Usability Assessment of Picture Archiving and Communication Systems

Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) serve as the backbone of modern radiology by enabling the storage, retrieval, transmission and display of medical images. Usability assessment in this context examines the effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction with which health-care professionals interact with PACS interfaces, workflows and supporting infrastructure. Key evaluation frameworks include the Technology Acceptance Model, Information Systems Success Model and socio-technical approaches that integrate human, organisational and technical factors. Typical methods encompass structured questionnaires, direct observation, usability testing and interviews with radiologists, technologists and referring clinicians. Findings have illuminated the critical role of perceived usefulness and system reliability in promoting adoption, the influence of training and ergonomic workstation design on efficiency, and the impact of network performance on user satisfaction. Globally, usability insights inform vendor development, improve interoperability with hospital information systems and guide policy for safe and equitable access to imaging data. Practical applications range from optimised image-viewing protocols in high-volume centres to mobile PACS solutions for resource-limited settings, demonstrating the transformative potential of well-designed interfaces on diagnostic accuracy and patient throughput.

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Usability Assessment of Picture Archiving and Communication Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in usability assessment of picture archiving and communication systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS): A digital framework for storing, retrieving, transmitting and presenting medical images and related reports.

Usability: The degree to which a system can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals effectively, efficiently and with satisfaction.

Perceived Usefulness: A user’s belief that engaging with a system will enhance their job performance or workflow.

Interoperability: The ability of disparate information systems and devices to exchange, interpret and use data cohesively.

Socio-technical Model: An analytical framework that considers the interactions among people, technology and organisational structures in system implementation and use.

References

1. Investigating the satisfaction level of physicians in regards to implementing medical Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS). BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making (2020).
2. User acceptance of a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) in a Saudi Arabian hospital radiology department. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making (2012).
3. A Socio-technical assessment of the success of picture archiving and communication systems: the radiology technologist’s perspective. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making (2013).
4. Practical issues in picture archiving and communication system and networking. Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging (2010).
5. Determining the Effect of the Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) on Different Dimensions of Users’ Work. Radiology Research and Practice (2022).
6. Clinicians’ perspective of picture archiving and communication systems at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. South African Journal of Radiology (2023).