As healthcare imaging reaches beyond radiology and into specialty departments, picture archiving and communications systems (PACS) need to be truly enterprisewide tools, says Steven Besbeck, president/CEO of Aspyra, Calabasas, Calif. [AMEX: APY].
"Images are now being produced in the laboratory, microbiology, molecular testing, ophthalmology and hematology," he says. "But if you want to see the image, you have to go to the [individual] instrument — it's an island of information."
Ranked #90 in the 2007 Healthcare Informatics Top 100, Aspyra has matured since its 2005 merger. The company has married the laboratory, pharmacy and radiology information systems expertise of the former Creative Computer Applications, Inc. and the PACS forte of the former StorCOMM Inc.
Earlier this year, Aspyra launched its flagship RIS/PACS solution, AccessRAD, designed for hospitals, multispecialty clinic and imaging centers.
Aspyra also continues to develop clinical and diagnostic systems tailored to specific ancillaries, yet accessible enterprisewide. AccessMED, a specialty PACS designed for orthopedics, hit the market in 2006. It includes "a surgical planning/treatment modality that stitches the images together, enabling the orthopedist to electronically design [a repair for] a broken limb with prosthetics," Besbeck says.
Aspyra regards its customer satisfaction as highly as its products, says Michelle Del Guercio, director of marketing and product management. "If a problem is identified, be it procedural or within the product, we not only solve the issue, but also get to the root of the problem to prevent additional occurrences," she says.
As healthcare reaches a pivotal point with enterprise clinical data and image sharing, Aspyra's vision is to provide interactive image and data management tools to deliver better care and populate the patient record, she adds.
The company's history as a clinical information/laboratory information system company gives it a unique perspective on enterprise imaging workflow, especially as imaging moves into the hot arenas of anatomic pathology, cardiology, neurology and others, Besbeck explains.
He sees new opportunities in small to mid-sized institutions and multispecialty clinics: "When we go into facilities that are cost-conscious, they don't have to buy duplicate PACS systems or duplicate viewers. They'll be able to integrate all the 'ologies' and have a single point of reference."
