Transitioning medical imaging data storage from legacy PACS systems to the cloud is a major endeavor.
Careful planning and execution are required to avoid disrupting patient care. This article will walk through key processes and considerations for smoothly migrating images while maintaining availability and security.
Healthcare IT teams must architect and validate a thoughtful methodology for migrating images.
This maintains data fidelity while keeping images available to care teams throughout the transition.
Here are crucial processes to include in your medical imaging cloud migration plan:
Assess Existing Imaging Environment
Before determining migration approaches, thoroughly document your current PACS environment, including:
- Image formats, volumes, and growth trends
- Integrations with EMR, billing, and other systems
- Internal image-sharing workflows
- Viewing capabilities and diagnostic tools
- User access controls and audit logs
Understanding all facets of your imaging infrastructure guides migration planning and surface gaps the new cloud system must address.
Design Future Cloud Architecture
With a firm grasp on your as-is environment, design the ideal future state in the cloud. Determine:
- Data structure and storage protocols
- The cloud platform, tools, and integrations
- Image viewing and analysis capabilities
- Access controls, user permissions, and governance
- Network architecture and bandwidth requirements
Don’t simply lift and shift your legacy PACS. Design cloud-native architecture optimized for performance, scale, and security.
Create Transition Roadmap
Define workstreams for discrete migration tasks, including:
- Provisioning cloud infrastructure
- Installing and testing viewing software
- Migrating historical images
- Validating diagnostic capabilities
- Cutting over integrations
- End-user training and support
Schedule task dependencies and milestones. Build in buffers and contingency timelines to accommodate surprises.
Configure Cloud Infrastructure
Early workstreams provision core cloud infrastructure:
- Compute, network, and storage resources.
- Cloud data repositories
- Security controls and access management
- Monitoring, logging, and auditing tools
Thoroughly test configured resources to confirm they satisfy architectural designs.
Ingest and Validate Historical Images
With cloud infrastructure ready, migrate historical images from on-prem PACS.
- Map legacy images to new cloud data schema
- Bulk transfer image files to cloud storage
- Confirm images are rendered properly.
- Validate availability and accessibility
- Spot-check image fidelity and meta-data integrity
Fix any errors before cutover. Maintaining accessibility during migration is critical.
Install and Test Cloud Viewers
Provide care teams with new diagnostic viewers to access images in the cloud:
- Install cloud image viewing software
- Configure user access and permissions
- Validate viewing functionality matches legacy PACS
- Test diagnostic tools and image manipulation
- Identify any gap solutions needed
Resolving viewing issues before cutover prevents care disruptions.
Cutover Integrations
With images migrated, cutover integrations to the cloud:
- Shift EMR interfaces to the new cloud repository.
- Redirect billing system to cloud images
- Update any batch interfaces or processes
- Disable legacy PACS integrations
- Confirm bidirectional data flows
Staged cutovers prevent unfinished integrations from impacting workflows.
Train Clinicians on New Viewers
A smooth transition requires clinician training on new cloud-based viewing software:
- Conduct training sessions on image access and manipulation
- Highlight advanced cloud viewing features
- Define support procedures during and after cutover
- Address any workflow concerns
- Have lead users test and provide feedback
Prepared staff adapts faster to new systems. Training reduces migration disruptions.
Support Go-Live and Optimization
Robust support during cloud migration go-live keeps issues from slowing providers:
- Staff 24/7 command center to triage problems
- Quickly resolve environmental issues.
- Support providers with viewer and access questions
- Monitor system performance and logs
- Gather feedback for future optimizations
Proper go-live support ensures a smooth transition to the cloud.
