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Hampden County Physicians Associates, a 16-site, multi-specialty medical practice with more than 50 physicians in multiple offices throughout Hampden county, MA, has selected CoActiv's advanced EXAM-PACS for digital image viewing, management, communication and archiving.  The practice group includes a freestanding multi-modality imaging center and additional stand-alone modalities in select offices.  With exams ranging from CT, CR and ultrasound to bone densitometry, Hampden relies on a specialized offsite contract radiology group for reading of its rapidly growing exam volume.

"We installed CoActiv EXAM-PACS to step up image turnaround for enhanced patient care, to increase our imaging efficiency and to enhance data protection in the event of an IT disaster," says Lynne Johnston, RT (R)M, director of imaging services for the Hampden Physicians.  "Prior to this, we had a simple DICOM image viewer with onsite digital image storage.  Often, we burned images to CDs and sent them by courier to our radiology group across town. With a rapidly increasing image volume, we needed a better solution."

Today, the recently installed CoActiv EXAM-PACS enables important new speed in image reading and management.  For both the radiology group and practice physicians, it provides convenient anywhere, any time web-based access to all images, reports and related data.  The system also includes ultra-secure, redundant offsite image storage in four separate locations with CoActiv EXAM-VAULT® QUAD-REDUNDANT ARCHIVING®.   The comprehensive CoActiv solution offers flexible image access, scalability and security that will support the Hampden Physicians through further growth and any fine-tuning of its business model going forward.   In addition to EXAM-PACS, the site also takes advantage of EXAM-SENDER®, CoActiv's Web Distribution Solution for referring physicians which automatically sends studies directly to their computer desktop, and EXAM-FILER® automated CD burning system for communication with patients and referring physicians.

One of the pivotal decision makers in the PACS acquisition process, Johnston notes that she initially identified CoActiv EXAM-PACS as their preferred solution at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) almost two years ago.  "At that time, we had launched a search for a PACS, and for sophisticated features, user-friendliness and price, EXAM-PACS was a standout," she said.  However, shortly thereafter, when Hampden's contract radiology group began installation of another vendor's PACS, Hampden decided to do likewise for consistency.

"That really delayed our digital transition," she said.  "The reading group was so disappointed by the performance of the PACS that they cancelled the project before it was even fully installed," she says.  "At that point, we immediately reconnected with CoActiv."

According to Johnston, unlike the other PACS, EXAM-PACS was up and running flawlessly in hours - four hours, to be exact.  "All our imaging studies, reports and key images are online and easily accessible," she said.

Johnston believes the efficiencies realized and the ability to support Hampden Physician's future growth are enormous.  "We are considering adding computed radiography (CR) devices at additional sites shortly," she notes.  "CoActiv will support that almost instantly."

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