RIS (Radiology Information Systems) and PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) are digitally-driven systems. They help healthcare institutions reduce costs, expedite communication, digitize storage and enhance patient care. So, it is obvious that they have a bright future. But how promising, and what are a few trends that will emerge, be retained, or emerge across the RIS and PACS spectrum? Let’s find it out.
RIS-PACS Global Market Growth
Per reports, the global PACS and RIS market size is expected to surpass the USD 3,000 million mark by 2028. It will grow to this size from approximately USD 2,300 million in 2022, at a healthy CAGR of nearly four percent from 2023 to 2028.
Much of this growth is attributed to the accelerated adoption and exponential growth of digitization across the global healthcare landscape. Also, factors like ever-increasing competition and the need to fulfill patients’ evolving needs will be pivotal to this growth.
RIS PACS Trend of 2023
Let’s now overview a few trends within the RIS and PACS sector to be seen in 2023.
· Radiology to Move Towards Cloud
Cloud has transformed radiology and will continue to do so in the future. It shifts data from physical storage to a virtual repository called the cloud. Some of the cloud’s proven benefits include reduced storage costs, increased scalability, more secure storage, quick digital retrieval, and transfer of information. Cloud is new and emerging within this space. But with more hospitals adopting it, radiology will keep moving towards it.
· Although Early, AI Will Grow
AI has already proved its worth across the healthcare sector. Now, it is time that its verticals, one of which is radiology, also experiences the wonders it can work. AI can help radiologists in many ways like in choosing a personalized patient’s protocol, tracking their dose parameters and give an estimate of the risk of radiation.
Furthermore, in teleradiology, AI can help analyze and render diagnosis support to the radiologist, thus simplifying routine operations helping improve the speed and accuracy for radiologists. Again, AI hasn’t yet gained that momentum. But it is expected to catch pace steadily.
· Shift Towards Digital Image Exchange
Physical records have various logistical limitations. Many healthcare institutions live with them, as they and their patients still like to see a physical record of their images. But things are changing. New-age patients prefer soft copies rather than hard copies and do not have the time to travel to the hospital or lab only to collect the image.
RIS and PACS enable the digital transfer or exchange of images. Even in cases where patients cannot travel to another doctor, digital transfer simplifies things, as images can be shared with other doctors without requiring the patient to travel up to them.
MedSynaptic is a pioneer within India’s medical informatics sector. We design and devise efficient software products concerning PACS radiology systems, web PACS, and many other areas. Our offerings undergo continuous upgrades to integrate the latest trends and technologies and ensure competence.
It is no surprise that teleradiology market is constantly flourishing and has been able to connect the actual demand of radiology services and radiologists across the world and now that teleradiology acceptance in the modern world has increased the demands of PACS and RIS softwares.PACS stand for Picture Archiving and Communication System.
These systems are used for short and long-term management, retrieval, storage, and distribution of medical images.
The four important components of a PACS system that has enabled it to enter the major league are as follows:Radiology imaging systems such as MRI, CAT scan, X-ray, etc.A confidential and secure network to exchange patient data in any form either photos, videoA network of dedicated mobile devices or work stations with the help of which doctors can view, process, and interpret imagesYou can store and retrieve images and other related documentation from the archives.On the other hand, RIS is a patient management system, which stands for the Radiology Information System.
RIS is used for different purpose including, patient scheduling, reporting, results distribution, examination performance tracking, resource management, and procedure billing.How Integration of PACS and RIS systems is Beneficial?In healthcare, since each system is very costly, medical practices are moving towards a unified approach where a single integrated system could give them the results at a cost-effective range.
Gradually, PACS has become backbone of many diagnostic centers as it can store and easily manage digital images efficiently.
The integration of PACS/RIS, has helped in improved data integrity and an integration system costs much less than separate PACS and RIS system for healthcare.
