Nowrangi Rajeev, Elangovan Stacey M, Coley Brian D, Crotty Eric J, Merrow Arnold C, Nagaraj Usha D, O'Hara Sara M, Smith Susan N, Bennett Paula, Towbin Alexander J
Department of Radiology, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, USA.
Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
J Imaging Inform Med. 2025 Sep 19. doi: 10.1007/s10278-025-01672-7.
Selecting a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) is a strategic decision that impacts radiology workflow, communication, and operational efficiency. Despite its importance, there is limited guidance on structured approaches to PACS procurement. This study aims to describe a comprehensive, data-driven approach to evaluating and selecting a clinical PACS within a radiology department. A six-phase process was developed: team formation, expectation setting, background assessment, initial vendor assessment, virtual demonstrations, and final evaluation. A multidisciplinary committee identified key pillars and concepts for PACS functionality, which informed vendor evaluations through surveys, standardized demonstrations, and a detailed request for proposal. Quantitative and qualitative data were used at each phase to score vendors across multiple dimensions including usability, integration, performance, and cost. Eleven pillars and 236 concepts were defined and weighted to evaluate vendor solutions. Five vendors were shortlisted after an initial presentation. These vendors were invited to provide a virtual demonstration. Three vendors were then selected for onsite assessments using department-generated anonymized datasets. Comprehensive RFPs and cost analyses were incorporated into final evaluations. Ultimately, the incumbent vendor was selected with a recommendation for reevaluation in 3 years, guided by detailed assessment metrics and stakeholder feedback. This case study offers a potentially reproducible methodology for healthcare institutions evaluating PACS solutions. Emphasizing transparency, stakeholder engagement, and data-driven decision-making, the approach should be adaptable to other technology procurement efforts and scalable to smaller projects.
选择图像存档与通信系统（PACS）是一项战略决策，会影响放射科的工作流程、沟通以及运营效率。尽管其很重要，但关于PACS采购的结构化方法的指导却很有限。本研究旨在描述一种全面的、数据驱动的方法，用于评估和选择放射科内的临床PACS。开发了一个六阶段流程：团队组建、期望设定、背景评估、初始供应商评估、虚拟演示和最终评估。一个多学科委员会确定了PACS功能的关键支柱和概念，通过调查、标准化演示以及详细的提案请求为供应商评估提供依据。在每个阶段使用定量和定性数据，从可用性、集成性、性能和成本等多个维度对供应商进行评分。定义并加权了11个支柱和236个概念，以评估供应商的解决方案。在初次展示后筛选出了五家供应商。邀请这些供应商进行虚拟演示。然后选择了三家供应商使用部门生成的匿名数据集进行现场评估。全面的提案请求和成本分析被纳入最终评估。最终，选择了现任供应商，并建议在3年内重新评估，这是在详细评估指标和利益相关者反馈的指导下进行的。本案例研究为医疗机构评估PACS解决方案提供了一种可能可重复的方法。该方法强调透明度、利益相关者参与和数据驱动的决策制定，应适用于其他技术采购工作，并可扩展到较小的项目。
