imaging IT?

954heat · Joined: 29 Sep 2007 Posts: 73 Location: south florida

this question is for is hjh but anyone else is welcome to answer too. ive noticed in a few posts you said you do imaging IT. so my question: what exactly is imaging IT? ive never really heard of it so im just curious as to what it is and what you do, maybe its something i may want to get into one day. thanks.

hjhogle · Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:46 pm Post subject:

So glad you asked Smile

In ALMOST every hospital I've worked in, Radiology IT functions (PACS, RIS, dictation, etc) were supported by hospital IS (IS=information services, IT=information technology. They seem to be the same thing, regardless of what you call it).

At my current facility, Diagnostic Imaging has it's own IT department. (Although we're moving to a model of supporting all clinical departments). There are 16 of us. Director, 10 analysts of different sorts, 5 applications specialist/trainers. Currently, we support Diagnostic Imaging, Diagnostic Cardiology, the Neurosciences department and a new Cancer Center. All of that involves clinical systems. Not the imaging equipment, but the systems. PACS, RIS, dictation, critical results reporting, Rads peer review software, scheduling, registration .. and we cover the downtown campus, the cancer center, and 5 outpatient facilities. As well as anywhere at the University that uses our PACS system.

So it's a busy place. I love it - the thing I dislike the most in any job is boredom. And there is no boredom in my life today.

I wish I had a map and could tell you "do this and go there" and you can do what I do. Same as most of my life, I was in the right place at the right time. AND I have ALWAYS been willing to try something over my head.

good luck,
hjh, RT

954heat · Joined: 29 Sep 2007 Posts: 73 Location: south florida

thanks for the info! that sounds pretty interesting actually i think i knew someone that did this or something like this, i believe his job title was "pacs administrator" it was at my very first clinical site so i dont really remember to much, but i think he went around the department trouble shooting the pacs system and other stuff, im not sure if thats related to what you do or not. anyway like you said you cant tell me "do this and go there" but im guessing you have to be an RT first and probably some additional training?

hjhogle · Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 6:56 am Post subject:

Actually, no. Smile

There are still multiple pathways to get here. While some imaging IT people start out as RT's, there are even more who have their training in IT - they have formal training in computer science, or experience with networking or even biomedical engineering. Mostly what they have is an interest in it.

If you want to know more about what's happening in imaging IT, check out the PACS forum on AuntMinnie.com here http://www.auntminnie.com/forum/default.aspx and the JSPACS forum here:
http://jspacs.com/index.php/js-pacs-forum-new?func=view&catid=12&id=3#5

Good luck,
hjh, RT