Many medical facilities are transitioning to computerized medical records to comply with the HITECH Act as well as free up on-site space. Now these facilities are discovering they do not have the appropriate infrastructure or personnel in place to manage the vast amounts of medical images being stored digitally. There are many companies who provide Digital Medical Image Storage Services, who not only leverage their server capacity to store medical images; many will also store your physical records offsite. These offsite medical storage companies can also retrieve a hardcopy medical file if needed, lending an added sense of security. Having these medical images digitally stored also means access to patient records 24/7, improving medical care.
HIPAA compliant software is also available to help organize and manage digital medical images. Most medical image storage software is compatible with various PACS systems and can interface with hospital management practices. PACS systems enable medical facilities to archive film, patient files and images onsite and offsite, make patient paper records and images available for retrieval through a secure network, and provide a workstation to view and study medical images of various modalities. Going digital can be an overwhelming task for a medical facility, and whether they choose offsite archiving, image archive software or an entire PACS system, it is important that the solution be scalable and able to interface with current and future digital medical image solutions.