Successful PACS integration in Mauritius
Cardiovascular surgeon Dr Miodrag Todorovic explains how an island hospital – which is a medical centre of excellence and regional reference centre – is further improving medical care for patients there and in six neighbouring states with the help of a new picture archiving system from Visus
As a new hospital, the Apollo Bramwell Hospital (ABH) sits in a unique position in the Indian Ocean. On the attractive and important island of Mauritius, it serves patients from six small neighbouring states and has emerged as a centre of excellence and a regional reference centre since it opened two years ago.
Selecting the right equipment to meet the needs of patients and enable the clinical staff to deliver high-level care was a crucial part of the early development of the hospital. Among those decisions was selecting the best PACS (picture archiving and communication system). When looking for a PACS supplier cardiovascular surgeon Dr Miodrag Todorovic, the Clinical Advisor of Medical Services and Quality Control ABH, said that Visus offered the best quality and price and is an emerging company offering technological breakthroughs. ‘So far,’ he said, ‘over the two years, we ‘ve had only good experiences with Visus products.’
ABH is a 200-bed special care institution offering top-level diagnostic and treatment procedures providing care in cardiothoracic, orthopaedic, neurosurgery, nephrology and transplant surgery along with paediatrics, maternity, and therapies including stem cells and in-vitro-fertilisation. ‘Mauritius also has an orientation to develop the highest standard of medical services, and become a hub for medical excellence,’ Dr Todorovic pointed out, adding that the country is attracting professionals, investors and international clients.
The Diagnostics Department offers computerised tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including whole body MRI, angiography, ultrasound investigations, X-ray and fluoroscopy, OPG dental X-ray, 64-slice dual head CT scan, 1.5 Tesla MRI, and mammography. Additionally, the hospital has an advanced EMR (Electronic Medical Records) system. ABH conducts 17,000 digital X-rays annually, including 2,800 CT scans, 1,700 MRIs, and 7,000 ultrasound scans, all handled through PACS, which covers the whole hospital.
In particular, the PACS system offers the radiology department a number of high definition diagnostic screens, along with separate diagnostic centres for the cardiovascular department and catheterisation lab, with each consultation room connected to the system and clinicians able to access the PACS via the internet.
Linked into the Hospital Information System (HIS) and the telemedicine system (both from other providers) the PACS enables doctors to access images within the patient, consultation and diagnostic areas as well as from their homes. The physicians can also seek second opinions or specific advice through teleconferencing, transferring images to colleagues in places such as America, Europe or India. Visiting consultants from other hospitals can also be accredited to access the PACS.
Clinicians at ABH are reported to be pleased with the PACS integration across the entire hospital. As Dr Todorovic said, ‘It is fast, reliable and easily connectable with other systems. We have good pictures, good storage recall from the system, and fast availability on the diagnostic screens. We’re very, very satisfied.’
15.02.2012
