Patients in Sunrise Health Region will benefit from reduced waits and improved access as result of a secure computer system for the storage, retrieval, and display of diagnostic images, such as X-rays and CT scans. The system is called the Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS).
Yorkton Regional Health Centre joins hospitals in Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Lloydminster, Swift Current, and three hospitals in Saskatoon as the first hospitals in the province that have this type of digital imaging system.
"Being in Yorkton today to talk to the health care professionals and to see firsthand how PACS provides a higher quality of care to patients is impressive," Health Minister Don McMorris comments. "Central archiving of information allows authorized providers to securely access digital images, like x-rays, ultrasounds, and CT scans, when and where patients need care. This speeds up the time for diagnosis and treatment."
"Our provincial leaders and information technology specialists have shown exceptional vision," Sunrise Health Region (Interim) CEO Suann Laurent adds. "Sunrise Health Region is proud of our local team, dozens of people, who have worked for three years to implement the system in our region, benefiting our patients and reducing their need to travel for health care consultations."
"The efficiency of radiology reporting is much improved with the PACS system and we no longer spend excessive time handling the many steps in the old paper and film based process," Sunrise Health Region Chief of Radiology Dr. Johann Hahn says.
Safeguards are in place to ensure that only health professionals involved in patient care access personal health information. Policies, procedures and electronic security protect the information from unauthorized use, error or loss.
PACS and the Pharmaceutical Information Program (PIP) are the first components of a provincial electronic health record.
