Abstract
Customers Prefer Turnkey PACS Solutions for Enterprise-wide Implementation
and Integration
Picture archiving and communications systems (PACS) vendors are gradually
shifting from traditional hardware-software solutions to software-only products.
This can increase pressure on the customerfs in-house departments since PACS
implementation is a complex process. Given the mission-critical nature of PACS
and its stringent requirements in terms of bandwidth, reliability, support, and
responsiveness, hospitals are likely to prefer turnkey PACS solutions vendors
who can assume responsibility for proper functioning of the entire system.
Turnkey PACS solutions vendors procure and integrate critical components such as
storage area networks, radiology information systems (RIS), and other hospital
information systems (HIS) enabling customers to focus on providing basic
healthcare.
This Frost & Sullivan research analyzes the North American market for
turnkey PACS market. Key drivers and challenges are backed by strategic
recommendations that enable participants to formulate their business growth
plans. Revenue forecasts and pricing trends coupled with demand and market share
analyses explore emerging opportunities in this market.
Increasing Demand from Community-based Facilities Drives PACS Market
Due to high implementation costs, adoption of turnkey PACS systems was
initially restricted to healthcare facilities conducting at least 500,000
imaging procedures annually. Apart from the lack of financial resources, smaller
community-based facilities were initially hesitant to make the shift to a new
imaging technology such as PACS. Fortunately, low-cost disk storage and rapidly
falling prices for diagnostic workstations are now driving demand for PACS from
mid-tier community hospitals. Additionally, community hospitals are feeling the
pressure of increasing procedure volumes and growing patient files.
"Community-based facilities have begun to understand the importance of
turnkey PACS solutions realizing that without it they are likely to lose their
competitive edge in the areas of staff retention and patient recruitment,"
notes the analyst.
Complexities and Costs Involved in PACS Integration Challenge Turnkey PACS
Solution Vendors
Turnkey PACS implementations and high costs of interfacing into legacy
systems remain complex and challenging to vendors. "Most of the systems
that the PACS vendor must interface with are often created by different vendors
and run by varying departments taking the process of implementation into the
realm of systems consulting, custom programming, and multi-departmental change
management," says the analyst.
Transferring interfacing costs to the hospital would only alienate
prospective customers. Therefore, it is critical that vendors provide
competitively priced solutions that also satisfy the demand for a higher level
of interoperability between the PACS, RIS, and HIS.
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