Accenture hits PACS milestone

Accenture has completed its deployment of Picture Archiving and Communications Systems supplied by Agfa across the North East and East of England strategic health authorities.

Accenture ceased being the former local service provider to the North-east and Eastern cluster in January of this year, being replaced by Computer Sciences Corporation. The firm retained responsibility for delivery of PACS systems in the two regions, subsequently renamed the Eastern region.

The completion of the deal means that three of the four regions are now using digital x-rays, with just the North-west and West Midlands yet to complete PACS deployments.

Over the last two years, 12 acute trusts in the East of England have received a PACS system as part of the National Programme for IT. Six already had already installed systems before the programme began.

The final acute trust in the East to get PACS was Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn NHS Trust which went live on Monday 1 October 2007. More than 5.4m people across the region will now be able to benefit from digital x-ray technology. The  Accenture PACS deployments in Yorkshire & Humber are still in progress.

Mourad Ameziane, managing director of Accenture's public service, health, in Europe, told E-Health Insider: “Completing the deployment of PACS to all the trusts in the East of England region means we will really begin to see the patient benefits - helping to improve care by ensuring clinicians have quick and easy access to patient x-rays and other digital scans.

“This is a great milestone which could not have been achieved without the teamwork and commitment of all those involved.”

In addition to the introduction of PACS in every trust across the East of England, a central data store has also been installed which provides a secure archive for the images stored at trust level.

Bedford Hospital NHS Trust is the first trust to be connected to the central data store, Accenture says more sites will follow soon.

Dr Erika Denton, medical director for the national PACS programme, said: “We estimate that nationally, 90% of the population - some 45m people - are now in a position to benefit from PACS. And, with work well advanced in the remaining areas - the North West and West Midlands - we are now counting down to having PACS in every NHS hospital in England.

PACS programme head, Mary Barber, added: “The implementation of PACS in the East of England has been a real example of collaborative working. At every stage we have liaised closely with the SHA, trusts, the local service provider, Accenture, and the PACS system supplier, Agfa.

“We could not have overcome the technical and change management challenges involved without effective programme and project management, and the teamwork and commitment of all those involved.”

The Department of Health says that once fully in place PACS systems will help with the delivery of a maximum 18-week wait from referral to start of treatment, which every trust is required to achieve by December 2008.

In total there are 117 PACS now live across England. Over 371m images have been stored using PACS from NHS CFH and PACS has been used for over 16 million patient studies.

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