(Pasadena, Calif.—November 1, 2005) – Prime Clinical Systems, Inc., has added two optional DICOM interface packages to its Patient Chart Manager (PCM) electronic medical records system, making it possible for health care organizations to import images into PCM without having to use a Picture Archiving Communications System (PACS).

These tools enable health care organizations to assess all of the functions typically found in a PACS without the associated cost. A DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) server solution is available for larger facilities that require the ability to serve up and manage images while a scaled down package is available for organizations that simply need to receive and manage DICOM images from another server. Both of these products provide comprehensive editing tools and can manage the outbound distribution of images to third parties.

With the DICOM functionality in place, users simply click on PCM’s DICOM Image Importer Wizard, which then connects to any DICOM server. These servers typically are populated with images from a hospital’s or another practice’s workstations, CT scanners, MR imagers, film digitizers, shared archives, laser printers, host computers, and mainframe systems. Users then locate and click on the desired radiological images to import them directly into the patient’s electronic medical record.

“It just adds so much clinical value to computerized medicine. Instead of having to straddle between systems or juggle film images, clinicians can now go to one spot to see all pertinent information including radiological images,” says Richard Deits, M.D., Prime’s Vice President of Electronic Medical Records. “It’s not only a convenience, though, the DICOM functionality helps clinicians make better and more timely diagnoses as well.”

Prime is one of the first EMR companies to offer this functionality, which enables medical groups to avoid:

Falling behind the curve. As more health care organizations move toward paperless environments, film images increasingly will not be available for all patients. For example, medical group doctors might not be able to secure film images for patients who undergo imaging procedures at hospitals where all imaging is electronic. Even when film images are an option, choosing to receive electronic images enables clinicians to more quickly receive images and to view the images within the electronic record.

Investing in expensive PACS. Previously, to view electronic images, health care organizations would have to purchase a separate PACS, which typically cost anywhere from $250,000 to well into the seven figures, to integrate and view medical images in the EMR.

Using non-integrated DICOM viewers. Although medical groups could use a separate DICOM viewer and software to view images, such systems do not enable images to be integrated into the EMR.

“We’re leading the industry by offering medical groups a relatively inexpensive way to truly tap into the power of computerization. Overcoming roadblocks – such as the integration of images into an electronic record – is what will finally enable all medical practices to realize the myriad of benefits associated with electronic medical records,” says Barry Ardelan, Prime’s President and CEO.

About Prime Clinical Systems

Prime Clinical Systems Inc. is a medical software company headquartered in Pasadena, California, and regionally in Lincolnshire, Illinois and San Ramon, California. Founded in 1983, the company's proven products, stellar services and innovative advances have made it one of the fastest growing providers of health care software systems in the nation.