Although cloud-based picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) are in vogue as of late, they're not a panacea for your practice. It's likely that there will always be a demand for an onsite PACS that does not require you to be permanently connected to the internet to view your medical imaging studies.

While the benefits of a cloud PACS are real and very different than those of an onsite PACS, using both, an onsite and cloud PACS in their optimal manner can enhance your use of medical imaging and keep your costs under control.

To get the best advantages from your onsite and cloud-based PACS, some medical practices have begun using cloud storage as a supplement to their existing PACS and vice versa. So, what are the advantages of keeping studies in the cloud and what are the factors that should play into your PACs architectural decision?

If you're considering a migration to a cloud-based picture archiving and communication system (PACS), one of the first questions you may have is, "Will it work with my existing modalities and infrastructure?"

Fortunately, in almost all cases, the answer is yes.

These days, nearly every imaging modality has a network interface. This means that if your network has internet access, enabling your modality to leverage that access is a straightforward task. Internet access is the facilitating factor for your ability to use the cloud as a PACS.

Of course, there are several other considerations before moving into the cloud.

Encryption is just one aspect of the bigger picture regarding data security. It is particularly important for health care facilities and medical practices. Many national and local regulations require health care providers to encrypt private health information (PHI). Although, even if you aren’t legally required to encrypt your data, it’s still the best practice to do so.

The state of medical image sharing is constantly in flux as multiple vectors drive changes in the field. There are several domains that can be identified as particularly influential: patients, insurance companies, technology, and trends such as mobile computing and telehealth.

xMedical image sharing has come a long way since the discovery of x-rays in 1895, when you may have had to deliver radiography images to a physician by horseback or bicycle. In a sense, however, knowing the history of medical image sharing is more important than ever.