Patent ID: 7953944

Claim:
A method for archiving medical data in at least one of a plurality of storage modules, the data being associated with at least one medical examination, a first of said plurality of storage modules comprising a short time storage module, a second of said plurality of storage modules comprising a long time storage module, said long time storage module having a fast access long time storage sub module and a slow access long time storage sub module, the method comprising the steps of: defining a set of rules which are capable of being defined dynamically for dynamically executing the method for archiving, said set of rules being automatically set according to a real time data capacity of a communication network associated with said short time and long time storage modules and a data capacity of said storage modules and sub modules; defining at least one parameter which is capable of being defined dynamically; also controlling the method for archiving dynamically by means of the parameter, said parameter being selected from the group consisting of patient-related, examination-related, and a property of the medical data; storing a first copy of the medical data in the short time storage module, storing a second copy in the fast access long time storage sub module, and storing a third copy in the slow access long time storage sub module, provided that at least one defined rule of said set of rules or said at least one defined parameter requires storage of said medical data; further controlling the method for archiving dynamically with at least one of said set of rules and said parameter defining a storage duration scheduling wherein a storage duration of the medical data in at least one of said storage modules or sub modules is controlled by at least one of the factors selected from the group consisting of medical modality, disease pattern, organ-related factors, patient-related factors, medical legal background, and medical technological resources; and deleting data in at least one of said storage modules and sub modules in dependence on at least one of said defined set of rules and at least one defined parameter.