Philips Provides Leadership-Level Support for IHE in Integrating Inter

Philips Provides Leadership-Level Support for IHE in Integrating Interoperability Standards for Cardiology

    Business Editors/Technology Editors

    ANDOVER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 2, 2005--

Demonstrations at American College of Cardiology Showcase Solutions for the First Time to Cardiology Community
    Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) today announced its Leadership-level support of Integrating the Health Enterprise (IHE), an initiative led by healthcare professionals and industry groups to improve the way computer systems in healthcare share information. IHE advocates improving systems integration, with focus on clinical workflow, so vital information can be passed seamlessly and securely from system to system within and across departments, removing barriers to optimal patient care.
    At the upcoming American College of Cardiology (ACC) meeting in Orlando, March 6-8, Philips will participate in the IHE Pavilion (booth # 4563), where multiple vendors will demonstrate interoperability and the seamless sharing of clinical information. Philips will showcase the latest workflow enhancements and multivendor data sharing capabilities of the Philips HaemoSphere monitoring system, Philips Allura Xper FD cardiovascular X-ray system, and Philips Xcelera cardiology information solution.
    "Philips is proud to be a leader in the IHE initiative in cardiology to promote standards and share best practices," said Bryan Schnepf, Philips representative on the IHE cardiology planning committee. "As a leading industry organization, IHE is critical in effectively developing interoperability solutions that better connect healthcare technologies, streamlining the healthcare workflow continuum to help cardiologists improve patient care."
    IHE has worked in other healthcare domains for the past eight years, exploring new approaches to workflow standardization and information management through the use of industry standards such as DICOM and HL7. The group is currently one year into its cardiology program that focuses on streamlining workflow and improving patient care through standards-based information sharing.
    At a recent IHE interoperability testing event known as a Connectathon, participating companies exchanged clinical information with complementary IT and modality systems from multiple vendors. Opportunities to assess standards-based integration help vendors to better and more swiftly adapt their solutions to the IHE-developed protocols. Results for the Connectathon emphasize Philips pledge to help simplify the cardiology clinical workflow. Philips showed positive results for the integrative capabilities available within its cardiology IT technologies, including scheduled workflow, consistent presentation of images and access to clinical information.
    As a Leadership-level supporter, Philips will offer a 20-minute presentation on "Workflow in the Cath Lab" at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, March 6, in the IHE booth.
    For more information on IHE visit their website at www.ihe.net or stop by the IHE Pavilion (booth # 4563) at the ACC meeting.

    About Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE)

    IHE is an initiative by healthcare professionals and industry to improve the way computer systems in healthcare share information. IHE promotes the coordinated use of established standards such as DICOM and HL7 to address specific clinical needs in support of optimal patient care. Systems developed in accordance with IHE communicate with one another better, are easier to implement, and enable care providers to use information more effectively.

    About Royal Philips Electronics

    Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe's largest, with sales of $ 37.66 Billion (EUR 30.3 billion) in 2004. With activities in the three interlocking domains of healthcare, lifestyle and technology and 161,500 employees in more than 60 countries, it has market leadership positions in medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring, color television sets, electric shavers, lighting and silicon system solutions. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.

--30--BS/ny*

CONTACT: Philips Medical Systems Heidi Wilson, 978-659-7302 heidi.wilson@philips.com or Steve Kelly, 425-487-7479 steve.kelly@philips.com

KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS MEDICAL PRODUCT SOURCE: Royal Philips Electronics

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