Training Intensive: PACS System Analyst

Note: This is an in-person training, held at SIIM’s headquarters in Leesburg, VA. Lunch and refreshments will be provided daily as part of registration. Travel, hotel accommodations, and transportation are not included in the registration price and should be arranged by attendees. Please reach out to Barry Chovitz, bchovitz@siim.org, for accommodation recommendations.

The PACS System Analyst Intensive is designed to provide participants with an in-depth understanding of Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) administration. This 4-day, advanced-level course equips participants with comprehensive knowledge and practical skills required to excel as a PACS System Analyst. Through extensive hands-on learning and comprehensive guidance, participants will gain insights into the clinical workflows associated with a PACS. They will also explore the technical aspects of efficiently exchanging image and information data between digital medical devices, PACS, and Radiology Information Systems (RIS).

The curriculum for this course aligns with the PARCA Certified PACS System Analyst (CPSA) exam and domains from the ABII Certified Imaging Informatics Professional Test Content Outline.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to ensure image and data integrity within the PACS system, including monitoring and quality assessment.
• Manage the installation and upgrades of PACS systems, implementing enhancements for optimal performance.
• Apply strategies to continuously improve the efficiency and reliability of PACS systems, quantifying improvements when possible.
• Assist PACS users, such as physicians and technologists, through effective training and ongoing support, as measured by user feedback and performance.
• Diagnose and resolve connectivity, image quality, and data integrity issues within the PACS system, with tangible problem-solving outcomes.

Format/Class Structure

This 4-day intensive training will be delivered in-person at SIIM’s headquarters in Leesburg Virginia from July 21^st through the 24^th. Training starts daily at 10:00am and ends at 4:00pm ET. There will be short breaks every hour, including a longer 30-minute break approximately halfway through the training.

Who Should Take This Course

This PACS System Analyst Course is ideal for individuals who are responsible for managing and maintaining a PACS environment. This may include:

1. PACS administrators who want to enhance their knowledge and skills in PACS system administration, troubleshooting, and maintenance.
2. IT professionals who are responsible for managing the infrastructure and network components of a PACS system.
3. Biomedical engineers who are involved in the design, implementation, and maintenance of PACS systems.
4. Radiology department staff who need to understand the technical aspects of PACS systems to ensure efficient and effective workflow.
5. The course is designed to provide both theoretical and practical knowledge to help participants manage and maintain a PACS system effectively.

Prerequisites

Participants should have a basic understanding of computer systems, networks, and healthcare IT. The course is designed to provide both theoretical and practical knowledge to help participants manage and maintain a PACS system effectively.

Day 1: PACS Theory and Implementation

• Introduction to PACS with illustrative examples
• Deconstructing PACS and exploring example architectures
• Clinical Workflow Functionalities and Integrated systems
• Understanding Vendor Neutral Archives (VNA)
• Enterprise Imaging
• Image sharing scenarios
• Monitor calibration and maintenance
• Hands-on experience with PACS viewing and test images.

Day 2: The standards in clinical imaging: DICOM and HL7®

• Background on HL7® standard
• HL7® message structure and types (e.g., admission, orders, results)
• Parsing and editing HL7® messages
• Introduction to the DICOM standard, levels, negotiation, and roles
• DICOM Header and different types of attributes
• Introduction to DICOM services including storage, query/retrieve, and modality worklist
• Hands-on exercises for DICOM protocol and services

Day 3: Hands-on Image Quality and Connectivity Troubleshooting

• Power of attributes
  • • Attributes sources
    • Hanging protocols
    • Worklists
    • Body parts
    • Demographic overlays
    • Intro to the pixel pipeline and corresponding attributes
• Troubleshooting tools and strategies (e.g., simulators, editing tools, parsers, test systems)
• BR/DC/HA
• Analyzing logs
• Introduction to IHE integration profiles

Day 4

• Recap of days 1-3
• AI in imaging informatics
• Hospital tour/practical application of course content

Included with Registration

• PDF handout of training presentation
• Three downloadable eBooks (PACS Fundamentals, DICOM Basics and HL7® Messaging)
• DICOM/HL7® reference guide
• A comprehensive PACS certification study guide
• Provide us a PACS-related problem your organization is facing and we’ll give you this real-world guidance

CE Credit

The Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine has approved this activity for 20 hours of SIIM IIP Credits towards certification and re-certification by the American Board of Imaging Informatics (ABII).

To receive credit for the activity, registrants must complete the course modules and survey.

Note: In order to receive credits for any events/learning you attend you must select your eligible credit types found in the CE & Certification section of your MySIIM Account profile.

After registering for the course, navigate to My Learning in your MySIIM Account profile to access the content.

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