Philips embraces innovators to distinguish iSite

Philips Healthcare is differentiating its PACS at RSNA 2008 by offering a wide variety of ancillary and complementary functions developed by other vendors but presented by Philips as optional software packages geared to work with its iSite system.

The company is framing the strategy as spawning an IT-based "ecosystem" composed of about a dozen suppliers of software products. Customers can pick and choose from an array of possibilities. One is Amirsys' STATdx Diagnostic Decision Support System, which offers reference tools useful in the diagnostic process. Another is a suite of communications tools from Primordial, including an integrated instant messaging and e-mail program that keeps radiologists in contact with other providers.

The strategy provides Philips' customers and prospects an expanding set of capabilities with minimal in-house effort, thereby conserving the company's engineering resources to develop clinical applications. These include 3D visualization tools such as iSite Volume Vision, Pulmonary Embolism Assessment, and the work-in-progress CT Colonography product. The idea grew from the observation that an increasing number of vendors are going directly to customers, a trend that became apparent when Philips was called in to help integrate iSite with various software packages. Over time, the company has developed tight integrations and good relationships with these firms. This sparked the idea of expanding Philips' portfolio by offering choices developed by these companies.

STATdx is a logical complement to iSite. As the world's largest radiology reference database of diagnoses and images, the software helps radiologists form diagnoses faster, more accurately, and with greater confidence. With this and other add-ons to iSite, Philips seeks to empower its customers -- and itself.