Strategic Alliance Formed for Hosting of Cloud-Based Image-Management System

Agfa HealthCare (Mortsel, Belgium) reported that it has selected Dell (Round Rock, TX, USA), to host its cloud clinical archive product range, including an imaging clinical information system (ICIS) platform.

By extending its existing managed services platform with the new availability of ICIS in the cloud, Agfa HealthCare is providing its US customers simplified image archiving, management, and viewing that supports healthcare facilities’ needs to image-enable the electronic medical record (EMR). With this cost-effective, novel cloud solution, Agfa HealthCare addresses the need for a comprehensive patient record. Because Agfa HealthCare provides comprehensive service and support, organizations can now focus their expertise more fully on diagnosis, treatment, and care delivery.

By delivering a cloud-based solution for the core components of ICIS--Impax Data Center and the Xero Technology Viewer--Agfa HealthCare is able to provide anytime, anywhere access to and fast viewing of securely stored patient medical images. The system enables fast desktop streaming to provide the comprehensive imaging services platform that busy providers demand. Although previously available for installations in private clouds at customer data centers, the availability of ICIS as a totally managed service in the cloud expands the clinical information system options available to healthcare providers.

In addition to ICIS, Agfa HealthCare will also offer its US customers the Dell Cloud Clinical Archive, providing offsite expansion for quick access to archived data in the event of a natural disaster or system downtime. Agfa HealthCare’s US customers will also be offered the Dell Cloud Clinical Recovery, designed to provide business continuity and disaster recovery for organizations with an existing onsite archive. Dell manages one of the world’s largest cloud-based clinical archives, with more than 72 million clinical studies, 5 billion diagnostic imaging objects, and supporting more than 800 clinical sites.

By taking ownership of the day-to-day management of expanding, complex IT systems--a major challenge for imaging departments and facilities--Agfa HealthCare’s cloud portfolio supports considerable financial benefits, including high return-on-investment and expense predictability. The offerings allow organizations to focus information technology (IT) resources on technology development, strategic services, and patient care support--leaving the “extra duty” to Agfa HealthCare’s cloud and managed services.

“By leveraging the ability of Agfa HealthCare to host our innovative ICIS, imaging clinical information system, securely in the cloud,” said Michael Green, Agfa HealthCare’s president and CEO of Americas Region, “healthcare organizations can now better meet their requirements to provide an enterprise-wide imaging platform and longitudinal medical imaging record access. We strategically selected Dell in this initiative so that our customers can count on the excellent experience and success that Dell brings in operating technology services for numerous and diverse healthcare delivery systems.”

Dell provides end-to-end technology solutions and services to more than 5,000 hospitals and clinics worldwide, as well as 15 of the top 25 US health systems, more than 100 U.S. health insurance organizations, and 100 life sciences companies. With more than 11,000 healthcare specialists, including physicians, nurses, and technology experts plus a sizable solutions and services product range, Dell has the experience to positively affect processes and enable clinical conversion.

“Providing Agfa HealthCare’s innovative and leading ICIS solution in the cloud is a tremendous opportunity for Dell. With our combined experiences, we are creating the foundation on which healthcare will move forward, transitioning from treating illness to managing wellness,” said James Coffin, PhD, vice president and general manager of Dell Healthcare and Life Sciences. “Adding images to the EMR is a key step in providing a truly patient-centric view for every medical specialist and provider across the healthcare enterprise.”

Agfa HealthCare, a member of the Agfa-Gevaert Group, is a global provider of diagnostic imaging and healthcare information technology (IT) solutions.

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