By Michael J. Cannavo
CHICAGO - The PACSman awards are intended to recognize dubious distinction in the field of PACS. Here we go….
The “Palm Beach County Butterfly Ballot” Award –- To the vendor that included an incredibly confusing “per x-ray exposure cost analysis“ graph in its marketing materials for a per-click digital x-ray offering. The chart was part of an effort to redefine the word “free” in the promotion, but was complicated enough to prompt some RSNA-goers to ask for a recount.
The “Doesn’t NA in RSNA Stand for North America?” Award -- To the RSNA’s international visitors, who represented over 30% of the 55,000+ attendees at this year’s show.
The “Erector Set” Award -- To the multimodality vendor whose booth this year looked strikingly like the erector set I had when I was growing up in the early ‘60s.
The “We’ve Got Balls” Award -- To the PACS vendor that handed out rubber super balls with flashing lights as a promotional gimmick. The super balls attracted quite a following and were used as trade material to obtain hotel upgrades, restaurant reservations, and even cab rides.
The “Run-on Sentence” Award -- To the vendor with the “Now is the Time, This is the Technology, We are the Company ” motto. PACSman’s tip -- a little editing might have resulted in a more effective message.
The “Kiss Me Next Time, Please” Award -- To the RSNA housing group for instituting a $50 penalty for changes to or cancellations of hotel requests one full month before the RSNA; and the total loss of the $300 deposit for reservations changed or canceled seven days or less before the show, even if the hotel agreed to waive the penalty.
The “Where’s Kathie Lee?” Award -- To the company that gave its direct digitizing system a product name remarkably similar to that of a well-known talk-show host.
And this year’s top PACSman award-winners are a tie between:
The “Honey, I Swear It’s an Ultrasound Sheath!” Award -- To the PACS provider that gave out condoms this year in its booth in an effort obviously designed to show ways that facilities could promote and increase ultrasound procedural volume; and
The “What Were They Thinking?” Award -- To the software developer whose company moniker evolved from a combination of “software” and “hardware.”
See you at next year’s show!
By Michael J. Cannavo
AuntMinnie.com contributing writer
November 30, 2000
Mr. Cannavo is president of Image Management Consultants, a PACS consulting firm.
CHICAGO - The PACSman awards are intended to recognize dubious distinction in the field of PACS. Here we go….
The “Palm Beach County Butterfly Ballot” Award –- To the vendor that included an incredibly confusing “per x-ray exposure cost analysis“ graph in its marketing materials for a per-click digital x-ray offering. The chart was part of an effort to redefine the word “free” in the promotion, but was complicated enough to prompt some RSNA-goers to ask for a recount.
The “Doesn’t NA in RSNA Stand for North America?” Award -- To the RSNA’s international visitors, who represented over 30% of the 55,000+ attendees at this year’s show.
The “Erector Set” Award -- To the multimodality vendor whose booth this year looked strikingly like the erector set I had when I was growing up in the early ‘60s.
The “We’ve Got Balls” Award -- To the PACS vendor that handed out rubber super balls with flashing lights as a promotional gimmick. The super balls attracted quite a following and were used as trade material to obtain hotel upgrades, restaurant reservations, and even cab rides.
The “Run-on Sentence” Award -- To the vendor with the “Now is the Time, This is the Technology, We are the Company ” motto. PACSman’s tip -- a little editing might have resulted in a more effective message.
The “Kiss Me Next Time, Please” Award -- To the RSNA housing group for instituting a $50 penalty for changes to or cancellations of hotel requests one full month before the RSNA; and the total loss of the $300 deposit for reservations changed or canceled seven days or less before the show, even if the hotel agreed to waive the penalty.
The “Where’s Kathie Lee?” Award -- To the company that gave its direct digitizing system a product name remarkably similar to that of a well-known talk-show host.
And this year’s top PACSman award-winners are a tie between:
The “Honey, I Swear It’s an Ultrasound Sheath!” Award -- To the PACS provider that gave out condoms this year in its booth in an effort obviously designed to show ways that facilities could promote and increase ultrasound procedural volume; and
The “What Were They Thinking?” Award -- To the software developer whose company moniker evolved from a combination of “software” and “hardware.”
See you at next year’s show!
By Michael J. Cannavo
AuntMinnie.com contributing writer
November 30, 2000
Mr. Cannavo is president of Image Management Consultants, a PACS consulting firm.
Copyright © 2000 AuntMinnie.com
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