Picture Archiving And Communication Systems Administrator
Key facts
Picture archiving and communication systems administrators manage picture archiving and communication systems (PACS). They store images taken by various types of medical equipment, such as X-rays, in order to enable easy access to these images for medical. PACS administrators ensure the day-to-day management and maintenance of the system.
Picture archiving and communication systems administrators play a crucial role in modern healthcare. You are responsible for the smooth operation of picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), which store and manage medical images like X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans. Your work ensures that healthcare professionals can quickly and easily access these images for diagnosis, treatment planning, and research. This role requires a blend of technical expertise and a commitment to maintaining data integrity and system security.
- • Installing, configuring, and maintaining PACS hardware and software.
- • Managing image storage and archiving solutions, ensuring data security and accessibility.
- • Troubleshooting system issues and providing technical support to medical staff.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Health associate professionals — 49 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Bulgaria, Greece, Slovakia.
Longest-running shortage: Bulgaria, 2 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person's chances. It describes a market.
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Future Outlook for picture archiving and communication systems administrator
The outlook for picture archiving and communication systems administrator reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could picture archiving and communication systems administrator change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- apply company policies
- empathise with the healthcare user
- communicate in healthcare
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- maintain ICT system
- administer ICT system
- attend to ICT systems quality
Tasks most exposed to automation
- archive healthcare users' records
- manage radiology information system
- use electronic health records management system
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Digital Technology
A typical day as a picture archiving and communication systems administrator
09 09:00 · Morning administer ICT system
10 10:30 · Mid-morning archive healthcare users' records
12 12:00 · Midday attend to ICT systems quality
14 14:00 · Afternoon maintain ICT system
15 15:30 · Late afternoon manage radiology information system
17 17:00 · Wrap-up use electronic health records management system
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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archive healthcare users' records
Properly store the health records of healthcare users, including test results and case notes so that they are easily retrieved when required.
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manage radiology information system
Develop and maintain a database to store, manage and distribute radiological images and data.
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administer ICT system
Handle components of ICT system by maintaining configuration, managing users, monitoring resource use, performing backups and installing hardware or software to comply with the set requirements.
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apply company policies
Apply the principles and rules that govern the activities and processes of an organisation.
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empathise with the healthcare user
Understand the background of clients` and patients’ symptoms, difficulties and behaviour. Be empathetic about their issues; showing respect and reinforcing their autonomy, self-esteem and independence. Demonstrate a concern for their welfare and handle according to the personal boundaries, sensitivities, cultural differences and preferences of the client and patient in mind.
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use electronic health records management system
Be able to use specific software for the management of health care records, following appropriate codes of practice.
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communicate in healthcare
Communicate effectively with patients, families and other caregivers, health care professionals, and community partners.
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attend to ICT systems quality
Ensure correct operations which comply fully with specific needs and outcomes in terms of the development, integration, security and overall management of ICT systems.
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interact with healthcare users
Communicate with clients and their carer’s, with the patient’s permission, to keep them informed about the clients’ and patients’ progress and safeguarding confidentiality.
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maintain ICT system
Select and apply system and network monitoring techniques. Identify and fix operational problems. Ensure that system's capabilities and efficiency match company specifications.
data protection
The principles, ethical issues, regulations and protocols of data protection.
health records management
The procedures and importance of record keeping in a healthcare system such as hospitals or clinics, the information systems used to keep and process records and how to achieve maximum accuracy of records.
project management
The discipline of project management, the activities which comprise this area and the variables implied in it, such as time, resources, requirements, deadlines, and responding to unexpected events.
Cisco
The products available from the network equipment provider Cisco and methods for selecting and procuring the equipment.
ICT system user requirements
The process intended to match user and organisation's needs with system components and services, by taking into consideration the available technologies and the techniques required to elicit and specify requirements, interrogating users to establish symptoms of problem and analysing symptoms.
procurement of ICT network equipment
The products available from network equipment providers and methods for selecting and procuring the equipment.
supplier management
The methods and techniques to ensure that external services and configuration items, which are necessary for the service delivery, are available as requested and as agreed at the service level.
- computer science
- medical informatics
- medical terminology
- human anatomy
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What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Short-cycle tertiary education
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
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Where does picture archiving and communication systems administrator fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of technical skills are most important for this role?
- A strong understanding of networking, server administration, and database management is essential. Familiarity with DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) standards is also critical, as it’s the standard for handling medical images. Experience with various operating systems (Windows, Linux) and imaging modalities (X-ray, MRI, CT) is highly beneficial.
- Is this role typically a solitary one, or does it involve a lot of collaboration?
- While the role can involve periods of focused technical work, it’s often collaborative. You’ll work closely with radiologists, IT support staff, and other healthcare professionals to ensure the PACS system meets their needs and operates effectively. Good communication skills are vital.
- What are the key work values that contribute to success as a picture archiving and communication systems administrator?
- Accuracy and attention to detail are paramount, given the sensitive nature of medical data. A commitment to reliability and dependability is also important, as system downtime can significantly impact patient care. Problem-solving skills and a proactive approach to identifying and resolving issues are highly valued.
- Is there a shortage of Picture Archiving And Communication Systems Administrator in Europe?
- No. In the 2025 ELA/EURES edition, a surplus was reported in 4 of the 7 European countries that assessed this occupation group: Austria, Czechia, Germany, Latvia. 3 countries reported a shortage. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.
- How much does Picture Archiving And Communication Systems Administrator pay in the United States?
- $77,660 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $35,280 to $121,260. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated September 20, 2026 About our data