Pediatric radiology informatics within a larger academic practice

As academic health systems increasingly consolidate with unified electronic health records (EHR), picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), and reporting platforms, pediatric radiology divisions must weigh the benefits of integration against the governance structures optimized for higher-volume adult services. This review considers the informatics challenges and opportunities facing pediatric radiology within larger academic radiology departments. Topics addressed include governance and leadership, interoperability, workflow and scheduling, reporting and communication of results, patient safety, operational analytics, teleradiology, and artificial intelligence. The published literature and the author's institutional experience are utilized to highlight practical ways to improve systems that are frequently designed around adult needs rather than pediatric ones.