The CARESTREAM PACS Workflow Manager assigns a Study Availability status to each study in the CARESTREAM PACS system. This status is saved in the Workflow Manager database. This enables users to know at all times where a particular study is located.
Online indicates that the study is located on the CARESTREAM PACS Workflow Manager where it can be accessed quickly when needed. If the status is near-line or offline, the user knows the study must first be retrieved from the tape library managed by the RIS.
Near-line indicates that the tape for the requested study is currently in the tape library.
Offline indicates that the tape is not in the library and manual intervention is required.
If studies are located offline, the user can cancel the request to retrieve the study if no one is available to load the required tape in the library.
The Study Availability status of each study can be viewed in the Admin Tool as well as in the CARESTREAM PACS PACS Client.
The RIS Synchronizer is the automated process responsible for tracking the status of each study in the system. For example, when a tape is taken from the library, the statuses of all the studies contained on the tape are changed to online. If an offline tape is placed in the library, all the studies contained on the tape have their availability status changed to near-line and so on. The RIS Synchronizer runs once a day, at 3:00 am.