Philips is enhancing operations at University Hospital Brandenburg an der Havel with MR, ultrasound and mobile X-ray equipment and other solutions
Philips enters 10-year, $20 million partnership with German hospital
February 02, 2022
by John R. Fischer, Senior Reporter
Philips will oversee installations of its ultrasound, MR and mobile X-ray equipment at the University Hospital Brandenburg an der Havel in Germany for €18 million (over $20 million).
In addition, the manufacturer will also provide image-guided therapy suites and patient monitoring solutions, as part of a 10-year strategic partnership with the hospital. With these technologies, University Hospital Brandenburg an der Havel will be better able to train its staff to care for and produce better outcomes in their patients, as well as reduce healthcare expenses.
"Our joint activities will go well beyond device procurement and financing. There will be a uniform operating philosophy across devices and departments for renewal of our equipment inventory. In this way, we can speed up processes, minimize operating errors and make its use easier throughout the clinic,” said Gabriele Wolter, managing director of University Hospital Brandenburg an der Havel, in a statement.
The agreement provides the hospital with greater flexibility and allows it to choose and invest in technologies based on its changing needs. The hospital currently has around 500 beds and offers specialist care locally and nationally to around 26,000 inpatients and 48 ambulatory patients in 15 specialized clinics.
"Particularly important to their approach is the close link between teaching, research and patient care. Philips will help the hospital achieve its goals by focusing on improving care along the treatment pathways of the hospital," Heiko Borwieck, health systems sales leader for Philips Germany, told HCB News.
Philips will upgrade two of its existing interventional suites for cardiac and vascular procedures, and install a new hybrid operating room with its image-guided therapy system, Azurion. The solution will be used by the hospital for minimally invasive procedures, with significant benefits including "reduced patient trauma, shorter recovery times and hospital stays, and lower costs," according to Borwieck.
With the latest version released in 2020, Azurion is designed to reduce crowding and clutter in the interventional lab environment. It does this by integrating control of imaging, physiology, hemodynamic and informatics applications, and offering intuitive control of the gantry, at tableside. Clinicians just need to use a single touch screen to perform an application and do not need to leave the sterile field to step into an adjacent control room.
It also comes with SmartCT, a 3D imaging solution that guides users through image acquisitions and provides 3D visualization and measurement tools for interacting with images on the tableside touch screen module. These tools can be used in a range of clinical settings, including neurology, oncology and cardiovascular procedures.
The company’s ICARUS learning academy will be integrated into the hospital’s training and education program to better train medical and nursing staff. Radiology teams will be able to train individually or in groups through a combination of digital and face-to-face teaching methods, regardless of their location. Training for all employees will be geared toward propelling radiology workforce throughput and overcoming challenges that impede the ability to provide patients with high-quality care.
Along with University Hospital Brandenburg an der Havel, Philips is also supplying CT, MR and patient monitoring solutions to the IJsselland Hospital in the Netherlands, as part of a 12-year agreement signed last month.
The company will help IJsselland Hospital expand its existing home monitoring partnership for patients with heart failure and COPD and provide clinical and patient decision support software for remote health and care programs. The partnership is part of an effort to innovate, digitize and optimize care.
“As a regional hospital, we want to keep up with these developments to provide the best care for our patients. We have chosen Philips as a technology partner to jointly develop the hospital of the future,” said Albert van Wijk, chairman of IJsselland Hospital’s board of directors.
In addition, the manufacturer will also provide image-guided therapy suites and patient monitoring solutions, as part of a 10-year strategic partnership with the hospital. With these technologies, University Hospital Brandenburg an der Havel will be better able to train its staff to care for and produce better outcomes in their patients, as well as reduce healthcare expenses.
"Our joint activities will go well beyond device procurement and financing. There will be a uniform operating philosophy across devices and departments for renewal of our equipment inventory. In this way, we can speed up processes, minimize operating errors and make its use easier throughout the clinic,” said Gabriele Wolter, managing director of University Hospital Brandenburg an der Havel, in a statement.
The agreement provides the hospital with greater flexibility and allows it to choose and invest in technologies based on its changing needs. The hospital currently has around 500 beds and offers specialist care locally and nationally to around 26,000 inpatients and 48 ambulatory patients in 15 specialized clinics.
"Particularly important to their approach is the close link between teaching, research and patient care. Philips will help the hospital achieve its goals by focusing on improving care along the treatment pathways of the hospital," Heiko Borwieck, health systems sales leader for Philips Germany, told HCB News.
Philips will upgrade two of its existing interventional suites for cardiac and vascular procedures, and install a new hybrid operating room with its image-guided therapy system, Azurion. The solution will be used by the hospital for minimally invasive procedures, with significant benefits including "reduced patient trauma, shorter recovery times and hospital stays, and lower costs," according to Borwieck.
With the latest version released in 2020, Azurion is designed to reduce crowding and clutter in the interventional lab environment. It does this by integrating control of imaging, physiology, hemodynamic and informatics applications, and offering intuitive control of the gantry, at tableside. Clinicians just need to use a single touch screen to perform an application and do not need to leave the sterile field to step into an adjacent control room.
It also comes with SmartCT, a 3D imaging solution that guides users through image acquisitions and provides 3D visualization and measurement tools for interacting with images on the tableside touch screen module. These tools can be used in a range of clinical settings, including neurology, oncology and cardiovascular procedures.
The company’s ICARUS learning academy will be integrated into the hospital’s training and education program to better train medical and nursing staff. Radiology teams will be able to train individually or in groups through a combination of digital and face-to-face teaching methods, regardless of their location. Training for all employees will be geared toward propelling radiology workforce throughput and overcoming challenges that impede the ability to provide patients with high-quality care.
Along with University Hospital Brandenburg an der Havel, Philips is also supplying CT, MR and patient monitoring solutions to the IJsselland Hospital in the Netherlands, as part of a 12-year agreement signed last month.
The company will help IJsselland Hospital expand its existing home monitoring partnership for patients with heart failure and COPD and provide clinical and patient decision support software for remote health and care programs. The partnership is part of an effort to innovate, digitize and optimize care.
“As a regional hospital, we want to keep up with these developments to provide the best care for our patients. We have chosen Philips as a technology partner to jointly develop the hospital of the future,” said Albert van Wijk, chairman of IJsselland Hospital’s board of directors.