Meeting demand for medical imaging

It has been reported that the UK is lagging behind other countries in terms of the availability of scanning technologies per population, while concerns have been raised about the age profile of equipment, as hospitals face increasing pressure on budgets. Early in 2014, a report by COCIR, the European Coordination Committee of the Radiological, Electromedical and Healthcare IT Industry, raised serious concerns over the age profile of medical imaging systems being used across Europe. It revealed that the situation has deteriorated significantly, as countries continue to feel the pressure of austerity measures. The report found that 54.5% of all installed MRI systems exceeded six years of age versus 47.8% in 2008.

In fact, the analysis showed that an increasing part of the age profile of equipment in certain countries is 10 or more years old. The installed base within some countries is the oldest ever recorded and, in a number of cases, COCIR is concerned that equipment is in danger of becoming technically obsolete with “consequences on hospital efficiency and costs, plus clinical effectiveness and, in some instances, patient safety.”¹

So why does the age of equipment matter? The COCIR states: “Image guided planning and treatment support the development of less invasive and more efficient treatments, creating a rapid rise in day surgery essential to manage the ageing population, while driving patient– centric care pathways that can improve the efficiency and productivity of healthcare. At the same time, efficient treatment monitoring systems accelerate treatment decisions and reduce the cost associated with drugs which might be providing little or no therapeutic benefit to certain patient groups.