Newswatch: March 2006

Industry Partnerships

Allscripts and GE Healthcare

Allscripts (Chicago) has entered into an amended strategic alliance agreement with GE Healthcare (Waukesha, Wis), the parent company of IDX Systems Corp (Burlington, Vt). Under the terms of the agreement, Allscripts' existing alliance with IDX will continue through the 5 years remaining under the original agreement, supporting the ongoing integration and compatibility of the Allscripts and IDX products. GE Healthcare will continue to offer Allscripts' TouchWorks EHR within the IDX client base, in addition to its own Centricity Ambulatory EMR. The agreement also allows Allscripts to enter the practice management systems (PMS) market and to offer an integrated practice management and EHR solution, depending on the needs and size of the practice.

Data Distributing and DISC Storage

Data Distributing LLC (Laguna Hills, Calif) has announced a strategic partnership with DISC Storage LLC (Cupertino, Calif) to distribute the DISC Blu-ray and NSM-DVD series of storage technology products. The partnership will provide Data Distributing with the latest technology in disc archiving to store medical images and records as per HIPAA guidelines. This alliance also will further advance DISC's desire to support its current US customer base as well as develop new business, specifically in the medical market of both the United States and Canada.

HCG and Philips Medical

HCG Building Technologies (Ceres, Calif) has announced the opening of the first modular building to house the Gemini PET/CT system from Philips Medical Systems (Andover, Mass) at Western Washington Oncology (WWO of Olympia, Wash). The new modular facility is part of WWO's expansion of patient services to include PET/CT exams directly on-site for a continuum of care. The custom-built modular facility adds nearly 1,000 square feet of space. It expands the WWO's diagnostic capabilities and gives patients a central location for their oncology care. The PET/CT facility is a separate building located to the right of the main structure. It houses a patient prep area for FDG uptake, the equipment room for scanning, and a technologist control station.

HIMSS Analytics and Siemens Medical

HIMSS Analytics (Chicago) has signed an 8-year agreement with Siemens Medical Solutions (Malvern, Pa) to provide its Web-enabled HIMSS Analytics database (derived from the Dorenfest IHDS+ Database). In May 2005, HIMSS Analytics released to all clients the Web version of the database, which has been designed to better support field sales executives by providing immediate access to continuously updated information. The current database version contains detailed information on 103 software applications, significantly increasing the value of this unique tool. Newly added data covers advanced technologies—such as wireless local area networks, Web tool sets, RFID, and security applications—and helps HIMSS Analytics' customers more effectively track technology adoption in the healthcare market. "By signing a long-term licensing agreement with HIMSS analytics, we are assured of receiving current IT market data that will help Siemens continue to meet its goals to deliver customer solutions that respond to market needs," said James Mazalewski, senior director of healthcare analytics and database marketing for Siemens Medical.

Matrox and NEC

Matrox Graphics Inc (Montreal) has announced that NEC Display Solutions of America Inc (Itasca, Ill) will market and sell the Matrox AuroraVX series display controller boards with its medical displays in a typical PACS configuration of two grayscale MD series diagnostic monitors and one color-review monitor. The AuroraVX series of display controller boards maximize display output options, powering up to three displays from a single low-profile PCI Express board. The AuroraVX series supports a navigation console up to a resolution of 2 megapixels, along with two twin imaging displays of up to 3 megapixels each.

QStar and Data Distributing

QStar Technologies Inc (Mary Esther, Fla) has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with Data Distributing LLC (Santa Cruz, Calif) for distributing its storage management software products throughout North America. The partnership provides Data Distributing with a single-source storage management solution that satisfies 14 operating systems and support for hundreds of device types, many of which are required for the heavily regulated medical industry. The partnership also allows QStar to better service its channels, leveraging Data Distributing's experience in the medical industry in promoting, servicing, and supporting solutions for regulatory compliance and records management applications.

Toshiba and CIS

Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc (TAMS of Tustin, Calif) has joined with the Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS of Houma, La) to create the new "Cardiovascular CT Basics Program." The new program is designed to educate cardiologists, radiologists, vascular surgeons, and administrators about the latest 64-slice CT technology. The program meets stringent American College of Cardiology (ACC of Bethesda, Md) and peripheral artery disease guidelines for cardiac imaging. Course topics include regulatory requirements, space and construction issues, coding and billing requirements, appropriate utilization of the technology, and a general overview of interpretation challenges. The course also is designed to allow a participant to leave with a body of knowledge that includes referral forms, exam requisitions, reporting samples, appropriate CPT codes, interesting cases, and sample images. The courses will feature discussion sessions with CIS cardiologists, surgeons, administrators, and technical staff team members. The three-day course offers continuing medical education credit and is designed specifically for users new to the field of cardiovascular CT.