Assessment of DICOM Standard Implementation Quality and Existing Challenges in PACS Usage in Khorramabad City in Iran

PACS has become very important in effective management of imaging departments. Goals of this study are assessment of DICOM implementation quality and determination of existing challenges in using PACS in Khorramabad hospitals/medical imaging centers. In this descriptive study in Iran in ۲۰۱۶, first based on articles contexts we designed a checklist to check compliance of existing PACS services in Khorramabad City centers with DICOM Standard and distributed it between PACS supervisors. We also prepared a questionnaire on PACS information of our study population, ۸۹ persons without sampling from centers with PACS in Khorramabad. Validity and reliability of questionnaire has examined by field professionals and Cronbach's alpha and they distributed between study population. In total, ۸۹ Questionnaires has filled. Results has analyzed by SPSS ۲۰ and Pearson chi square. PACS in Asia Center has highest compliance with DICOM (۶۲.۸۵%) and Rahimi hospital with lowest compliance (۴۰%) was recognized. As challenge demonstrated ۳۴.۱% of participants had enough information on PACS, ۵۵.۷% was familiar with the system and ۱۰.۱% had almost no information about it. Regarding knowledge of DICOM, Asia (۵۲.۹%), Shafa (۴۱.۲%), and Ashayer (۵.۹%) was rated. In Rahimi no participator knew DICOM (P<۰.۰۵). ۹۵.۵% mentioned some challenges in PACS implementation as high cost (۲۴.۷%). According to findings, well education and training of all PACS workers and planning for optimize DICOM application in health centers recommended caused in good imaging services to patients.