Beginning in December of 2004, Radiology and Imaging Specialists of Lakeland implemented a filmless environment in all diagnostic areas except for mammography.

The special Picture Archival and Communications System (PACS) captures all x-ray, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, CT and MRI exams electronically. Once these images exist in an electronic format, they may displayed, transmitted, archived and retrieved on a computer network where it becomes a permanent part of the patient’s electronic medical record.

Additionally, Radiology and Imaging Specialists of Lakeland has also implemented a Radiology Information System (RIS) that captures and stores all patient documents and diagnostic reports electronically.

This filmless and paperless environment results in the following advantages to patient care:

• The ability for physicians at remote locations to view images and reports simultaneously
• Better communication between physicians and radiologists
• No unnecessary duplication of tests due to “lost” films or reports
• Faster report turnaround times for radiology diagnostic reports
• Automatic faxing of patient reports to referring physicians’ offices
• The ability to compare previous and current exams and reports, leading to more accurate diagnoses
• Better patient flow and decreased exam times
• More effective patient privacy and security

The PACS and RIS have revolutionized the way that physicians provide diagnosis and treatment. A patient’s entire electronic medical record is now available on CD-ROM upon request

All Radiology and Imaging Specialists of Lakeland offices are connected via this secure, high-speed network.

For privacy and security reasons, exams that are archived in the PACS and the RIS are only accessible to authorized personnel and regularly backed up to an off-site location for long-term storage.

Radiology and Imaging Specialists of Lakeland remains committed to providing state-of-the-art diagnostic tools to improve the patient care process.