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  • What is a RIS?
  • What is Best of Breed?
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SWEARINGEN SOFTWARE
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Products
    • RISynergy
    • Interfaces
    • Interface Engine
    • FileAlert
    • Centralized Scheduling
    • Consulting
  • Quotes
  • Who Are You?
    • Director of Radiology
    • Radiologist
    • IT Director
    • Administrator
  • Articles
    • RISynergy vs. Cerner RIS
    • RIS Stealing Profits?
    • Radiology Workflow
    • RIS Vendor Secrets
    • Reduce Radiology Lawsuits
  • Support
  • What is a RIS?
  • What is Best of Breed?
  • What is HL7?
  • Web or Client/Server?
  • FAQs

What is a Best of Breed vs. Single Source Radiology Information System?

The answer to this question is best done via an analogy.  If you had a heart problem, would you seek treatment from a heart specialist (Best of Breed Doctor) or a general practitioner (Single Source Doctor)?  A general practitioner is a 'Jack of All Trades' - knowledgeable about a lot of things, but expert at nothing.  On the other hand, a heart specialist has focused his/her entire education and career on one specific area of the body...  the heart.  When given a choice between a general practitioner and a heart specialist, the logical choice would always be to select a heart specialist.  


Swearingen Software has focused EXCLUSIVELY on radiology information systems since 1988 (over 35 years!).  We are a "Best of Breed" RIS vendor.


On the other hand, vendors like Cerner, Epic, Meditech and others, offer a complete suite of products.  Once you pick their overall package, you have no choice as to the individual systems within.


If you were to grade each system within a single source package on a scale of 1 to 10, you would be lucky to average 5 to 6.  If you were to grade each system within a best of breed product mix, you would most likely average a 9 or 10.


So, the question is this - Since the radiology department is one of the three major profit centers in a hospital, why would you trust your complex radiology information system needs to anyone but a RIS specialist?

Single Source vs. Best of Breed

TV Dinner

With Single Source, you only have one choice and that is of the overall package.  You cannot pick and choose the individual pieces within (i.e. you're stuck with what it comes with)

Ala Carte

With Best of Breed, you get to select each individual item that best fits your needs (or tastes).  

Single Source vs. Best of Breed

Boombox

Pick Your Favorite Components

Pick Your Favorite Components

A boombox is an example of a single-source package.  You cannot replace any single component with a better one.  So, when picking a boombox, you pick the one that offers the best component that is most important to you such as speakers.  The remaining components you will be forced to live with.  When a hospital picks a single-source package, they usually choose based on the Hospital Information System (HIS).  The radiology is of little concern in that selection process.

Pick Your Favorite Components

Pick Your Favorite Components

Pick Your Favorite Components

When you can pick each component (i.e. speakers, receiver, CD player, phonograph, etc.) that meets your specific needs and preferences, you get the optimal quality sound and performance.  And what makes all these disparate components talk to one another?  RCA cables, optic cables or HDMI cables.

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