Dramatic Growth Seen in Vendor-Neutral Archiving Systems

Lifecycle management, disaster recovery, communications, and security benefits of VNA will progressively make this technology the preferred storage platform for medical imaging, according to a new market research report.

The independent report identified these minimum features of a VNA: support for multiple picture archiving and communication system (PACS) vendors and systems; non-Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) data sharing; clinical lifecycle management; DICOM and HL [health level] 7 communication; security; long-term archive and disaster recovery.

A newly designed VNA consolidates disparate medical imaging systems into one repository using the latest interoperability standards. This archiving system is available as an on-site installation or as a pay-per-use, cloud-based service.

Carestream Health, Inc. (Rochester, NY, USA) was named the world’s second largest supplier of VNA systems in a report issued in June 2012 by InMedica (Wellingborough, UK; a division of IMS Research), an international market research firm. VNA refers to standards-based platforms used in the healthcare industry to store patient data and medical images in non-proprietary formats that facilitate data access and exchange.

“Customers are embracing our on-site vendor-neutral archiving platform that simplifies data management and enables secure information sharing across multiple locations or users, which can help enhance clinicians’ access to patient information,” said Cristine Kao, Carestream’s global marketing manager for healthcare information solutions. “In addition, our cloud-based archiving offers customers the ability to eliminate overhead costs related to storage system maintenance, upgrades, and equipment replacement while also providing remote disaster recovery.”

Features the report lists as desirable include: XDS registry and repository, storage virtualization, web-based access, and zero-footprint viewing.

Carestream’s Vue for Vendor-Neutral Archive consolidates disparate medical imaging systems into one repository using the latest interoperability standards. This archiving system is available as an on-site installation or as a pay-per-use, cloud-based service. When combined with Carestream’s Vue Motion zero-footprint image viewer, clinicians and authorized users gain secure, real-time access to patient medical images and data.

Carestream Health is a worldwide provider of dental and medical imaging systems and healthcare information technology (IT) solutions; molecular imaging systems for life science research and drug discovery/development; X-ray film and digital X-ray systems for non-destructive testing; and advanced materials for the precision films and electronics markets.

Related Links:
Carestream Health
InMedica