[Patient archiving and communication systems: an example of the clinical application of information technology]

The applications of patient archiving and communication systems have increased lately, particularly since the medical imaging companies began to distribute the software along with machines. These systems are very important in developing clinical work, particularly in critical care, for example following cardiac surgery. This paper describes these systems and explores how they work, as an example of the application of information technology in developing clinical work, and critical care in particular.