[Efficient IT solutions in radiology: prerequisite for successful management]

For hospitals and radiology departments an efficient hospital information system (HIS), a radiology information system (RIS) and a picture archiving system (PACS) with high availability, reliability, flexibility and simple operation are necessary for survival. Besides the networking of patients and pictures data IT systems must also be capable of continuous process optimization in the dimensions of medical quality, service quality and profitability. What is not measurable is not improvable. A successful management demands current, medium-term and long-term indicators for the control. These performance and cost data are also available for benchmarking with other departments or for analysis for manpower requirements. In contrast to the past indicators must now concentrate on the use of resources by interdepartmental process treatment (clinical pathways and imaging pathways). The monitoring of image pathways is a future task. Without qualified IT personnel, optimal IT systems cannot be successful. In the complex treatment processes in hospitals high medical (radiological) quality is only possible in connection with optimal IT systems and excellent IT specialists.