making the image easily accessible to physicians near the patient’s bedside.
HAS transitioned to a digital X-ray system in 2015 thanks to very generous donations by Helen and Evan Cropp, Dr. James Fett and Therese Sprunger, and the Rotary Club of Key West, which enabled the purchase of the system.
The main difference between the old system and the new digital system is the use of phosphor plates instead of film to capture and store images. The new system will cut costs, as the plates are reusable many thousands of times, and save precious space by eliminating the need to buy and store expensive X-ray films.
In order to implement the new system, four X-ray technicians underwent one month of training led by HAS Information Technology Manager Rubens Paul. Computer stations for clinician use in viewing X-ray images were set up in each hospital unit, and HAS physicians learned how to use the imaging software to quickly access images close to patients’ beds.
“This is a great step forward for HAS,” said HAS Medical Director Dr. Herriot Sannon. “We now have much better quality images, and we can share images electronically with remote experts when a case is complicated.”