5 Reasons Your Diagnostic Center Needs to Digitize Its Processes Today

Diagnostic imaging centers are one of the most critical links in the healthcare system. Every day they process dozens — or hundreds — of studies that must be stored, interpreted, and delivered to referring physicians and patients as quickly as possible. Yet many centers still operate with manual workflows that create delays, errors, and loss of information. If this sounds like your reality, these five reasons will convince you that digitization is not optional — it's urgent.

1. Eliminate the Loss of Studies and Physical Films

One of the most common problems at diagnostic centers that still rely on radiographic films or CDs is the loss of studies. A misplaced film means repeating the study, exposing the patient to unnecessary radiation, and absorbing the cost of rework.

With a cloud-based PACS, every image is stored automatically, redundantly, and securely from the moment the modality equipment generates it. No films to lose, no CDs to scratch, no physical archives that deteriorate over time.

• Redundant storage with automatic backup.
• Instant access from any authorized device.
• Complete patient history available in seconds.

2. Reduce Result Delivery Times

The time between performing a study and delivering the report is a critical quality indicator. In manual workflows, the report goes through multiple stages — transcription, review, printing, physical delivery — that can take hours or even days.

A digitized workflow with an integrated RIS allows the radiologist to receive the image directly at their workstation, dictate the report within the system, and release it electronically. The referring physician receives an immediate notification and can access the result from the portal, without requiring the patient to return to the center to pick up an envelope.

At centers that implemented Davix PACS/RIS, the average report delivery time dropped from 48 hours to under 4 hours.

3. Enable Teleradiology and Expand Your Capacity

The shortage of radiologists in Latin America is a reality that directly impacts the operational capacity of diagnostic centers. Many institutions depend on one or two specialists who cannot meet the demand, especially during night shifts or weekends.

Teleradiology, enabled by a cloud-based PACS, allows remote radiologists to access studies from any location with an internet connection. This means:

• 24/7 coverage without the need for on-site call shifts.
• Second opinions from subspecialists in real time.
• Scalability to absorb demand peaks without hiring additional staff.

4. Optimize Administrative and Financial Management

A diagnostic center doesn't just generate images: it generates study orders, bills insurers, manages supply inventories, and controls equipment schedules. When these processes are disconnected, the result is revenue leakage, billing errors, and underutilization of equipment.

An integrated platform that connects the clinical workflow with the administrative side enables:

• Full traceability from the medical order to the payment.
• Automatic reconciliation with insurers and health plans.
• Productivity dashboards by equipment, technician, and radiologist.
• Schedule optimization to maximize the utilization of each piece of equipment.

5. Comply with Regulatory and Quality Standards

Regulatory bodies across the region are progressively raising quality and safety standards for diagnostic centers. Standards such as DICOM, HL7, and IHE require interoperability and traceability that simply cannot be achieved with paper-based workflows.

Additionally, quality certifications like ISO 9001 and hospital accreditations require documented evidence of standardized processes, measurable response times, and audit trails for clinical information access. A digital system generates this evidence automatically.

The Cost of Not Digitizing

Many diagnostic center directors postpone digitization because they perceive the investment as too high. The reality is that the cost of not digitizing is higher: lost studies, patients who don't return, delayed reports that damage reputation, unbilled revenue due to lack of traceability, and fines for regulatory non-compliance.

Today's technology allows you to implement a cloud-based PACS/RIS without investing in your own infrastructure, using a subscription model that scales with your center's study volume. The return is visible from the very first month.

Conclusion

Digitizing your diagnostic center is not a technology project: it is a strategic decision that impacts service quality, operational efficiency, profitability, and competitive positioning. Centers that have already taken this step are serving more patients, with better response times and lower operating costs.

At Davix, we support diagnostic centers across Latin America in their digital transformation journey, with a PACS/RIS platform designed to scale with your operation. If your center still relies on manual processes, the time to change is now.