Tauranga Hospital's x-ray department has entered the digital world as it replaces monitor screens and x-ray film with computer technology.
The system is being launched jointly by the Bay of Plenty and Waikato District Health Boards, and simultaneously at Tauranga and Whakatane Hospitals, and the Opotiki Health Centre.
The Picture Archive System (PACS) stores x-ray images digitally so doctors and radiology staff can view them on their computers.

Chest x-ray

'It's good news for patients as it means different doctors can look at the same image at the same time to discuss a patient's treatment while they are in different locations,” says regional radiology manager Jill Wright.
'A surgeon and a radiologist can discuss a case from different hospitals if needed. In some cases this will mean patients may not need to be transferred to Waikato for assessment, or need further x-rays.
'It will also give doctors in rural hospitals a lot more support from colleagues.”
She says PACS will revolutionise imaging departments across the DHB.
'The PACS system gets the images to doctors much faster after a person's examination than was possible with x-ray film. Images can be magnified, rotated and enhanced in different ways to get better views, which means it's much easier to see if there is an issue that needs to be dealt with.”
The Bay of Plenty and Waikato DHBs are the first in the country to implement PACS as a joint regional project.
All radiology x-rays, ultrasounds, CT, fluoroscopy and angiography images performed at BOPDHB will be stored on PACS at the on line data centre in Hamilton.
Images can be viewed on PACS computers across the DHB in radiology departments, emergency department, outpatient clinics, operating theatres, wards, intensive care units, coronary care unit, special care baby unit, mortuary and peri-operative department. They will be available at Waikato DHB, when PACS is launched there later this year.