Reconfiguring radiology to the new environment: The approach of the US military

Abstract

Summary. US health care has seen several changes in the past 5 years, some instigated by government, others by the demands of society. The emphasis in all these changes is improvement in the efficiency of, and ease of access to, health care. This is well illustrated by the discipline of radiology where such improvements are being achieved by the incorporation of information technology into the discipline. The development of a filmless radiology department and the creation of a virtual radiology environment is described in this article, and the advantages resulting from these technological advances are discussed.

Key Words:

• filmless radiology
• PACS
• virtual radiology environment