PACS Admin Job Descriptions & Competencies

Supporting a PACS system might require different skills, and, if the PACS system is of a suffiently large scale, different people having these skills. The overview below lists typical competencies of three categories of PACS support professionals, which also follows the certification as provided by PARCA.

PACS Associate

Scope of Position

The PACS Associate is responsible for the image and information integrity of the PACS. This individual also acts as a digital imaging activities liaison within the department and to other departments. The PACS Associate reports to the PACS System Analyst, Interface Analyst, or Manager.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

·         Responsible for day-to-day PACS operations including image workflow, archiving, autorouting, prefetching, and other related activities.

·         Works closely with unit operations managers to ensure timely and complete capture of DICOM image data into the PACS as well as network transmission, RIS validation, and exception handling.

·         Investigates, identifies, and prepares proposals to solve problems within all applicable operational areas, working closely with unit operations managers and division heads and involving the next level of administration as needed.

·         Reviews feedback from end users, compiles and analyzes support data, and recommends procedural and educational changes as appropriate.

·         Works closely with radiology quality management personnel to identify future needs and to design efficient workflow processes.

·         Attends seminars and training sessions as appropriate.

·         Ensures all applicable department, hospital, and JCAHO guidelines are met.

·         Performs other functions as required and assigned.

Qualifications

• Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in related healthcare discipline or information systems discipline required.
•  Excellent written and oral communication skills required.
• Must be able to work effectively with diverse groups of people.
• Ability to work well under pressure and on concurrent multidisciplinary projects.
• Familiarity with specific radiology- and imaging-specific applications such as orthopedic templating, 3D reconstruction, and speech recognition.

PACS System Analyst

Scope of Position

The PACS System Analyst is responsible for the clinical aspects of image and information integrity of the PACS. Additionally, this individual will act as a liaison in digital imaging initiatives within the department and other departments. The PACS System Analyst reports to the senior IT manager or the radiology administrator, with accountability to both the clinical and IT departments.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

·         Responsible for day-to-day PACS operations including image workflow, archiving, autorouting, prefetching, and other related activities.

·         Works closely with unit operations managers to ensure timely and complete capture of DICOM image data into the PACS as well as network transmission, RIS validation, and exception handling.

·         Investigates, identifies, and prepares proposals to solve specific operational problems within all applicable operational areas, working closely with unit operations managers and division heads as well as involving the next level of administration as appropriate.

·         Works closely with the senior IT manager to develop operating standards, policies, and procedures.

·         Reviews feedback from end users, compiles and analyzes support data, and recommends procedural and educational changes as appropriate.

·         Works closely with radiology quality management personnel to identify future needs and to design efficient workflow processes.

·         Primary person responsible for generating and maintaining workflow diagrams and analysis of PACS operations.

·         Responsible for budget preparation and monitoring of the operating budget.

·         Prepares reports for administration on all aspects of PACS operations as appropriate or directed.

·         Attends and participates in departmental/hospital meetings.

·         Attends seminars and training sessions to maintain appropriate level of professional competence.

·         Ensures all applicable department, hospital, and JCAHO guidelines are met.

·         Performs other functions as required and assigned.

Qualifications

• Four or more years of related experience in a clinical setting required.
• Bachelor's degree in related healthcare discipline or information systems discipline required.
•  Excellent written and oral communication skills required.
• Must be able to work effectively with diverse groups of people.
• Ability to work well under pressure and on concurrent multidisciplinary projects.
• Familiarity with specific radiology- and imaging-specific applications, such as orthopedic templating, 3D reconstruction, and speech recognition.

PACS Interface Analyst

Scope of Position

The PACS Interface Analyst is responsible for the technical aspects of image and information integrity of the PACS. Additionally, this individual will act as a liaison in digital imaging initiatives within the department and other departments. The PACS Interface Analyst reports to the senior IT manager or the radiology administrator, with accountability to both the clinical and IT departments.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

·         Responsible for day-to-day PACS operations including image workflow, archiving, autorouting, prefetching, and other related activities.

·         Works closely with unit operations managers to ensure timely and complete capture of DICOM image data into the PACS as well as network transmission, RIS validation, and exception handling.

·         Investigates, identifies, and prepares proposals to solve specific problems within all applicable operational areas, working closely with unit operations managers and division heads as well as involving the next level of administration as appropriate.

·         Works closely with the senior IT manager to develop operating standards, policies, and procedures.

·         Reviews feedback from end users, compiles and analyzes support data, and recommends procedural and educational changes as appropriate.

·         Works closely with radiology quality management personnel to identify future needs and to design efficient workflow processes.

·         Primary person responsible for generating and maintaining technical diagrams and configuration drawings (including assigned AE titles and software versions).

·         Responsible for budget preparation and monitoring of the operating budget.

·         Works with the corporate director of medical imaging and the administrative director of radiology to identify present and future needs for equipment installation.

·         Oversees activities of vendors in all phases of installation and implementation of new systems.

·         Prepares reports for administration on all aspects of PACS operations as appropriate or directed.

·         Attends and participates in departmental/hospital meetings.

·         Attends seminars and training sessions to maintain appropriate level of professional competence.

·         Ensures all applicable department, hospital, and JCAHO guidelines are met.

·         Performs other functions as required and assigned.

Qualifications

•  Four or more years of related experience in a healthcare IT setting required.
•  Bachelor’s degree in related healthcare discipline or information systems discipline required. Master’s degree in related field preferred.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills required.
• Must be able to work effectively with diverse groups of people.
•  Ability to work well under pressure and on concurrent multidisciplinary projects.
• Proficiency in various OS and database systems.
• Familiarity with specific radiology- and imaging-specific applications such as orthopedic templating, 3D reconstruction, and speech recognition