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Agfa HealthCare Selected as Preferred Vendor for Toronto East Network’s PACS Project


WEBWIRE

Regional Diagnostic Imaging Project to Share Images and Reports Across 26 Hospital Sites

Mortsel, Belgium, July 14, 2006, Agfa HealthCare today announced that it has been selected by the Toronto East Network (TEN) as the preferred vendor for the region’s Diagnostic Imaging Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) project. Requiring the integration of several RIS and PACS systems from different vendors, this project will leverage the open architecture and interoperability offered by Agfa’s proposed IMPAX solution.

The TEN Diagnostic Imaging (DI) PACS Project is a joint initiative commissioned by a voluntary consortium of 16 hospital corporations. These hospitals manage 26 clinical sites throughout the central, east and northern regions of Ontarioin Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) 7, 8 and 9. In cooperation with these hospitals and Canada Health Infoway, the TEN DI PACS Project Management Office has defined a three year phased implementation strategy for the creation of a shared Diagnostic Imaging Repository for images and reports.

The preferred vendor status will allow Agfa HealthCare to negotiate a binding contract for the provision of its IMPAX solution for current non-PACS sites in the TEN (four hospital corporations across eight sites) and for the implementation of a regional Diagnostic Imaging Repository. The Repository will allow all participating hospital corporations to centrally store image and report data, and to access relevant prior patient images, regardless of which TEN site acquired them.

In 2004/5, the TEN hospitals performed 1.9 million diagnostic exams. Approximately 73 per cent of these exams are already electronically archived by local hospital PACS. The remaining exam volume will be managed by the new PACS installations.

“We believe that this complex PACS implementation requires a vendor such as Agfa who has a great deal of experience with open architecture and interoperability between disparate systems,” said Michael Green, President, Agfa Inc. “The integration requirements play to our strength as a company.”

The proposed shared digital imaging network will build on the investments in PACS and Radiology Information Systems (RIS) already made by some sites within the TEN. The proposed network will enable and support interoperability across all hospital sites within the region. Additionally, the system will enhance diagnostic imaging services across the region and between facilities by migrating to a filmless environment, and enabling authorized access to both images and reports on an ongoing, as needed basis.

The TEN PACS Project is a hospital partnership initiative that uses and adapts proven solutions to create a shared imaging data repository in accordance with the interoperability architecture and standards established by Canada Health Infoway. Joint planning with the e-Health Office of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care and Canada Health Infoway Inc. ensures that the project identifies opportunities and aligns local, regional, provincial and national e-Health strategies.



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