Integrated Cardiovascular Solution improves workflow and enhances quality of service at AZ Imelda Bonheiden hospital
Mortsel, Belgium - September 26, 2007 - 3:00 p.m. CET
Agfa HealthCare, a leading provider of IT-enabled clinical workflow and diagnostic imaging solutions, announces today that it has completed the installation of its IMPAX(TM) Cardiovascular Suite at the AZ Imelda hospital in Bonheiden, Belgium. The enterprise-wide, feature-rich cardiology information management system and reporting solution allows physicians to view both cardiology and radiology images and reports, enhancing diagnostic confidence. Agfa HealthCare's solution enables AZ Imelda to integrate all of the patient information on two cardiology image management servers that are fully integrated with the hospital's main archive, IMPAX PACS (Picture Archiving and Communications System).
"We were looking for an integrated, hospital-wide solution that would independently connect with any modality or enterprise information system, providing us an integrated view of patient data from a single point of access," says Eric Verschueren, Head of the Medical Equipment Department of the AZ Imelda hospital. "Agfa HealthCare was the only independent software provider that could fulfil these criteria," he continues.
Agfa HealthCare's IMPAX Cardiovascular Suite promotes efficiency in the diagnostic process by simplifying access to cardiology and radiology information. Dr. Luc Janssens, Head of the Cardiology Department of the AZ Imelda hospital, was involved in the decision-making process. "We are very enthusiastic about this solution. The integration of imaging and reporting streamlines the departmental and hospital workflows by consolidating information from cardiology subspecialties and the radiology department."
Controlling and administering data has now become easier with Agfa HealthCare's IMPAX solution. The integrated system of imaging and data management suites offers one single, centralized data repository for cardiology and radiology data, which allows comparison of current and previous reports and images, and provides a longitudinal view of patient care. Dr. Janssens goes on to say: "Thanks to IMPAX, physicians have access to all necessary information at the patient's bedside, which facilitates more informed physician decision-making vis-à-vis therapy and diagnosis. This greatly enhances the service towards the patients."
Agfa HealthCare's IMPAX Cardiovascular Suite encompasses multiple modalities, including cardiac angiography, cardiac ultrasound, non-invasive vascular ultrasound and cardiac nuclear medicine, as well as non-image data such as measurements and other text-based information, strongly simplifying access to images and reports. "This improves interaction between the employees of the hospital, as they can now more easily discuss patient data, not only internally but also 'extra muros'. General practitioners and physicians in external hospitals, for example, can also use the system via a single point of access to cardiology and radiology images and reports, which is certainly a plus," concludes Dr. Janssens.
"Furthermore, the integrated IMPAX Cardiovascular solution is a valuable asset for teaching. The system allows for the comparison of medical information and allows us to teach people how to make reports and point out problems, limitations and medical examination possibilities and options," he concludes.
In July 2006, AZ Imelda also contracted Agfa HealthCare for the delivery of ORBIS(TM), Agfa HealthCare's advanced Hospital Information and Clinical Information Systems (HIS/CIS). This leading hospital enterprise IT solution enhances the quality of patient treatment and provides fast and complete availability of patients' histories, including all images and data.
About the Agfa-Gevaert Group
The Agfa-Gevaert Group is one of the world's leading imaging and information technology companies. The Agfa-Gevaert Group develops, manufactures and markets analogue and digital systems for the printing industry (Agfa Graphics), the healthcare sector (Agfa HealthCare) and film related products and specific industrial applications (Agfa Materials). The Agfa-Gevaert Group has its headquarters in Mortsel, Belgium. The company is present in 40 countries and has agents in another 100 countries throughout the world. The Agfa-Gevaert Group achieved a turnover of 3,401 million Euro in 2006.
About Agfa HealthCare
Agfa HealthCare, a member of the Agfa-Gevaert Group, is a leading provider of IT-enabled clinical workflow and image management solutions, and state-of-the-art systems for capturing, processing and printing images in hospitals and healthcare facilities. The company has over a century of experience in diagnostic imaging and has been a pioneer on the healthcare IT market since the early 1990's. Agfa HealthCare today employs 5,700 staff members, with sales offices and representatives in over 100 markets worldwide. Sales for Agfa HealthCare in 2006 were 1,452 million Euro, accounting for 43% of total group sales.
For more information on Agfa HealthCare, please visit www.agfa.com/healthcare.
About AZ Imelda Bonheiden
Situated in Bonheiden, Belgium, the AZ Imelda hospital provides a comprehensive range of health services to approximately 70,000 people in the Belgian region between the cities of Antwerp and Brussels. AZ Imelda's 1,400 employees serve 550 hospital beds and 200 residential entities in the hospital's geriatric revalidation center.
For more information on AZ Imelda Bonheiden, please visit www.imelda.be.
Contact
René Stenvert
Marketing Manager Agfa HealthCare Benelux
Septestraat 27
2640 Mortsel - Belgium
tel:+32 (0)3 450 96 93
fax:+32 03 450 98 09
Frederique Depraetere
Global PR Manager Agfa HealthCare
Septestraat 27
2640 Mortsel - Belgium
tel:+32 (0)3 444 80 06
fax:+32 (0)3 444 72 85
Johan Jacobs
Corporate Press Relations Manager
Septestraat 27
2640 Mortsel - Belgium
tel:+32 (0)3 444 80 15
fax:+32 (0)3 444 50 05
Agfa and the Agfa rhombus are trademarks of Agfa-Gevaert N.V. Belgium or its affiliates. IMPAX and ORBIS are trademarks of Agfa HealthCare N.V. Belgium or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Only the English version of this press release is legally valid. The versions in other languages only represent a translation of the original English version.
