RIS-PACS stores digital images and results, so treating teams in NSW public hospitals can access them instantly. This means a patient’s medical imaging history can be tracked from the initial request (e.g. X-ray, CT scan) to diagnosis, no matter where they receive care across NSW Health.
The Challenge
NSW public hospitals generate millions of medical images and reports every year. These need to be stored securely and easily, so they can be accessed by clinicians statewide.
Multiple different and ageing systems made it difficult for clinicians to view complete imaging histories, comparison images or reports. A single centralised solution was needed to streamline and future-proof medical imaging services across NSW.
The Plan
eHealth NSW partnered with Local Health Districts (LHDs), specialty health networks and an external vendor to deliver a consolidated, safe and secure medical imaging solution.
RIS-PACS was designed to integrate with existing databases across the NSW Health network to provide a single source of truth for imaging information. It also integrates with other core clinical systems, including the electronic medical record (EMR), patient administration system (PAS) and enterprise imaging repository (EIR).
LHD leaders and clinicians helped design the solution and were involved from conception to implementation.
Hospitals and health services can configure the system to suit their workflow requirements.
RIS-PACS is built to grow with demand and expand to include new imaging services as technology advances.
For the medical imaging teams, the new RIS-PACS has enabled us to increase efficiency and accountability in our workflows. - James Harvey, General Manager, Western NSW LHD
The Outcome
RIS-PACS is one of the most significant digital changes to NSW Health infrastructure to date. It is live across 13 LHDs and specialty health networks: Mid North Coast and Northern NSW, Western Sydney and Nepean Blue Mountains, Northern Sydney and Central Coast, South Eastern Sydney, South Western Sydney Illawarra Shoalhaven, Sydney, Western and Far Western NSW and Sydney Children's Hospital Network (Westmead).
The system links each patient to a single secure statewide record, making it easier to access their reports and images. Now, more than one billion archived images have been transferred into the system, providing greater access and better data storage, security and reliability.
RIS-PACS has also standardised radiology practices, improving administrative processes and clinical workflows across NSW Health.
The Benefits
- Improved diagnostic processes with quick and direct access to patient records for clinicians, including via mobile devices
- Increased clinical information sharing across services and locations
- Reduction in need for repeat testing after medical transfers
- Improved security of patient information by storing images on a secure and fully auditable system
- Integration with other NSW Health systems to provide clinicians with a complete picture of the patient’s health status
- Different types of images can be stored and easily accessed no matter what format they are in, or which system they came from.
Data correct as of April 2025