Enterprise-wide 3D Visualization Improves Imaging Quality and Patient Care

    OREM, UT, September 28, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Three-dimensional (3D) visualization is valuable in a variety of clinical applications because of its ability to provide advanced diagnostic information that was previously unavailable or difficult to obtain with a 2-dimensional (2D) image. The new KLAS report, "Enterprise 3D 2011: Filling a Need?," discusses the growing adoption of enterprise 3D in hospitals, as well as which vendors are providing the best solutions.

"Advanced imaging has evolved from 3D applications commonly found on the modality workstations to 3D-specific workstations," said Kirk Ising, author of the report. "Enterprise advanced 3D imaging solutions can be accessed from anywhere. Some of the questions providers are asking about 3D technology are how clinically beneficial the technology is, will reimbursements keep up, and does the potential for improved diagnosis justify the costs."

KLAS spoke with over 100 providers about their experience with enterprise 3D imaging vendors, as well as their plans for the future. ViTAL, with their Vitrea Enterprise Suite, claimed first place this year with a score of 84.3 out of 100, and users gave them an edge in both functionality and service. Users liked the advanced CT post-processing functionality, especially for cardiac and vascular scans. GE Healthcare AW Server and TeraRecon Aquarius iNtuition Enterprise followed ViTAL very closely, trending up over the last year. In new deals, TeraRecon is ahead--they were considered in 70 percent of the deals KLAS heard about, while ViTAL was considered in 65 percent of the deals.

Many providers with 3D imaging already in place indicated they would stay with workstation solutions for the time being. Rated in the report but not ranked were GE Healthcare's Advantage Workstation, Philips' Brilliance Workspace, TeraRecon's Aquarius Workstation, and ViTAL's Vitrea Workstation. Other solutions noted in the report are the MIMVista Workstation, the Siemens MultiModality Workplace, and the Toshiba Voxar 3D Workstation.
In organizations using enterprise 3D technology, physicians are asking for 3D post-processing on about 38 percent of scans. This is followed by cardiology at 49 percent, molecular imaging at 28 percent, and orthopedics at 21 percent; interventional, OR, oncology, and ED all came in at less than 20 percent adoption rates.

"The ultimate success of enterprise 3D imaging is going to hinge on adoption," added Ising. "Providers will have to be convinced the advantages in diagnostics and patient care outweigh the additional time, expense, and training the solution requires. Until then, many facilities will stick with their workstations or outsource post-processing to third-party specialists like 3DQ Radiology Lab at Stanford University and 3DR Laboratories, who do a high volume of visualization work."

To learn more about the enterprise 3D visualization market, including the strengths and weaknesses of vendor solutions, the report "Enterprise 3D 2011: Filling a Need?" is available to healthcare providers online for a significant discount off the standard retail price. With vendors showing steady improvement since last year, it will be interesting to watch as provider satisfaction continues to unfold. To purchase, healthcare providers and vendors can visit www.KLASresearch.com/reports.

KLAS is a research firm specializing in monitoring and reporting on 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 more than 4500 hospitals and more than 2500 clinics, KLAS delivers timely reports, trends, and statistics that provide a solid overview of vendor performance in the industry. KLAS measures performance of software, professional services, medical equipment, and infrastructure 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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