product or service will save you time, save you money, reduce errors, or otherwise generate value at different times post-deployment, including in the near, intermediate, and long terms.

Learn more about the right solution for your practice with our latest guide The Difference between PACS, RIS, CIS, DICOM: The Ultimate Guide to get even more insight to the questions below: