Wesley Medical Center offers improved technology and greater convenience to radiology for patients and physicians

Hattiesburg, MS – If you or a loved one has ever had an x-ray, you probably spent more time waiting for the results than you care to remember. Wesley Medical Center has put an end to that wait with the installation of the Picture Archival and Communications System (PACS).

PACS provides almost instantaneous access to patient information, diagnostic data, examination results and records.

“No longer will patients or physicians have to wait for hard copies of images and radiology reports to be delivered,” said Jim Dagg, director of Diagnostic Imaging and Cardiovascular Services. “It’s a huge time-saver, which is a big advantage for our patients.”

Physicians at Wesley now have access to critical diagnostic tools via computers in their offices and at workstations throughout the medical center.

“Rather than spending time searching through thousands of films, we will now have patients’ records at our fingertips allowing us to see more patients in a shorter time frame,” said Dr. Craig Howard, radiologist with Comprehensive Radiology Group of Hattiesburg.

Once an image is taken it is sent electronically to the radiologist for review.The reports and images are then available to the physician. The sooner a physician has a patient’s information, the sooner a diagnosis can be made and treatment options can be identified, which means the patient gets better, quicker with more efficient care.

“Not only is the process faster but having the image in a digital format allows for more accurate diagnosis,” said Howard. “You can do so much more with the digital image than with the old films.”

Using electronic test results saves the hospital and, potentially, the patient money.

“Hospital space is at a premium,” said Jeanette Filpi, associate administrator for Wesley. “With this system we no longer have to store film, which allows us to allocate more clinical and patient care areas throughout our facility.”

Wesley Medical Center was the first in the Pine Belt to install this leading-edge technology. “We are pleased to be able to provide this advanced service to our patients,” said Ron Seal, CEO. “Wesley will continue to identify and implement technology upgrades such as PACS, which will help us better care for our patients today and in the future.”