Clinicians working inside Epic’s network can now pull full-resolution scans from other hospitals with one click. The new Care Everywhere Diagnostic Image Exchange carries CT, MRI and X-ray studies between Epic-connected systems.
The exchange relies on open image-sharing standards, including DICOMweb and FHIR resources, to move complete DICOM series directly between PACS archives across Epic’s Care Everywhere network. Previously, doctors outside the imaging site could see only written radiology reports and lower-resolution reference images, with diagnostic-grade scans requiring manual retrieval or physical media.
The feature plugs into Epic’s duplicate-order checks, which already prevent more than 21,000 repeat scans a year. Providers can pull existing priors immediately, cutting radiation exposure and care delays.
The move targets a stubborn interoperability gap. Years after EHR digitization, diagnostic imaging has stayed locked in standalone PACS systems, and millions of patients still carry DICOM files on CDs between appointments. Native image exchange removes that physical media bottleneck and lets radiologists and referring clinicians review actual scans instead of summaries.
For hospitals running AI imaging tools, the change matters beyond convenience, since AI triage and diagnostic models depend on rapid access to full-resolution priors. Epic describes the release as bridging a long-standing interoperability gap without requiring extra infrastructure beyond existing Care Everywhere participation.
