Improvements Drive European Cardiology PACS Market

This willingness will be based upon the need for digital management of an increasingly overwhelming amount of cardiology information--a need that is being ever more sufficiently addressed by the inclusion of improved cardiology-specific tools in vendor cardiology PACS/cardiology information system (CIS) products.

Frost & Sullivan (Palo Alto, CA, USA), an international growth consultancy company, found that the European cardiology PACS market had revenues of U.S.$73.6 million in 2005 and projects that this figure will reach $200.5 million in 2012.

"An aging population, rising levels of obesity, and a high incidence of heart and circulatory disease are increasing the amount of cardiology studies by 20% a year,” noted Frost & Sullivan medical imaging team leader, Martin Bryant. "This overriding demographic factor will drive growth in the cardiology PACS market.”

The rising incidence of heart disease has been paralleled by the retirement of the wealthy baby boomer population, a group that is increasingly willing to pay for services not provided by public health authorities. This has resulted in a pressing need for some type of image and data management in the area of cardiology to successfully cope with the vast volumes of information generated by these new studies. Accordingly, healthcare providers are increasing investments in cardiology PACS systems.

Despite the acceptance shown towards these systems, however, the financial pressures felt by end users are likely to decrease the investments in the infrastructure needed to house a cardiology PACS. Cardiologists at times find it more difficult to make a case for the necessary investment this requires, as, unlike the radiology department, cardiology does not serve the rest of the hospital, and other departments do not use cardiology PACS as extensively as they do radiology PACS.

"In Europe, the distinct lack of healthcare investments will be felt most acutely in the cardiology PACS market, purchase of which signifies incurring substantial upfront costs,” explained Mr. Bryant. "This problem is exacerbated by the predominance of the capital investment model in Europe, with many providers reluctant to take out leasing options.”

Developing a cardiology PACS system based on an open architecture, with sufficient flexibility will be the key to overcoming this restraint. End users with existing radiology PACS infrastructure will be able to choose cardiology PACS and CIS modules that suit their needs, and fit onto existing radiology networks and archiving.



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