Installed base looms large for PACS firmsAgfa's planned acquisition of most of Sterling Diagnostic Imaging's assets and Eastman Kodak's 1998 acquisition of Imation's medical imaging business revealed several important truths about the medical
Installed base looms large for PACS firms
Agfa's planned acquisition of most of Sterling Diagnostic Imaging's assets and Eastman Kodak's 1998 acquisition of Imation's medical imaging business revealed several important truths about the medical imaging and PACS marketplace. First, film market share is still crucial for the success of these firms.
Despite years of hype, market penetration of PACS technology remains at very low levels. The future is certainly digital for hospitals, but in today's market, film sales continue to provide an important revenue stream for these vendors.
In addition to providing profits today, a hefty film market share may also pay off down the road. By maintaining strong relationships with customers, film companies would likely have a leg up on other vendors for future sales of digital image management technology. In a complicated sales situation like PACS, relationships can make all the difference.
Although it did not acquire film market share, Access Radiology took a similar approach in acquiring installed base through its acquisition of fellow teleradiology firm EMED (PNN 12/98). That company hopes to leverage off EMED's stable of on-call teleradiology users for more advanced teleradiology implementations.
While it is too early to tell whether Agfa, Kodak, and Access will be successful in their efforts, it's hard to argue with their approaches. More often than not, customers will go with the company they know and believe they can trust.
--Erik L. Ridley, Editor
New Study Assesses Long-Term Outcomes of PSMA PET Use in PCa Recurrence Cases
October 24th 2024For patients with biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer, PSMA PET imaging may facilitate a 12.8 percent lower incidence of prostate cancer mortality in contrast to the combination of CT and bone scan, according to long-term outcome estimates from a new decision-analytic modeling study.
Can Diffusion MRI Predict Patient Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer?
October 23rd 2024A model emphasizing time-dependent diffusion MRI was 15 percent more effective than apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements at predicting pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for women with breast cancer, according to new research.