Hospitals Expect PACS Solutions to Develop with MU-minded Market

Neck-deep in meaningful use, hospitals pursue PACS vendors that offer and support evolving technology at a fair price, according to a recent report from the Orem-Utah based healthcare IT consulting firm KLAS.

For the new study, A Read on PACS: Hospital Expectations Rising, KLAS surveyed 964 healthcare providers about their current PACS solutions, studying 12 systems in acute-care hospitals, 16 in community facilities. Of respondents, 92 percent said they don't intend to replace their PACS in the next few years. However, all expect technology and customer service to improve, helping radiologists qualify as meaningful users.

According to the report, acute-care hospitals are most likely to replace PACS as part of an enterprise imaging strategy, intending to cover orthopedics, cardiology, oncology, and other technologies. Some community hospitals, on the other hand, are purchasing for the first time. Technology and price are high priorities for both segments.

In the acute care segment for this report, DR Systems earned the top slot with a score of 86.0 out of 100, followed by McKesson (83.2) and FUJIFILM (81.4). For community PACS, Infinitt ranked first (88.4), followed by McKesson (86.7) and DR Systems (86.1). The report also highlights products from Agfa, Aspyra, Avreo, BRIT, Carestream, Cerner, GE, Merge, NovaRad, Philips, Sectra, and Siemens.