One of the benefits of the new Sectra PACS is that manipulating images is easier than on Insignia. This means that we can send fewer CT reconstructions (Multiplanar reformats or MPRs) to PACS as these can be created with a keyboard shortcut or mouse-click.

Additionally, we can now save MPRs as a “bookmarked presentation state”, which can be easily retrieved.

A reduction in the amount of information we send to PACS from CT, means that the thumbnails are easier to navigate and so the cost of storage can be reduced.

Please note that this only affects CT, other modalities are unchanged.

Here is a brief guide on how to use the MPR functionality.

 

For SWASH+ PACS (IDS7), you will need to register with your HHFT details (ie HHFT email address) to gain access to the various user role specific IDS7 modules.

  • Register on the Sectra e-learning portal with your HHFT email details at https://training.sectra.com
  • Click on the Send verification code button
  • A Sectra account email verification code will be sent to your HHFT mailbox
  • Type the verification code received onto the registration screen (within 5 minutes)
  • Please select Hampshire Hospitals as your organisation when completing your profile
  • Once registration is complete you will have access to the e-learning portal (tip: save this as favourite on your web browser)
  • Scroll down to the bottom, and select the SWASH/HHFT Overviews tile
  • The learning modules are user role specific e.g., Overview for Clinicians, Overview for Radiologists etc.

If you use PACS for reviewing Radiology images day-to-day on the wards, please ensure you have completed the UniView training on Green Brain.

There are two versions of SWASH+ PACS, one is Uniview which is suitable for day-to-day image viewing on the wards. The Uniview training can be accessed on Green Brain here.

The second version is IDS7, which is suitable for those who require more advanced functionality e.g., for MDTs and clinical procedures. To access the Sectra e-learning online training for IDS7 modules (user-role specific), please follow the instructions in the section above.

  • Single sign-on is activated for both standalone SWASH+ PACS and UniView
    • There is a slight delay, please allow the details to populate the fields to allow the application to load
    • If this is not working, use your standard Trust network username and password
    • If required, please select the correct domain AD:BNH.BAS.NHS.UK
  • Patients will need to be searched manually
  • Please note that UniView is also available via EPR:
    • Right-click a patient
    • Select Diagnostics > SWASH+ PACS

The acronym originally stood for Salisbury, Wight and South Hampshire (SWASH); however, as regional involvement has grown to include Hampshire Hospitals, it is now SWASH+.  

It is a consortium for sharing PACS and it also includes Southampton and Portsmouth.  

SWASH+ will deliver major benefits; however, in the immediate term we will lose direct access to the patient record and imaging performed at some other Insignia sites including the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

If this will affect your patients, please contact the PACS team to learn how we are mitigating this with other ways of transferring images. 

SWASH+ will make the referral process significantly more efficient and help provide better, more timely care. 

All imaging performed across the SWASH+ trusts will be visible to everyone.  

This means that when referrals are made to specialists in other trusts in the consortium, for instance to the neurosurgical team, images will be immediately visible without the need for manually transferring images. 

For example, for a patient who potentially requires urgent neurosurgery, the images will be immediately available, or for a patient returning from tertiary care, we will have sight of all previous imaging.  

Additionally, when patients have shared care across trusts, there will no longer be a need for image transfer for MDT meetings. 

SWASH+ uses Sectra PACS. This is widely used across Europe and the UK, and is recognised as one of the best PACS solutions at the present time. 

It is available in two very different versions:  

Uniview is a web PACS viewer which will allow clinicians around the hospital to review images with direct access from the EPR. This does not require any special software and runs on a normal browser.  

IDS7 is the full stand-alone PACS solution which is used in the Radiology department for reporting and advanced image processing. It requires specific software that must be installed on a PC. 

There are multiple search options including:

  • Patient’s name 
  • DoB
  • Worklists

If using the HHFT Trust Hospital ID (MRN) this must be prefixed with RN5 in uppercase, e.g. RN51101400.

(The other SWASH+ trusts use other prefixes, RHM for UHS and Southern Health; RHU for Portsmouth; RNZ for Salisbury, IW for Isle of Wight)

Additional Information