With the digitization of medical imaging and the regulatory pressures of HIPAA, healthcare providers are facing challenges in implementing a cost effective, reliable and scalable data archiving and management solution.  The need for disaster recovery (DR) at both the hospital enterprise level as well as the department level has also increased.  The limitations and disadvantages of data back-up solutions, such tape or CD/DVD are increasingly becoming apparent as the volume of data, retention time and file sizes are all increasing in unison. Disc-based archiving solutions providing always online access to images combined with high availability is becoming the core part of a disaster recovery strategy.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina along the U.S. Gulf Coast as well as a number of other natural disaster demonstrated that unplanned events can create significant disruptions in patient care and patient data integrity at large and small healthcare enterprises.  The lack of timely access to patient records and data in the aftermath of any unplanned event can result in dire unintended consequences such as the loss of life.  The widespread use of imaging technologies in medicine for the timely diagnosis as well as treatment of various conditions, require that medical images be readily available to healthcare providers at all times.

Disaster Recovery Solution:  ImageGrid DICOM Storage Server Appliance

The ImageGrid product line by Candelis is a disk-based DICOM storage appliance with capacities ranging from 1 terabyte (TB) to over 100 TB.  ImageGrid units are able to receive images directly from any DICOM modality and provide immediate access to images from any DICOM viewer and workstation.

ImageGrid’s robust routing engine can automatically route images and studies from a local ImageGrid to a remote ImageGrid unit over a high speed internet connection.  Figure 1 shows the deployment of a locally installed ImageGrid 1000 and a remote ImageGrid 1000DR as a cost effective image management and disaster recovery solution.
 

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Healthcare facilities with multiple locations can install their ImageGrid 1000DR at a second location and connect the two units via a high speed T1 virtual private network (VPN) connection.

Candelis has also teamed up with Verizon Communications to provide secure SAS-70 compliant locations for any customers’ ImageGrid 1000DR.  Verizon has thirteen (13) SAS-70 locations throughout the nation.  A SAS 70 audit or service auditor's examination is widely recognized, because it represents that a service organization has been through an in-depth audit of their control activities, which generally include controls over information technology and related processes.  In today's global economy, service organizations or service providers must demonstrate that they have adequate controls and safeguards when they host or process data belonging to their customers.

This service is offered at $100 per month which included high speed internet connection as well as power supply.  An ImageGrid 1000DR is shipped on behalf of the customer to their designated Verizon Data Center and once installed on the rack, images can be immediately replicated and archived for disaster recovery. 
 

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