The value teleradiology represents for Europe: a study of lessons learned in the U.S.

Pathology and demography have combined to fuel exponential demand for advanced medical imaging. To support this demand, radiology must move beyond traditional department or modality-based picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) to solutions that ensure access regardless of location. This article delineates underlying reasons for the growth in demand for access to medical imaging in both Europe and the United States. It explains why teleradiology/PACS is critical to support this growth in Europe. It discusses the benefits of and barriers to its widespread implementation as discovered in Canada and the U.S. and how these lessons learned relate to Europe. The article establishes the technological imperatives for teleradiology/PACS and presents three real-world case studies of successful data sharing and shared workflow models via single imaging implementations. Finally, it provides a high-level list of selection criteria for teleradiology/PACS and examines how industry trends affecting the U.S. are important baseline considerations to the success of teleradiology/PACS in Europe.