James Ellis, Jr.MD

From The Doctor's Perspective


PACS is not only a step forward for Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. It is a critical turning point for the radiology profession, says James Ellis, Jr., MD.

Dr. Ellis is President of Jackson Radiology Associates and Medical Director of the hospital's Radiology Department.

"Moving to a filmless environment is the biggest change in the history of radiology," he says. "For more than 100 years, radiologists have been looking at x-ray films - and we've gotten very good and efficient at it."

Radiologists' ability to adjust to using a monitor and keyboard to view images topped Dr. Ellis' concerns about the transition to PACS.

" You just go to the workstation, push a button, and there they [films] are."

Radiology and PACS

Radiology and PACS

"I worried that using a computer would slow us down," he says, "but in actuality, it has speeded us up. We're able to see more patients in a given period of time."

He points to the ability to tweak images post-exam at the workstation as a key factor. "The techs can be a little bit off with the technique and we still get good quality images." This decreases exam times, reduces retakes, and lowers costs, he says.

Another productivity booster is the integration of the hospital's dictation system with the PACS, says Dr. Ellis. A keyboard shortcut at the workstation automatically downloads patient demographics into the report, so the radiologist does not have to spend time entering the data manually.

PACS has also solved a major headache for Jackson General. "PACS has totally eliminated the problem of misplaced films," says Dr. Ellis. "We don't have to worry about it any more. You just go to the workstation, push a button, and there they are."

Referring physicians particularly like the convenience of being able to access images outside of the radiology department, he says. "Now they can be seven floors away in the hospital or in their offices, call up the images and report on their PC, and we can discuss it together."