(16/01/2004) Agfa signs contracts with two Dutch hospitals totaling 3.7 million euro

Agfa chosen for its strong position in the Netherlands and its proven RIS/PACS integrative expertise to desktop level Mortsel / Belgium, January 16, 2004 Dutch Scheper Hospital in Emmen and Refaja Hospital in Stadskanaal, both based in the Northeast of the Netherlands, decided to go digital with Agfa's complete range of CR (Computed Radiography), RIS (Radiology Information System) and PACS (Picture Archiving and Communications System) solutions in a first but massive move towards a film- and paperless hospital. The choice for Agfa's integrated digital imaging and workflow management solutions was inspired by the strong position Agfa holds on the Dutch market and its proven integrative expertise. The value of both contracts totals 3.7 million euros. With the acquisition of a complete range of Agfa ADC(tm) CR solutions, including the Agfa Embrace(tm) CR women's care solution, and the integration of CR with RIS and PACS, both hospitals set the scene for going digital from patient entry to departure, in primary healthcare as well as inpatient treatment. At Scheper Hospital the seamless integration of a performing Agfa PACS with a new Agfa RIS, replacing the installed solution, provides a unique setting only Agfa could offer the hospital. Mr. H. Harders, Manager Radiology, expects to have the complete solution working by the summer of this year. He is clear about the uniqueness of Agfa's solution: 'Agfa is the only vendor that could provide a complete and seamless integration of RIS, PACS and speech technology all the way to the desktop level. The bi-directional communication between IMPAX(tm) and RIS - any of both can be the leading application - offers an exceptional flexibility for hospital-wide access to patient data by medical staff and clinicians.' At Refaja Hospital, Stadskanaal, the Agfa RIS was already being used. As was the case in Scheper Hospital, the Refaja Hospital also acquired a multi-slice CT scanner, typically generating up to thousands of images per examination. The decisions to deploy Agfa's IMPAX will allow the efficient management of these patient data. Refaja Hospital's General Manager H.R. Buiter is looking forward to the efficiency increase the integrated imaging and workflow management solutions of Agfa will entail. 'The new multi-slice CT will provide considerably more information than the old CT, and considerably faster. We need to archive this information for ten years. Digitally archiving these images not only saves a lot of floor space, but it also leads to a clearly more efficient workflow: film cannot get lost anymore, medical staff don't need to physically move the images, clinicians can fetch examinations on-screen prior to the consultation, images are available at any time of the day.' Both hospitals will be looking into further expansion of the solution with the cardiology and ophthalmology examination results. Scheper Ziekenhuis is part of the Zorggroep Suydevelt, serving the Northeast of the Netherlands. The hospital counts more than 1,500 employees, including more than 80 clinicians. They yearly take care of 20,000 inpatients and 182,000 outpatients. They perform 87,000 radiology exams per year. Refaja Hospital is a 200-bed hospital, with an extensive primary care department. In- and outpatients combined, the hospital provides care for annually 90,000 patients, totaling 42,000 radiology exams. End of message About Agfa The Agfa-Gevaert Group is one of the world's leading imaging companies. Agfa develops, manufactures and markets analogue and digital systems, intended mainly for the graphics industry, healthcare, micrographics, motion picture and photography markets. Agfa's headquarters are in Mortsel, Belgium. The company is active in 40 countries and has 120 agents throughout the world. Together they achieved a turnover of 4,683 million euros in 2002. Product and company information can be found on Agfa's home page on the World Wide Web at: www.agfa.com. Agfa, the Agfa rhombus, ADC, Embrace, IMPAX and see more do more are trademarks of Agfa-Gevaert N.V., Belgium or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Contacts: Johan Jacobs Corporate Press Relations Manager tel.: +32 (0)3 444 80 15 - fax: +32 (0)3 444 74 85 e-mail: johan.jacobs@agfa.com (C) Companynews