PACS in the private sector :  the view from the manager of the "Société d'Imagerie" of Bois-Bernard

The importance of a filmless environment for health institutions raises a few important questions:

- How to finance a PACS project in the private sector ?
- How to get an agreement on an investment without direct revues related to it ?

Mr Lejeune, general manager at the S.I.M.B.B. (Pas de Calais, France) puts the emphasis on the financing of PACS by film cost savings. The film consumption for medical imaging and for general radiology of this private clinic counting 231 beds, amounts to 750 KEUR excl. VAT over a 5-year period. The PACS investment (licenses, integration cost, hardware, maintenance) amounts to around 450 KEUR excl. VAT for coverage of 5 years. The objective to save 450 KEUR over a 5-year period is compatible with the theoretical residual cost of radiological film, color prints, CD-Roms and various consumption goods (300 KEUR).

Looking for the most suitable tool in accordance with their way of working, the S.I.M.B.B. chose Telemis-Medical PACS for its flexibilIty, ergonomics and strong evolution potential. From the investor's viewpoint the unlimited number of licenses plays an important role in the success of the deployment of PACS to the institution's clinicians. The implementation of Telemis-Medical started in September 2004. Mr Lejeune adds: "The project phase 1 is operational as from January 2005. Actually, the indicators are being evaluated now and the procedures for this study reconstruction, validated by the radiologists, are compatible with the economic goals : 1 CD + 2 smaller format films 11x14" and a paper print for the 3D reconstructions (for about 1 out of 4 patients).

On top of those film savings, PACS brings about several other not quantifiable savings: savings on waste treatment, savings on printer maintenance and renewal, on the waiting time related to film development, on storage (no need for a dedicated room anymore, no personnel costs related to organization, follow-up , archive, retrieval and distribution).

Finally, many other advantages related to this technology can be cited, such as saving radiologist time, immediate availability of any type of imaging result, the real-time access to the images just as easily via the EPR (Electronic Patient Record) as via the RIS (Radiology Information System), etc. At all levels the patient benefits from a PACS. Moreover, phases 2 and 3, shown in the picture on the first page, should allow the S.I.M.B.B. to deploy PACS by the end of 2005 within the different departments of the institution, e.g. the surgical consultation rooms, the emergency unit, dialysis, the hospitalization unit, etc. Furthermore, it should be possible to connect all medical imaging modalities into an integrated network such as to finally get imaging integrated with the Clinic's EPR and consequently experience a drastic reduction in film expenditure.