User Centred Design and Implementation of Useful Picture Archiving and Communication Systems for Effective Radiological Workflows in Public Health Facilities in Zambia

Radiological workflows in public health facilities in The Republic of Zambia are performed using manual processes. With a broad spectrum of stakeholders—Physicians, Radiographers and Radiologists—involved in radiological workflows, the efficiency of health service provision is drastically reduced, subsequently compromising clinical care. While there are a number of software platforms that are used in radiological workflows, Picture Archiving and Communication System platforms are crucial as they are primarily used to store, manage and facilitate access to Medical Images. This paper outlines the user-centred design and implementation of a prototype PACS platform aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of designing and implementing a PACS platform for use in public health facilities in Zambia. The prototype PACS platform was subsequently evaluated in order to assess its perceived usefulness and ease of use. The results indicate the feasibility of implementing and deploying PACS platforms in public health facilities in Zambia and, additionally, their potential usefulness.