State-of-the-Art Digital Imaging
Mercy General Hospital is installing a state-of-the-art digital imaging system to allow doctors in various areas of the hospital to instantly see CT scans and other patient images. The new technology will allow Mercy General's physicians and staff to provide the appropriate treatment in a much faster manner because films won't need to be developed or delivered. The digital technology makes the image transmission immediate and allows several physicians to view the images simultaneously from different locations. As soon as patient exams are completed, they will be available for on-line viewing, allowing for quicker diagnosis and treatment.
Imagine a situation where a Sacramento resident is injured in an automobile accident late at night. Emergency medical response transports the person to Mercy General's Emergency Department (ED). The ED physician suspects serious injuries - quick diagnosis and treatment are critical to the patient's well-being. A CT scan is done. The results are immediately displayed on a digital monitor in the ED. The ED physician is on the phone calling the hospital radiologist and on-call surgeons. Within seconds, all three physicians, in different locations, are on a conference call with the radiologist and simultaneously view a digital scan of the patient's injuries on their computer monitors. Decisions are made quickly, treatment can begin and precious minutes are saved.
"The implementation of this state-of-the-art imaging system will allow Mercy General to deliver patient information more efficiently to physicians anywhere and anytime throughout the patient care episode," says Hospital President Denny Powell. "Our physicians will have access to state-of-the-art tools in clinical imaging, advanced visualization and workflow representing the latest developments in technology."
PACS, the system used to transfer this critical information, is an example of Mercy General Hospital and Dignity Health's commitment to investing in advanced technology and state-of-the-art facilities in order to provide the best care and service possible for our patients.
