Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) and Medical Center Leeuwarden (MCL), one of the largest non-university hospital in the Netherlands and one of the country's top teaching hospitals, announced a long-term agreement. The partnership will give MCL continuous access to Philips' state-of-the-art ultrasound technology throughout its cardiology department for the next ten years. Philips will provide structural innovation upgrades and consultancy and training services, maintaining MCL's access to the latest cardiac ultrasound technologies for routine and advanced diagnostic purposes and minimally-invasive interventional procedures.
To underpin this approach to state of the art, MCL will be one of the first hospitals in the Netherlands to enjoy the benefits of Philips' brand new EPIQ 'anatomical intelligence' ultrasound imaging platform. This new managed services partnership will support innovative and affordable care in the Netherlands.
"Ultrasound imaging plays a fundamental and wide-spread role in cardiology, driven in part by innovations over the past decade that have dramatically increased its functionalities," says Dr. Rob Breedveld, cardiologists at Medical Center Leeuwarden. "It is important for us to collaborate with a partner that leads the way in technology innovation. Our close cooperation and long-term agreements with Philips make sure we have access to the latest innovations, such as the EPIQ ultrasound system, that further improve the way our staff can diagnose and treat patients, while also helping to manage costs."
"We aim to continue our leadership in ultrasound imaging through advanced technology development. Entrepreneurial new business models will support the transformation of healthcare delivery in an era where the biggest challenge is to realize high quality patient care at affordable cost. This new partnership with MCL brings both aspects together, resulting in the largest cardiac ultrasound imaging agreement that we have entered into in the Netherlands," says Henk Valk, General Manager at Philips Healthcare Benelux. "This important long-term agreement is the latest in a string of more than 30 managed services agreements worldwide that have seen Philips strategically transform itself from an equipment supplier to a managed technology and consulting services provider."
The flexibility and cost-effectiveness of ultrasound imaging means that it is widely used in virtually every phase of the cardiac care cycle, from diagnosis and treatment to patient monitoring. Because of its 3D live-imaging capabilities and inherent safety, it is increasingly being used as an additional modality for minimally invasive image-guided cardiac interventions such as heart valve repair/replacements.
Reflecting the widespread use of ultrasound imaging in cardiac care, Philips will install its ultrasound imaging solutions in many different parts of MCL's cardiology department, including in its cardiac emergency department, catheterization lab, hybrid operating room, pediatric cardiology unit, coronary care unit and outpatient clinics. Installed solutions will comprise Philips’ iE33 high-end echocardiography system, its CX50 versatile high-performance mobile ultrasound system, and early in 2014 its brand new EPIQ ultrasound imaging platform.
Launched this week at the European Society of Cardiology Congress (ESC 2013) in Amsterdam, the EPIQ platform moves ultrasound out of the passive imaging domain into the new era of 'anatomical intelligence'. Combining high frame rate capture with unsurpassed image detail and panoramic volume imaging, the EPIQ platform allows whole organ visualization, while its in-built anatomical intelligence generates patient-specific organ models with automated segmentation, feature recognition and parameter extraction. Applicable in diagnosis, treatment and therapy monitoring, EPIQ will change the way clinicians use ultrasound through its usability, reproducibility and readability.
Philips is a leader in medical imaging and the world's number-one in medical ultrasound. The cost-effectiveness and flexibility of ultrasound imaging have made it one of the fastest growing modalities in the imaging systems market, which was globally worth approximately EUR 18 billion in 2012.
- Philips Healthcare's Profile
About Royal Philips
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people's lives through meaningful innovation in the areas of Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips posted 2012 sales of EUR 24.8 billion and employs approximately 116,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. The company is a leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as male shaving and grooming and oral healthcare.
About Medical Center Leeuwarden
Medical Center Leeuwarden, the largest hospital in the northern province of Fryslân, is one of the largest non-university training hospitals in the Netherlands. It has 623 clinical beds. There are 234.840 case mixes annually. MCL has 3.146 employees and 204 medical specialists. MCL has hospitals in Leeuwarden and in Harlingen, the latter offering mainly outpatients' care and day treatment. MCL is merged with hospital Tjongerschans in Heerenveen.