Information management in the cardiology department. An analysis of current options for replacing cinefilm.

A major cost component in cardiac angiography is the use of cinefilm for archiving. In addition, cinefilm is difficult to reproduce. There is only one unique archival copy, and if it becomes torn, or lost, it cannot be replaced. Consequently, physicians and administrators looking to save time, increase efficiency and cut costs are also looking for ways to eliminate cinefilm use. Major driving forces that must lead to a replacement of cinefilm are: Cost reduction and Efficiency improvement. The challenge in cardiology is to find a digital cardiac archiving solution that meets the three basic requirements: 1. Cost effectiveness, 2. Ability to perform the basic clinical functions: Review, Exchange and Archive, and 3. Standard format for exchange. A single medium solution, based on CD technology, can fulfill all requirements for review, exchange and archiving. This CD solution, based on CD-Recordable must conform to the DICOM standard for exchange as defined by the ACC/NEMA committee. As advanced technology becomes available, further efficiency improvement can be achieved as extensions to the digital cine replacement based on CD technology. Such networked, multi media solutions are based on a hierarchical storage management concept, incorporate short term archives for on-line availability, and long term archives based on CD for immediate retrieval and exchange.