Both doctors and radiologists face increasing demands on their time due to increased documentation and patient loads. A recent study conducted at the University of California at Davis found that physicians reported that they spend anywhere from one to five hours a day trying to locate films. These physicians expressed a great deal of frustration because the search for radiology films takes time away from their clinical duties. Radiology Information Systems (RIS) can help hospitals and radiology clinics improve physician access to radiology images.

As with all areas of medicine, radiology departments and clinics face pressure to decrease costs, improve patient outcomes and satisfaction, and improve efficiency. Radiology Information Systems (RIS), when integrated with Electronic Health Records (EHR), automate and streamline the workflow involved in radiology practices.