Economic analysis of a filmless system based on the hospital information system

A filmless system (FLS) based on a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) equipped with UNIX workstations and a local area network (LAN) specialized for viewing radiographs has not been deemed acceptable, for reasons of economics. However personal computers (PCs) have recently become more powerful, to the point where PCs approach UNIX workstations in terms of capabilities. As a result, a PC-based image viewing workstation (IVW) has sufficient functions for practical use. Diagnostic resolution is not equal to that of film, but is comparable. Since the hospital information system (HIS) includes many PC terminals connected by a LAN, the cost problem can be resolved by using these PC terminals as the IVWs. In order to investigate the practicability of this idea, two types of FLSs using HIS facilities were designed: one is a system based on the use of high-resolution cathode ray tubes (H-CRTs), and the other is based on the use of conventional CRTs and radiologist reports, minimizing the number of H-CRTs. The total costs of the two systems were analyzed. As a result, the former FLS was found to be about 15% more expensive than the latter which was less expensive than a film-based system (FBS). However whether the FLS is more profitable than the FBS from the viewpoint of hospital management strongly depends on the medical insurance system.