KLAS: Fujifilm tops Toshiba for 2012 best in show honors
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KLAS noted in a news release that this was the first year since 2008 that the top overall score went to a company other than Toshiba America Medical Systems, as Fujifilm’s finish of 88.7 out of a possible 100 was enough to edge out its crosstown rival by a 1.1-point margin. GE Healthcare placed third, 2.2 points off the lead.
Rounding out the top ten overall performers, in descending order, were Carestream Health, Siemens Healthcare, Philips Healthcare, CareFusion, Omnicell, AmerisourceBergen and McKesson.
The firm also asked respondents to rate vendors in a number of specific equipment categories, most falling into imaging market segments. Among biomedical devices, Omnicell’s OmniRx emerged as the top automated medication-dispensing unit, while, in the field of large-volume smart pumps, end users gave the highest numeric scores to Baxter’s Sigma Spectrum.
A leader rose in the infrastructure sphere, where Cisco’s 7900 Series topped the wireless-communications market segment with a score of 85.1.
KLAS said the results of its annual survey, which it calls the “Best in KLAS Awards”—and which it offers for purchase ($500 for healthcare providers, $2,500 for non-providers)—are based solely on data from customers who provide feedback “with an eye toward ultimately improving healthcare through better technology.” Its 2012 report contains 3,765 provider evaluations, along with comments from clinicians, administrators and others whose work puts them in contact with healthcare equipment and infrastructure.
A report summary provided to Healthcare Technology Management offers an intriguing insight into products new to the market. Over the past year, May 2011 to May 2012, the product segments most likely to “deliver lemons” at go-live time were anesthesia cabinets, radiation therapy, 1.5T MRI, automated medication dispensing units and smart pumps with patient-controlled analgesia capabilties.
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.