A multi-center PACS implementation to enable 360° comprehensive patient care
- By Philips
- Featuring
- November 06 2026
- 6 min read
Managing medical imaging across multiple facilities requires a scalable, secure platform that connects clinicians, standardizes workflows, and supports both care delivery and research. Fondazione Don Gnocchi (FDG), one of Italy’s leading non-profit healthcare organizations, launched a RIS-PACS project to consolidate four different PACS systems from several vendors into a single, stable radiology platform capable of meeting the evolving needs of both the clinical and research areas over time.
At-a-glance:
- Partner
- Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation (FDG) - 6,700 professionals, 3,720 beds, 90,000+ studies annually, 50+ structure across 9 Italian regions.
- Challenge
- Replace isolated PACS systems with a single unified platform that can scale, consolidate multiple workflows in a single workspace covering 7/7 days, facilitate stronger collaboration between clinicians.
- Solution
- Single unified Hybrid Cloud PACS with Disaster Recovery - business Continuity.
- Results
- 200,000 studies successfully migrated
- 30% demographic misalignment gap resolved, significantly improving data consistency
- Technology Acceptance Model (TAM3): 6.4/7 average score across usefulness, ease of use and behavioral intention 1
- High user satisfaction for system reliability and efficiency
The challenge: Connecting imaging across a complex healthcare network
Fondazione Don Gnocchi (FDG) provides rehabilitation, long-term care, and clinical research for elderly patients and people with complex conditions. With more than 6,700 professionals, 3,720 beds, 25 residential centers and 28 outpatient clinics across nine Italian regions, FDG operates a highly distributed healthcare network. As imaging volumes grew, FDG relied on four different PACS systems from multiple vendors. These fragmented environments created data inconsistencies, increased IT complexity, and limited the ability of radiologists and clinicians to collaborate effectively across sites. The organization needed a unified enterprise imaging strategy to support 24/7 operations, standardize workflows, and scale for the future.
Our mission is to care for people with the same quality and consistency wherever they are. Reducing fragmentation is not just an IT objective, it is how we ensure safer care, better research, and true continuity for every patient across all our centers.
Dr. Lorenzo Brambilla
Director of Medical and Social Care Services
Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ETS
A unified enterprise imaging platform
After an in-depth technical and clinical assessment across eight centers, FDG selected Philips to implement a centrally hosted hybrid cloud PACS integrated with its existing RIS and diagnostic equipment. The solution delivers a single enterprise viewer across all sites, centralized image storage with logical site separation, secure – allows access management, and built-in disaster recovery. This architecture simplifies IT operations while ensuring clinical continuity and business resilience.
From siloed systems to one connected workspace
Implementation began in July 2023 with extensive testing to validate performance, latency, and system integration. The first site, IRCCS Santa Maria Nascente in Milan, went live in February 2024. Full deployment across all eight centers was completed by November 2024, including the migration of 200,000 historical imaging studies.
In just five months, thanks to the rapid and professional deployment by Philips and the internal expertise of our Subject Matter Experts, we have successfully implemented a centralized PACS system for 8 centers in 8 different regions that will make all our centers operational within thirteen months.
Eng. Gianluca Rocchi
Head of Digital Transformation and Application Development
Fondazione Don Gnocchi ETS
Eng. Rocchi, Prof.ssa Baglio and Dr. Lipari, at IRCCS Santa Maria Nascente, Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ETS
Improving collaboration and supporting research with secure data governance
With the Philips enterprise viewer available across wards and services, clinicians can now access images and reports immediately eliminating CDs, film printing, and manual workflows. Radiologists and clinicians benefit from consistent access to imaging studies, faster turnaround times, and improved collaboration.
The system’s efficiency and reliability have built user trust. It’s not just powerful, it’s intuitive, and that matters in clinical settings.
Dr. Susanna Lipari
Neuroradiologist and Researcher
IRCCS “Santa Maria Nascente”, Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ETS
The unified PACS also supports FDG’s research mission by separating clinical and research workflows while maintaining a single patient registry and strict access controls. As stated also by Prof. Francesca Baglio, Scientific Vice Director, IRCCS Santa Maria Nascente, “The unified PACS has enabled more efficient execution of research projects by eliminating all low-value tasks related to data exchange based on CD production, while simultaneously ensuring data consistency and security for the future”. This allows for informed consent requirements while eliminating low-value data exchange tasks.
More than a year after go-live, a survey of over 100 users showed strong adoption and satisfaction. Based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM 3), perceived usefulness, ease of use, and intention to use averaged 6.4 out of 7. Users reported improved efficiency, reliability, and workflow performance, with an estimated 30% increase in productivity.
In summary, the introduction of the new PACS has equipped the IRCCS Don Carlo Gnocchi facilities with an efficient and scalable system for the future, resulting in an estimated 30% increase in efficiency and higher productivity in terms of the number of exams.
Eng. Gianluca Rocchi
Head of Digital Transformation and Application Development
Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ETS
Looking ahead: A foundation for future innovation
Beyond operational improvements, FDG now sees its centralized imaging platform as a strategic asset supporting future models of care.
Looking ahead, FDG’s ambition is to evolve from a radiology PACS toward a true Enterprise Imaging platform, progressively integrating imaging from multiple specialties into a single ecosystem that supports continuity of care, clinical research and multidisciplinary collaboration.
Discover how Philips enterprise PACS solutions can help unify imaging, streamline workflows, and support patient-centered care across your organization.
Learn more about Fondazione Don Gnocchi's journey towards an Enterprise Imaging platform with Philips
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Footnotes
- Results from case studies are not predictive of results in other cases. Results in other cases may vary.
Disclaimer
Product may not be available in all geographies. Please check with your local Philips representative to ascertain applicability of this solution for your region and language requirements.