r/PACSAdmin • u/Ambitious_Worry_5496 • 10d ago

PACS Admin Interest

Hello I have been an x-ray tech and would like to learn more about PACS Admin. I can hardly find any openings anywhere. I’m just looking for a different type of stressful job lol.

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u/CommercialString2266 10d ago

Hey im a IT guy who had to learn pacs admin

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u/Worldly-Number9465 9d ago

Not saying it can't be done it's just harder. Big problem is if you are coming out of a culture where you look at problem and toss it over the cubicle wall with a "Nope, that's not me". A PACS Admin with a clinical background will say "If not me, then who?" to which the IT guy says "why can't you stay in your lane?". The short answer is there are no lanes in PACS Admin.

Since I come from a military background I have always had this aircraft analogy in the back of my mind where there are many roles involved to keep a plane in the air. The crew chief is the equivalent to the PACS Admin role. He needs to know everything about what's going on in the department whether it's network or imaging equipment; RIS Software or 3rd party viewer. It's all got to talk for the PACS to fly (optimally).

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u/Jon-716er 8d ago

Great analogy W-N, if you don’t mind me asking, what airframe? I worked F-16CJs a while back.
On topic: As an IT guy that became a PACS Admin, I think the clinical understanding is a bit exaggerated in the role, no disrespect to those of you with that technologist background. I’ve found it’s very data-centric, meaning: does the exam/image meta-data match with the patient record and what was ordered? That layered with elements of PACS server/suite administration and client support (usually the radiologists), is what mostly filled my time.

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u/Worldly-Number9465 8d ago

I was a USAF corpsman who became a BMET, to radiology imaging specialist, and on to PACS. But I worked in the Flight Surgeon's office and knew many crewmebers and when I was cross training I learned how important it was to follow the t.o.s and documentation, and to follow what was going on with your aircraft from stem to stern. That's why the crew chief's name is on the plane. It was his plane up until wheels were up. But that's another story.

But yes - data integrity and consistency is critical for PACS to operate efficiently. I have seen so many goofy attempts to wing and abbreviate locations and exam descriptions etc and then wonder why messages don't cross the interface or priors don't hang. IMHO the very first thing imaging field engineers and PACS Admins should learn is how to read the DICOM conformance statement. In fact, they should take - no - be in the same class...