Last time we talked about how to set up parameters to purge a study from your storage.  Hopefully you’ve given it a try and found out, “Hey, this isn’t Rocket Surgery”.  It isn’t but it can be tedious.  As suggested in prior post, to begin using your ILM, it is imperative to set up all your rules in advance for the exams you are wanting to remove.  Maybe they are outside exams. Maybe they’re just outdated.  Whatever it is, have your plan signed off by all players in the game.  Radiologists, Directors, Compliance, and even your organizational law team.

Sounds daunting, doesn’t it?  So, is there an alternative? Maybe.  Are you completely out of space?  Do you not anticipate adding another rack? Are you concerned that your Rads won’t like your compression ratio?  If you’re concerned and biting your finger nails, and none of the above matters, the solution is simple.  Just add the storage!

Everyone will tell you storage is cheap.  It can be but not always.  If you’ve stayed up to date with technology, it’s the best solution.  It is tons cheaper than in the past.  But if you’re still dealing with tape archive, Centara, or something even more dastardly, it will be more expensive.  A caveat to this is, if you are still using this technology, you’re also probably not using a lot of storage to begin with.  So the costs, although being more expensive, are spread out over a longer period of time.

Bottom line with your ILM, learn how to use it and use it if necessary. It may be the only game in town for your facility.  Then think about updating your storage. Think VNA, and come to the Darkside!