April, 2002

Another Step Along The Digital Road For Whiston Hospital

St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust is continuing with its aim to migrate all diagnostic imaging at Whiston Hospital to a fully integrated digital environment with a number of new system installations and further upgrades to the existing Kodak equipment and hospital network. In addition, the installation of a digital archive will store and manage all CR/CT/MR images plus images from a number of existing DICOM modalities within five key areas handling a total of around 90,000 examinations each year.

The Radiology Directorate took the decision to introduce digital technology into A&E in 1996 as the first steps towards an integrated PACS. This latest phase in the project has the objective of filmless operation in the key areas of A&E, ITU, CCU and CT and MR by autumn 2002. The lynchpin to this phase is installation of the new Kodak digital archive, which will provide storage and management of digitally acquired images from A&E/Fracture Clinic in addition to ultrasound, fluoroscopy, CT and MR.

This phase of the project also includes an extension of the image distribution network to 40 viewing locations to further enhance the access to images for clinicians. Full RIS integration of the system with the new RIS Vendor is also being undertaken at this stage.

"The St.Helens and Knowsley Hospitals are delighted to have signed a five year contract for the provision of Kodak products which will enable the trust to continue to develop a 'digital department', said David Anwyl, Radiography Manager. "The installation of a Kodak archive and workstations enables the Radiology Department to connect its existing Kodak CR and other digital devices to establish a functional PACS system. This is the last building block required to enable us to establish a PACS system and we are pleased that we have been able to continue to work with Kodak to realise our PACS aspirations."

Kodak is a trade mark

For further information, please contact:
Giulia Coope
Health Imaging
01442 844648 (Tel)
01442 844842 (Fax)