| Nearly a decade ago, Royal Philips | | | | |
| Electronics of the Netherlands fathered the | | | | In its drive to become King of the Medical |
| Philips Healthcare Services group and appears | | | | Equipment industry, Philips Healthcare |
| determined that their "crowned prince" will | | | | Services has obtained 6 businesses since its |
| soon become King of the medical equipment | | | | inception in 1998. Every single one of the |
| industry. Apparently, this move was in | | | | six has expanded Philips' offerings to |
| response to GE Medical Systems� | | | | include a total of ten medical imaging |
| announcement that it planned on becoming king | | | | modalities, from CT to MRI to x-ray, along |
| itself of the ultrasound industry before the | | | | with defibrillation and cardiac monitoring |
| year 2000. Not to be outdone, Philips from | | | | equipment as well as image and information |
| the beginning year began an acquisition | | | | management solutions. |
| frenzy so they could expand its subsidiary's | | | | |
| product portfolio well beyond its initial | | | | So, has Philips arrived at the royal industry |
| product line, which began in 1918 with | | | | castle yet? Some believe so. As a matter of |
| medical x-ray tubes. | | | | fact, prior to the last two acquisitions, |
| | | | Palo Alto's "growth consulting" company Frost |
| Concluding Philips Healthcare Services | | | | & Sullivan seemed to think so. In 2004 Frost |
| beginning year, Philips Electronics added | | | | & Sullivan told everyone they were awarding |
| digital ultrasound systems to PHS's portfolio | | | | Philips FIVE awards for "technology and |
| by acquiring ATL Ultrasound of Washington. | | | | services innovation and industry leadership". |
| Only 2 years later, in late 2000, Philips | | | | Philips was honored for making distinguished |
| expanded into nuclear medicine by absorbing | | | | contributions to the cardiac resuscitation |
| ADAC Laboratories of California. | | | | and medical imaging industries and for |
| | | | providing leadership in these market |
| In 2001 was a watershed year as Philips | | | | segments. |
| shifted into high gear by bringing on two | | | | |
| more businesses and their product lines - | | | | Was Frost & Sullivan just looking for a spot |
| Agilent and Marconi Medical. By procuring | | | | at the royal court or were these legitimate |
| Agilent Technologies' Healthcare Solutions | | | | kudos? Probably the later. F&S conducted |
| Group of Massachusetts, Philips shot past GE | | | | interviews with many market players along |
| Medical as the leader of the ultrasound | | | | with their customers and suppliers, and |
| sector. Philips absorbed Agilent's expertise | | | | reportedly did extensive research into the |
| in the areas of diagnostic cardiology, | | | | medical equipment technology field. |
| automated defibrillators, patient monitoring, | | | | |
| and point of care diagnostic systems. | | | | One of the five awards included the |
| | | | regent-like titles of "Medical Imaging |
| Marconi Medical Systems of Ohio, formerly | | | | Company of the Year", "New Care Setting of |
| Picker International, was already a huge part | | | | the Year", and "Medical Imaging Technology of |
| in its own right among gigantinc global CT | | | | the Year". The other 2 were for Technology |
| suppliers. With Marconi, Philips gained | | | | Leadership and Services Innovation |
| cutting-edge multi-slice CT technology along | | | | Leadership. |
| with cardiology, oncology and PET/CT imaging | | | | |
| applications. These two acquisitions in one | | | | The response of Jouko Karvinen, president of |
| year landed Philips in the top three for all | | | | Philips Medical Systems, to the what he |
| of the medical equipment industry along with | | | | recieved sounded like the exact same of an |
| giants Siemens and GE Medical - some say as | | | | industry coronation speech. He stated, "We |
| number 2. | | | | proudly recieve the Frost & Sullivan Awards |
| | | | as an independent validation of Philips |
| In 2005, the expansion kept going as Philips | | | | business and technology leadership. These 5 |
| bought Stentor, Inc. of California, provider | | | | awards are more indicators that Philips |
| best-in-class picture archiving and | | | | continues to set the industry standard for |
| communications systems (PACS). This move | | | | developing innovative products that help |
| allowed Philips to aid its clients | | | | treat patients and save lives." |
| successfully control the many amounts of | | | | |
| imaging data created by its medical scanners. | | | | Royal Philips. Long live the King! |
| Then, the following year, the expansion | | | | |
| continued as Philips adopted Witt Biomedical | | | | NOTE:Use of this article requires links to be |
| Corporation, the biggest independent supplier | | | | intact. |
| of Cath Lab monitoring and reporting systems. | | | | |