Lithgow residents are set to benefit as a state-of-the-art medical imaging system designed to make patient care safer, smarter and more streamlined is rolled out at Lithgow Hospital.
Member for Bathurst Paul Toole said the new radiology information system and picture archiving and communication system (RIS-PACS) is now live at Lithgow Hospital.
"The RIS-PACS system provides clinicians with real-time access to x-rays, CT scans, MRIs, nuclear medicine scans and ultrasounds performed in public hospitals. With up to 2,500 imaging examinations performed at Lithgow Hospital each month, the benefits of the RIS-PACS system will be felt by many in the local community,” Mr Toole said.
The system also enables clinicians to access complete imaging histories, comparison images and reports, ensuring that a patient’s journey can be tracked from image request through to diagnosis – storing key information, digital images and results for instant access by hospital-based treating teams.
Chief Radiographer at Lithgow Hospital, Michelle Bostock said this will allow continuity of care and quicker specialist reviews at tertiary hospitals.
Patients will no longer need to take imaging with them if they are seeing a specialist in a NSW hospital and similarly, when critically ill patients return home from large city hospitals, we will now be able to view and compare their images,” Ms Bostock said.
“RIS-PACS will support staff to enhance the excellent patient-focused service provided by the Imaging Department at Lithgow Hospital.
“It will be business as usual for the Imaging Department as the new system is introduced, however your understanding and patience is appreciated as staff get used to the new processes.”
The introduction of RIS-PACS at Lithgow Hospital is part of an $85-million investment from the NSW Government to deliver streamlined medical imaging services across the state.