KLAS Report Shines Light on Global PACS Marketplace

CHICAGO, IL, November 25, 2012 (Press-News.org) Demand for PACS solutions has grown in recent years, as has the need to identify and differentiate PACS vendors. The Radiology PACS Technology: The World Looks Under the Covers study shares customer PACS feedback that focuses primarily on the technology and functionality of the most recent software versions.

The top PACS technology and reputation leaders in the report are identified as those that offer meaningful and timely upgrades with expanded usability. Providers point to Infinitt and Intelerad as innovator examples that are strongly endorsed by their customers. Other top-rated innovators in the study are DR Systems, McKesson, Novarad, and Sectra, who have all released better radiologist tools with recent upgrades.

"The top-rated PACS innovators have a track record of improvement," said Ben Brown, author of the report and KLAS research director. "The vendors that land in the middle tier of this study offer solid technology and innovation, but at a slower pace. Vendors in that group are meeting most of providers' expectations, but they are not exceeding them like the top-tier vendors are."

Middle-tier vendors are Carestream, Fuji, Merge, and Philips. Providers' enthusiasm varies with these vendors, and vendor success in delivering all of what providers want in new releases varies as well. Fuji and Carestream are reputable global PACS players, though customers want greater development. Philips customers have been waiting for their new v.4.4 upgrade, and now Philips is playing catch-up. Merge's development speed has been impacted by their focus on consolidating their PACS portfolio.

Additionally, some vendors are falling behind the curve as far as development and functionality are concerned. Agfa, Cerner, GE, and Siemens fall in the bottom tier of PACS innovators. However, the vendors in this group do offer some stability and integration. Cerner and Siemens customers cite lack of functionality as the major complaint, which has not been completely solved with upgrades. Agfa and GE customers note that their PACS solutions are scalable and stable, but upgrades are not keeping pace with the innovation leaders in this report.

For more information about the PACS market, including the vendors that are included in this research, providers and vendors can access the full report Radiology PACS Technology: The World Looks Under the Covers. This report is available to healthcare providers at a significant discount. To purchase, visit www.KLASresearch.com/KLASreports.

KLAS is a research firm on a global mission to improve healthcare delivery by enabling providers to be heard and be counted. Working with thousands of healthcare executives and clinicians, KLAS gathers data on software, services, medical equipment, and infrastructure systems to deliver timely reports, trends, and statistical overviews. The research directly represents the provider voice and acts as a catalyst for improving vendor performance. Founded in 1996, KLAS' staff and advisory board members average 25 years of healthcare information technology experience. For more information, go to www.KLASresearch.com, email marketing@KLASresearch.com, or call 1-800-920-4109 to speak with a KLAS representative. Follow KLAS on Twitter @KLASresearch.