Picture archiving and communication system implementation: the practical considerations of adapting the technology to the real world of health care operations.

The issues discussed in this article are just some of the real-life considerations a facility's management team should address during the planning process as they make decisions about PACS implementation. We currently are working with the management teams of many facilities on PACS implementation projects that have yet to be completed. In the future, we hope to report on our experiences, including both successes and failures, as construction is completed and the systems actually are implemented.