The purpose of this case study is to allow you to see the real beauty of a PACS/RIS integration in real setting. The study in focus is TTSH’s crisis management during SARS in year 2003.
The system was implemented in year 2001 and went live in year 2003. 2 weeks before SARS hit SG.
First SARS case: late Feb. By: 31 May 2003, WHO took SG off the SARS list. During this 3 month period, TTSH screened 9000 patients (approx. 300 patients per day).
The True Benefits of the system came into play during this period:
By producing and storing images and their corresponding reports digitally, repeated manual handling of xray films were eliminated which was a source of fomite transmission.
With aid of technology, radiologist could provide faster reports which translates into early SARS diagnosis for patients. Data entry work and paper handling were also greatly reduced.
Previously, physical xrays were loaded onto a van, batch by batch, and transported physically to the radiologist reporting centre every hr. This would also be the case even if the xray production point and the reporting centre was just a few min’s drive away. Paper reports were then transported back from the doctors using the same method.
Hence, can you image the number of causalities had the TTSH relied on the old methods of producing and storing images and reports. It would probably be much higher than the number of causalities reported.