PACS Training - Options

PACS training can be a source of frustration for new PACSadministrators. One of the more hotly debated topics with regards toPACS administration is what type of individual makes up a quality PACSminister.

The two sides of this argument include the radiology based PACSadministrator and the other is the IT-based PACS administrator.

The radiology based PACS administrator hails from an imagingtechnologist background. This is typically an individual who was aradiographer or had multiple roles within the radiology department onvarious imaging modalities. This individual was selected because of hisor her excellent understanding of the radiology workflow as well as ademonstrated knowledge of computers. This individual usually does quitewell at adapting PACS into radiology workflow but suffers slightly whendealing with complex DICOM or infrastructure issues.

The IT-based PACS administrator hails from the IS or IT (pick yourpreference). This individual may bring some high-level understanding ofclinical workflow but doesn't really understand the nuts and bolts ofwhat makes a radiology department function. The IT-based PACSadministrator is excellent during pre-PACS preparations when newinstallation of servers, workstations and networking hardware isrequired. Additionally they excel at downtime scenarios wherenetworking or hardware failure is at fault. Radiology workflow issueshowever, can be difficult to an IT-based PACS administrator who may find him or herself having difficulty optimizing the use of PACS.

Regardless of which side of the fence you began your PACS administrator career on, one thing is certain and that is that you need to obtain additional training. Obviously the first place to look for training is on the areas that you are weak. The following it is a list of items (web pages, magazines, and schools) that may be beneficial to knowing about as you begin your quest for more knowledge into the world of PACS.

Formal schools: this is a large undertaking. This requires asignificant time commitment, a significant financial commitment and a significant personal commitment. If you are willing to do all of that, this is the way to go. It'll get you formalized training in the area that you are least experienced giving you a fully rounded background as a PACS administrator.

PACS training organizations: this is a quickly growing field.Currently, there are several opportunities to turn to when seeking out PACS training. Some example of these groups include; MTMI (Medical Technology Management Institute), SG&A Consulting, RCG Healthcare Consulting, and OTech. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list but just a sample of what is out there offering PACS training.

Online resources and user groups: for a lower cost and perhaps even no cost in some cases there are a large number of user groups that are available that provide lively discussions on some of the hotter topics affecting PACS administrator's is below this serving as a resource during your day-to-day activities as a PACS administrator. Of course, this forum is one that I highly recommend. Another one that I highly recommend is the JS PACS Administrator Forum. Additional discussion boards or groups include; Club PACS, the AuntMinnie PACS Forum, and the Yahoo PACS Admin group. Again, this is not an exhaustive list of all of the PACS groups that are available, but a sample of some of the ones available.

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