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Special report: DR rising

by Diana Bradley, Staff Writer | February 13, 2012
From the January/February 2012 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine


Rick Sbordone, CEO of Charlotte, manufacturer IMIX Americas, is certain DR will inevitably replace CR.

“Several years ago, [IMIX] chose not to get into the CR market segment, as we can’t really provide innovation in that market,” says Sbordone. “As a manufacturer or as any company developing a business strategy, if you can’t really add value to a market segment, it’s probably not the smartest thing to invest your energy into that product or technology.”

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CR’s not out of the picture yet
While most hospitals are transitioning to DR, CR systems still have some loyal users. What works for one private practice might completely disrupt another’s workflow, according to Helen Titus, worldwide marketing manager at Carestream Health.

“There is a shift away from multi-cassette readers to single cassette and tabletop readers,” says Titus. “This reflects that high volume facilities like the medium and larger hospital market are not purchasing CRs; but in some smaller facilities like imaging centers, orthopedic and chiropractic centers — where the patient volume might not be as large — CR is still a good option due to price point.”

The total number of rooms being utilized can also play a part in a consumer’s choice between DR and CR.

“With DR, you are only applying it to the one room where it installs, so as long as that one exam room is all you need to go digital with, DR might be the right solution,” says Cefalo. “Whereas, if you have multiple rooms you’re trying to convert or refresh with a digital solution, a multi-plate CR might be a better, more affordable solution.”

Although pickings for innovative CR technology have become increasingly slim among the lion’s share of vendors, original equipment manufacturers like Agfa and Carestream are continuing to furnish fresh CR line features, according to the CR report, Winning with Service and Reliability, published by research firm KLAS last February. In particular, customers highly rate Afga’s MUSICA2, an imaging algorithm, for its “crystal clear” images, along with Carestream’s smaller and faster single-plate CR offerings.

“The rate of new introductions has certainly slowed down, but there is still money being invested into CR,” says Titus. “We are just targeting a different market space.”

Fujifilm, who introduced the first CR in the 1980s, has also recently rolled out a new tabletop CR reader and single plate CR for mammography.

“CR has been the tried and true option and its image quality is so well-refined that it gives the option to have excellent image quality, coupled with proven reliability at a very affordable price,” says Fujifilm’s Fabrizio. “Manufacturers that are willing [can] continue to provide CR, but at much lower prices.”

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