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While medical imaging is not the major focus of HIPAA or HITECH, it is important that practitioners be wary of the unique issues associated with this type of protected health information (PHI). Medical images are typically dense data files often much larger than their other medical record counterparts. It’s not unusual to find studies or series of images that exceed one gigabyte in size. Their storage, sharing and archive pose unique challenges for the practitioner. Hence, it is important to understand how best utilize this important diagnostic tool while not running afoul of regulations.

Although cloud-based picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) are in vogue as of late, they're not a panacea for your practice. It's likely that there will always be a demand for an onsite PACS that does not require you to be permanently connected to the internet to view your medical imaging studies.

While the benefits of a cloud PACS are real and very different than those of an onsite PACS, using both, an onsite and cloud PACS in their optimal manner can enhance your use of medical imaging and keep your costs under control.

To get the best advantages from your onsite and cloud-based PACS, some medical practices have begun using cloud storage as a supplement to their existing PACS and vice versa. So, what are the advantages of keeping studies in the cloud and what are the factors that should play into your PACs architectural decision?