The Western Australian health system will benefit from an improved medical imaging and storage system, with a contract worth $47.2 million awarded today. A contemporary medical imaging system is key to providing world-class care.
The contract is part of the McGowan Labor Government's focus on putting patients first and was awarded to Canon Medical Systems ANZ Pty Limited.
The new medical imaging system will replace the existing Picture Archiving and Communication System/Radiology Information System (PACS/RIS) which has reached its end-of-product life.
Scheduled for implementation by 2022, the new system will provide WA public hospitals with a centralised platform for radiology reports and images for X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, ultrasounds and nuclear medicine.
A key design feature will be a Vendor Neutral Archive (VNA), which will provide a digital storage solution for all clinical images, photographs and videos that can be securely shared between clinicians at different hospitals.
The VNA platform will enable access and sharing of time-critical diagnostic imaging and information in various digital formats regardless of their location, supporting safer and timely patient care.
This digital storage solution will be a key enabler of the electronic medical record outlined in the WA Health Digital Strategy 2020-2030.
Development of the new medical imaging system will commence immediately, and commissioning is planned for early 2021 over a 12-month period.
Investment in this initiative aligns with the Sustainable Health Review recommendation to develop and implement innovative approaches to sharing patient-level data across public health service providers.
This contract is part of a $127.7 million budgeted funding commitment to improve clinical imaging across the WA health system over the next decade.
As stated by Health Minister Roger Cook:
"The new medical imaging system is another way the McGowan Government is putting patients first. It means all clinicians in WA public hospitals will have access to a centralised platform to view medical images and offers immediate sharing of time-critical diagnostic imaging such as X-rays and MRIs.
"It is essential to ensure our hospitals are using modern and effective technology to access diagnostic images and reports in a timely manner because it improves patient care.
"This is another step forward in leveraging technology to enable access to timely treatment and improved health outcomes for all Western Australians."
Minister's office - 6552 6500
