Trendspotting at JFR 2009, Paris

Reading Time: 2 minutes read

I recently attended Les Journées Françaises de Radiologie (JFR) in Paris, where I spoke with numerous health care providers attending the show. One of the key themes was finding new ways to deliver quality health care despite growing cost pressures. Consumers are getting more involved in this issue, especially as they face increased taxes and options while facing increasingly expensive services.

There was a consensus that supplying a greater volume of health care services with smaller staffs and tighter budgets requires the application of innovative processes and technologies. To that end, JFR attendees said they are evaluating converting to highly productive digital imaging technologies that can deliver excellent image quality and a streamlined workflow, along with lower costs.

Greater adoption of RIS and PACS platforms was also a hot topic, driven by the need to efficiently manage, store and share patient information, imaging studies and other types of data. ASP models are being examined to allow both private and public facilities to implement new technologies in a pay-per-use model that does not require a large upfront capital investment. An added advantage is that funding for equipment maintenance and service is built-in, so costs are much easier to estimate.

We’d like to hear your ideas on this pressing global issue. How is the increased cost of healthcare affecting you personally? What concepts or technologies would you like to see adopted to help your country maintain quality health care while delivering more services at a reasonable cost? What policies both for payment and delivery of services do you see your country implementing in the near future?

–Norman Yung, Chief Marketing Officer, Digital Medical Solutions