A STUDY ON A MULTI-MODALITY IMAGING SYSTEM IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL: A CASE ON CARDIAC IMAGING.

Objectives: The increased need for optimizing the use of imaging modalities in the hospital setting has led to the introduction of numerous applications in various disciplines to meet health objectives. One medical discipline that depends on imaging is cardiology, which uses a full-fledged multi-modality picture archiving and communication system (PACS) solution. This research explores how healthcare professionals are using this PACS solution, as part of a transformational process in the healthcare system in general. Methodology: A qualitative study was conducted on the PACS solution system at King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH) during the month of December 2013. The study used a semi-structured interview protocol to understand how cardiologists and technicians at the King Fahad Cardiac Center(one of the research centers in KKUH) interact with this system. Results: Three out of 10 cardiologists (33.3%) and four technicians were interviewed during the visit. Responses were then analyzed using thematic analysis. Themes analyzed were clinical benefits of the system and challenges of using the system. Conclusion: An overall positive experience was reported by the participants in the study. The system has not only increased the quality of the care provided at the center but also provided fast and effective access to patient-imaging data from anywhere in the hospital. Moreover, the system helped clinicians to perform research on patients’ data. Several recommendations to optimize the use of this system include combining it with a lab order system to augment the clinical decision-making process and addressing the managerial issues.