30 Jul 2008
Gwent NHS Trust Celebrate 20,000,000 Images With Fujifilm

On May 13th 2008, Fujifilm celebrated their 20 millionth image saved at Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust. This milestone achieved in only 17 months! Fujifilm’s Synapse PACS Project for Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust is the largest in Wales. The Trust serves a population of over 600,000 people in South-East Wales and comprises of 22 hospitals, all with the ability to view radiology images via Fujifilm Synapse PACS. The Fujifilm Synapse PACS service went live on January 1st 2007. In seventeen months this has grown to hold a staggering 20 million+ images. In addition to this mammoth figure, the Synapse database also holds over 800,000 associated request and consent forms and all radiological reports. The 20 millionth image was identified in the Fujifilm Synapse database, which was then cross-referenced with the request form that is also saved in the Synapse database and forms part of the Synapse electronic patient record. In this case, the 20 millionth image acquired was a complicated CT Angio series undertaken in a department where 3 Senior Radiographers were running the service that day. All three radiographers (pictured) work in the busy CT/MR department at Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny and have used Fujifilm Synapse PACS since day one. They were all rewarded for their part in this significant milestone with a Fujifilm FinePix F50 digital camera. Marilyn Williams Radiology Directorate Manager commented: “It has been a large complex project that was achieved working in partnership with Fujifilm UK Ltd. The project has delivered many benefits across the Trust and improved services for our patients. It is amazing to think that we have stored so many images in such a short timeframe but this does indicate the scale of the project and workload undertaken. I am very grateful to the Radiology, IT, Works/ Estates and Fujifilm staff who have all worked hard to deliver the project and who, in light of the statistics, obviously still continue to work hard!” Special thanks also to Dave Probert, Radiology PACs Project Manager and Huw Shurmer Fujifilm Project Manager. THE GWENT PROJECT, THE STORY SO FAR….. Radiology services are provided from 9 main hospitals. Fujifilm have installed 33 high resolution, triple monitor (3 or 5 mega pixel, radiologist’s reporting workstations across four sites in the Trust. A further 86 mid range, single or twin monitor, Clinical Review Workstations are installed in primary locations outside radiology: e.g. A&E, ITU, Orthopaedic Outpatients etc. and are fully serviced by Fujifilm. All other locations have the Fujifilm Synapse application embedded into the Trust’s home-grown patient clinical portal “CWS” or Clinical Work Station. Synapse’s single web-based viewer made this integration easy. 45 document scanners have been installed to include additional reference documents with the radiological images. 22 single and multi plate Fujifilm CR readers have been installed (including Fujifilm’s Profect CS for Digital Mammography), providing Fujifilm’s high quality imaging at all acquisition sites. 17 Fujifilm DryPix laser printers have been installed, initially to assist with implementation, but now lie dormant as backup. 59 other modalities (including DR, CT, MRI, Ultrasound and Nuclear Medicine) have been integrated to receive worklists from and send images to the Synapse database; again all relevant supporting clinical documentation is also saved in Synapse to form a comprehensive patient record. Behind the scenes, Fujifilm’s clustered IT architecture allows servers to be distributed over 8 sites for performance yet provides one single central database for the whole Trust. All smaller sites have local cache servers, the (3) main sites also have local image storage, ensuring fast image retrieval. Everything is centralised in two data centres at a non-hospital location, owned by the Trust, in the centre of the County. Any site can function independently in the event of a network failure and all sites can review images from any other site within 2 seconds. Fascinating Stats: 1.7 million (avg) images stored per month. All request forms and associated documentation is stored with the patient’s record in Synapse. 7 images (avg) are retrieved for viewing in the county every second. All images are retrieved within 2 seconds (avg). All images are available on live (spinning) disks. Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust is one of five Fujifilm Synapse PACS Trust’s in Wales. Fujifilm are now working with other suppliers and organisations to help connect all Trusts in Wales together. Already images are sent electronically between sites or can be viewed at other sites using Synapse client. Photo: From left to right: Huw Shurmer (Fujifilm Project Manager), Emma Davies (Senior Radiographer), Leanne Edwards (Senior Radiographer), Bob Hul (Senior Radiographer), Sue Walters (Superintendent Radiographer, Nevill Hall Hospital), Gary Walford (Fujifilm Account Manager)

01 Jun 2008
Fujifilm Have Gained CPD Endorsement
Fujifilm have gained CPD Endorsement from the College of Radiographers for their 2-day “Master Trainers” course
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27 May 2008
FUJIFILM FFDM AT SYMPOSIUM MAMMOGRAPHICUM
Fujifilm are set to preview their exciting new Full Field Direct Mammography system “AMULET”
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