Using technology assessment as the picture archiving and communication system spreads outside radiology to the enterprise

Picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) are being implemented within radiology departments, and many facilities are deploying PACS to departments outside of radiology. As extra-radiology PACS deployment is a costly endeavor, technology assessment (TA) may be used to plan for PACS implementation throughout the enterprise. A hospital-based TA program can assist health care organizations to present PACS as a system-wide need and program rather than a radiology-based program.