RSFH Among Top 25 Connected Healthcare Facilities In U.S.
Award Recognizes Advances In Imaging And Technology

Charleston, SC- Health Imaging and IT Magazine has recognized Roper St. Francis Healthcare (RSFH) as one of its “Top 25 Connected Healthcare Facilities” in the nation, acknowledging significant advances in imaging technology. The magazine published these findings in its August 2007 issue.
Click on http://www.healthimaging.com/content/view/7103/110/ to read the article online.

“In the last three years, we’ve gone from having to generate film for everything, to being almost totally digital. Now imaging information is ready and accessible in minutes,” said Mike Taylor, Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Roper St Francis Healthcare. “Multiple physicians caring for one patient are now able to access that patient’s information at the same time, on or off campus.”

Roper St. Francis launched its “Picture Archive and Communication System” or PACS back in 2003 to convert film images and paper reports to digital information. Today, the healthcare system is 99% filmless.

Gone are the days of shuttling x-ray films and charts around the hospital or between medical facilities. Having the information available digitally allows a physician to access it via computer anywhere there is a secure Internet connection. The physician can magnify and enhance the quality of the image, even manipulate it to view it in 3-D.

“We are seeing the success of this project due to the wonderful teamwork by the best and brightest in Imaging, Information Services and Biomedical Engineering,” said Mike Ricciardone, Director of Imaging Services, Roper St. Francis Healthcare.

“This is yet another advance that sets Roper St. Francis apart, supporting our physicians with the latest technology and ultimately raising the bar in healthcare for our patients by providing them with the best care available,” said David Dunlap, President and Chief Executive Officer, Roper St. Francis Healthcare.

Six-hundred healthcare facilities applied for the distinction this year. The winners were judged on a number of criteria including the percentage of facility that is filmless, percentage of procedures that are digital, the number of modalities and departments that share images, and the ability of in-network physicians and referring physicians to access electronic images.

Roper and Bon Secours St. Francis Hospitals are both using PACS as well as free standing facilities at Roper St. Francis Medical Center Mt. Pleasant, West Ashley Surgery Center, Northwoods ER and Diagnostics Center, Farmfield Mammography Center & Farmfield Diagnostics, the Medical Office Buildings at Roper and St. Francis, MedShare Walterboro, and James Island Diagnostics Center.

Two more Roper St. Francis diagnostic centers -- Kiawah/Seabrook and Goose Creek -- are slated to go digital with PACS. Kiawah/Seabrook will be converted this October, and Goose Creek in 2008. Roper St. Francis Medical Center Berkeley will convert its film based Mammography services in 2008 as well.

For more information on Roper St. Francis Healthcare, please visit our website at www.rsfh.com or call 402-CARE (2273).