Philips Acquires Direct Radiology to Expand Cloud-Based Teleradiology Services

On March 28, VCBeat (WeChat Official Account: vcbeat) learned that Royal Philips, the global leader in health technology, announced this week that it has completed the acquisition of Direct Radiology, a teleradiology company. The financial terms were not disclosed. Philips stated that through this acquisition, the company will expand its business into the teleradiology services sector, building upon Direct Radiology’s cloud-based RIS/PACS suite.

Philips is a leading health technology company focused on improving people’s health. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring, health informatics, consumer health, and home care. In 2018, Philips reported sales of €18.1 billion and employed approximately 77,000 people across more than 100 countries.

Direct Radiology is a medical technology company specializing in teleradiology, providing solutions for hospitals and healthcare institutions. The company’s dedicated teleradiology RIS system has also been accredited by The Joint Commission, meeting the rigorous standards adopted by the organization. In 2016, Direct Radiology ranked 581st among the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the United States. Currently, the company serves more than 300 hospitals, imaging centers, and physician offices across the nation.

The dedicated remote radiology RIS system features an IT infrastructure compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), achieving a documented uptime accuracy of 99.99% across multiple geographically dispersed, secure data center servers. The system ensures the security of all patient data by encrypting all transmitted data using AES symmetric keys with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS) key exchange.

Dedicated Remote Radiology RIS System Features Redundant Backup and Disaster Recovery Capabilities, Enabling Permanent Storage of All Image and Report Data with Anytime, Anywhere Access. The System Seamlessly Integrates with Other Remote Radiology Platforms, Allowing Referring Physicians Immediate Access to Reports and Images, and Is Suitable for Hospitals, Mobile Imaging Companies, and Healthcare Institutions.

Sham Sokka, Head of Business for Direct Radiology, stated: “As global healthcare systems face rising costs and a shortage of care providers, teleradiology will become a key enabler in optimizing existing resources and supporting radiologists in improving the speed and accuracy of image interpretation. We view imaging as a system that leverages seamless integration of technology and data to deliver innovations that meet the needs of all individuals involved in the imaging process. Our new teleradiology service addresses urgent current demands while providing a robust platform for Philips’ future growth in the telehealth market.”

Notably, earlier this month, Philips released positive study results exploring the efficacy of adaptive servo-ventilation in treating patients with complex sleep apnea.

(Compiled by Li Chengping)