Hospitals Expect PACS Solutions to Develop with Meaningful Use-Minded Market

    CHICAGO, IL, November 28, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Neck-deep in meaningful use, hospitals pursue PACS vendors that offer and support evolving technology at a fair price, according to a recent KLAS report.

For the new study, "A Read on PACS: Hospital Expectations Rising", KLAS surveyed 964 healthcare providers about their current PACS solutions, studying 12 systems in acute-care hospitals, 16 in community facilities. Of respondents, 92 percent said they don't intend to replace their PACS in the next few years. However, all expect technology and customer service to improve, helping radiologists qualify as meaningful users.

"Most acute-care hospitals and many community facilities have already chosen a PACS, but market saturation doesn't mean market stagnation," said report author Ben Brown, KLAS general manager of imaging informatics. "Providers expect upgrades to include promised functionality, including improved web viewing, mammography and 3D imaging tools, and improved reporting. ARRA has a lot of people preoccupied, but it also raises their needs and expectations."

According to the report, acute-care hospitals are most likely to replace PACS as part of an enterprise imaging strategy, intending to cover orthopedics, cardiology, oncology, and other technologies. Some community hospitals, on the other hand, are purchasing for the first time. Technology and price are high priorities for both segments.

"For acute-care facilities, technology is the top consideration, with price usually coming into play only after technology needs are met. DR Systems and McKesson are both considered to be excellent systems with great support, but providers mention that they cost more than the competition," Brown commented. "Community hospitals have limited IT and financial resources, so decisions are based more on simple care and feeding. Some community hospital providers have selected a web-based PACS, such as NovaRad, Infinitt, GE PACSIW, Fuji, and Philips."

In the acute care segment for this report, DR Systems earned the top slot with a score of 86.0 out of 100, followed by McKesson (83.2) and FUJIFILM (81.4). For community PACS, Infinitt ranked first (88.4), followed by McKesson (86.7) and DR Systems (86.1). The report also highlights products from Agfa, Aspyra, Avreo, BRIT, Carestream, Cerner, GE, Merge, NovaRad, Philips, Sectra, and Siemens.

For more information about the PACS market, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of participating vendors, "A Read on PACS: Hospital Expectations Rising" is available to healthcare providers online for a significant discount off the standard retail price. To purchase the full report, healthcare providers and vendors can visit www.KLASresearch.com/reports.

KLAS is a research firm specializing in monitoring and reporting the performance of healthcare vendors. KLAS' mission is to improve delivery, by independently measuring vendor performance for the benefit of our healthcare provider partners, consultants, investors, and vendors. Working together with executives from over 4500 hospitals and over 2500 clinics, KLAS delivers timely reports, trends, and statistics, which provide a solid overview of vendor performance in the industry. KLAS measures performance of software, professional services, and medical equipment vendors. For more information, go to www.KLASresearch.com, email [email protected], or call 1-800-920-4109 to speak with a KLAS representative. Follow KLAS on Twitter at www.twitter.com/KLASresearch.

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