A new association has been established, the PACS Administrators in Radiology Certification Association (aka PARCA), to develop criteria for the skills that are needed for PACS administrators, and to provide a certification for those that have proven to meet those requirements.
   
The formation of PARCA is in response to the increasing demand for healthcare technology professionals to support sophisticated and complex electronic medical imaging systems. The professionals need to be trained to achieve the required skills and keep up to date with new technologies. PARCA is an independent organization, seeking direction regarding certification requirements, the certification process, curriculum, and examinations from a 5-7 member advisory board composed of vendors, users and academics.
   
PARCA offers three types of certifications, i.e. for a PACS Interface Analyst, PACS System Analyst and PACS System Manager covering the various aspects of PACS administration. Both professionals with an IT or clinical background are able to get certified through their own track. The certification examinations can be taken online.
   
More information can be obtained by visiting www.pacsadmin.org.