Introduction to Imaging Informatics (Aspiring Leaders Session)

Imaging informatics is a distinct subspecialty of radiology that endeavors to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and reliability of radiologic services within the medical enterprise. Although picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) are a major focus of imaging informatics, there are many other ways in which technology can improve the efficiency of individual radiologists and of the entire department. Understanding informatics principles is important because these principles affect major purchase decisions, not only for PACS but also for other supporting software and for modalities themselves. Virtually every aspect of a radiologist’s workday involves some form of communication: calling a colleague for patient history, calling a technologist to apply a protocol or check an image, reviewing images with a clinician, teaching a trainee, producing a formal report, justifying an examination to a third- party payer. All of these events fall under the purview of imaging informatics, and all of them, along with image interpretation itself, can become more efficient, more effective, and more reliable with the proper tools.

Speaker: Kenneth Fazzino, BA, RTR, PMP, CRA, FAHRA

This activity has been approved for 1.0 Category A ARRT continuing education credit.