PACS Administrator

Job Description

Summary

The PACS Administrator is responsible for the administration, maintenance, optimization, and support of the organization's Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) and related imaging technologies. This role serves as a critical liaison between clients, operations teams, and IT personnel to ensure the reliable delivery, storage, routing, and accessibility of medical imaging across a high-volume teleradiology environment.

The ideal candidate will possess strong experience with PACS administration, HL7 and DICOM integrations, healthcare integration engines such as Mirth Connect or similar platforms, and networking technologies that support healthcare imaging workflows. This position requires excellent troubleshooting skills, a customer-focused mindset, and the ability to support a 24/7 operation.

Job Functions

PACS Administration

• Administer, maintain, and optimize PACS and associated imaging infrastructure.
• Monitor system performance, availability, storage utilization, and data integrity.
• Manage user accounts, permissions, security groups, and access controls.
• Coordinate software upgrades, patches, and system maintenance activities.
• Perform system testing and validation following upgrades and configuration changes.
• Develop and maintain PACS documentation, workflows, and support procedures.

Interface and Integration Support

• Administer and support healthcare integration engines, such as Mirth Connect or similar platforms.
• Build, maintain, and troubleshoot HL7 interfaces between client systems, RIS, EMR/EHR platforms, and PACS.
• Support DICOM connectivity, routing, modality worklists, and image exchange workflows.
• Investigate and resolve integration failures, message errors, and workflow interruptions.
• Collaborate with clients and vendors during interface implementations and upgrades.

Networking and Infrastructure

• Troubleshoot network connectivity issues impacting imaging workflows.
• Support secure image transmission and data exchange between healthcare organizations.
• Monitor network performance and identify opportunities for optimization.

Operational Support

• Provide Tier II and Tier III support for imaging-related incidents and service requests.
• Participate in an on-call rotation supporting a 24/7 teleradiology operation.
• Perform root cause analysis and implement corrective actions to prevent recurring issues.
• Assist with client onboarding and technical implementations.
• Maintain compliance with HIPAA, security, and organizational policies.

Project Responsibilities

• Lead or participate in PACS implementation and migration projects.
• Assist with acquisition integrations, new client implementations, and workflow enhancements.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend improvements to imaging infrastructure.
• Collaborate with clients and operations teams to optimize efficiency and system performance.

Preferred Talents

• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision.
• Strong documentation and organizational skills.
• Commitment to system reliability and operational excellence.

Qualifications Preferred

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Healthcare Informatics, Computer Science, or a related field preferred.
• An equivalent combination of education and healthcare IT experience may be considered.
• Three to five years of PACS administration experience supporting PACS environments in a hospital, imaging center, or teleradiology setting.
• At least two years of experience supporting healthcare integration engines and troubleshooting HL7 interfaces; experience with Mirth Connect or a similar platform is preferred.
• Experience supporting DICOM imaging workflows.
• Strong networking experience in enterprise environments.

Technical Skills 

• TCP/IP networking.
• DNS and DHCP.
• Windows Server administration.
• SQL query fundamentals.

Success Measures

The PACS Administrator will be evaluated on:

• PACS system uptime and reliability.
• Timely resolution of support tickets and critical incidents.
• Successful implementation of client integrations.
• Interface stability and message delivery rates.
• Documentation quality and process improvement initiatives.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate combines the skill set of a PACS Administrator, Interface Analyst, and Network Administrator. They are comfortable troubleshooting issues across the entire imaging workflow, from a modality sending DICOM studies through a VPN to HL7 orders flowing through an integration engine and ultimately reaching PACS and radiologists without interruption. This individual thrives in a fast-paced, mission-critical teleradiology environment where system availability directly impacts patient care.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit, speak, hear, and use their hands to type and/or take notes. The employee must have the ability to speak, see and hear other personnel and/or objects. They must also communicate both in oral and written form. Must be capable of using a telephone and computer keyboard; they will be communicating with others to exchange information. They must be able to lift to 10 lbs. Employee must have the ability to sit and work at a computer terminal for extended periods of time; this is sedentary work that primarily involves sitting. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to work extended hours during critical incidents or project implementations.
• Participation in an on-call rotation supporting a 24/7 teleradiology environment.
• Ability to use computer equipment for extended periods.

Employee Acknowledgement

I acknowledge that I have received and reviewed the job description and understand the job duties and responsibilities outlined. I understand that performance evaluations and wage increases are based on my ability to perform this job to satisfaction. This document describes the typical duties and responsibilities of the position. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties or responsibilities required and may change with or without notice.