A note directed to imaging dealers and distributors….

Does this sound familiar?  Great new technology is introduced, bringing much hope for better patient care and new revenue streams for the sellers.  Opportunities abound for both sales and service, but both are quickly lost to massive price competition at both the manufacturer and distribution levels.  Margins go from “savior of our industry” to “loss leader” or service cost nightmare.

So it has gone with PACS. It started as a nice margined software addition taking our business in to the IT world; then it became a giveaway add-on for CR’s and DR’s.  In the smaller markets, distributors/dealers often tell me that equipment profits are eaten up by PACS service support, particular with smaller clinics that do not have general IT support.  As typical service issues involve office network or network equipment, PACS providers spend many uncompensated hours tracking down non-PACS issues.

In larger environments, dealers are often excluded because they cannot themselves provide the technical support required by these customers.  Issues can range from lack of 24/7 help desk, to restrictive Business Associate Agreements, to name just two.

From the customer’s perspective, PACS adds several complications. PACS brings with it additional network issues and associated hardware concerns.  Security and access to equipment and data are also major issues.  In many cases hardware and network failures introduce an unpredictable service cost element not to mention that age-old rule that disaster always seems to happen in PACS and plumbing on Saturdays and Sundays.

For both buyers and sellers, PACS has almost become a commodity that, while providing better patient care and information, is not necessarily a highlight for either the system user or the system provider.

From the seller’s perspective, the challenge is how to provide a superior product with reasonable profitability while shifting the service and support function to others?  That “free” PACS with DR/CR offer is anything but free, and dealers are beginning to ask OEM’s to unbundle these solutions both to reduce the price of hardware, and so they can get a better PACS solution elsewhere.

The customer’s ideal solution is a superior software product that requires the least amount of infrastructure (or none) and hardware, provides maximum security and is easy to deploy and operate.

The answer may be Cloud PACS with Zero Foot Print Viewers.

Here’s a brief explanation of Cloud PACS with ZFP viewers – All images are transferred from modalities via encrypted and routing software to a “cloud” data center that uses a Vendor Neutral Archive (VNA).  Workstations are replaced by an URL link using ANY COMPUTER HAVING ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.  This means any browser, Windows, Apple, etc., can be used to view images.  There is no software (not even a small applet) downloaded to any computer.  When the URL link is closed nothing remains on the computer.  In effect, there is no new software or hardware required at the user’s site other than the software “router” on the modality used to push images to the cloud. Yes, security is tight and the customer controls all access rights.

Here are some of the advantages for the seller: 

  • No PACS hardware, no PACS hardware support
  • Router installation and initial on-line training handled by others
  • Service support is reduced to three questions – 1) is the modality sending to the router, 2) is the router sending to the cloud, 3) is the customer’s Internet working
  • Software always has the latest updates and features – nothing required for seller or buyer to do.
  • Vendor Neutral Archive
  • Eliminating PACS hardware also eliminates the dealing with OS software updates/upgraes that can cause problems

Here are some of the advantages for the customer:

  • See above

Why are we telling you this?

Because we can now bring you a Cloud PACS with ZFP viewing for both your small and large clients.

Small clients – Here we are talking about GP’s, Urgent Cares, Chiropractors, single office specialties, etc.  For most of these types of customers we can now offer a complete solution for a small monthly fee.

Large clients – Multi-site clinics, hospitals and academic institutions, for example.  Here, pricing is based on studies per year, mix of modalities and integration requirements.  However, we are seeing that over just a few years, Cloud PACS with ZFP viewers can reduce actual dollar outlays even before considering the more intangible costs such as IT personnel, hardware replacement, etc.

How do we know this will work?  Our largest academic site with three campuses in the United States just switched to a Cloud PACS with ZFP viewing solution.

Interested in learning more about Cloud and ZFP?  Call me and let’s discuss your opportunities.