Before you start
Know what you have.
- How many studies and how much storage, by year.
- Which modalities send to the old PACS, and how.
- How patients are identified, and whether the identifiers were always the same.
- How long each kind of study must be kept.
Moving the archive
New studies go to the new PACS from the first day, through the gateway. The old archive is moved in the background, newest years first, so priors for current patients arrive early.
Checking, then switching off
What arrived is compared with what was sent, study by study. The old system stays readable until the check is complete, and is switched off only after that.
Questions centers ask
How long does a migration take?
It depends on the size of the archive and the line. The new PACS is in use from the first day; the old archive follows in the background.
Do we lose access to old studies during the move?
No. The old system stays readable until its archive has been moved and checked.
Is moving the archive priced separately?
It is one of the items in the quote, sized by the archive you have.