26 Feb GE Healthcare enters agreement with Canadian health authority
Waukesha, Wis. – GE Healthcare and the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) have signed an eight-year, $11 million agreement under which the authority would purchase 48 new ultrasound systems.
The VIHA will receive GE’s most advanced ultrasound technologies and establish new clinical workflow and administrative processes.
Jac Kreut, chair of the VIHA board, said the agreement will result in more precise diagnosis and faster exams, and reduce the inconvenience associated with repeat exams.
VIHA, which provides healthcare services to approximately 716,000 people on Vancouver Island, said investment will result in overall cost savings of $4 million over the life of the contract. Savings will be used to expand the authority’s diagnostic and medical services.
Terri Bresenham, vice president of diagnostic ultrasound for GE Healthcare, said new ultrasound technology enables physicians to detect issues earlier and more accurately, while a new generation of compact designs have brought point-of-care imaging services to patients.
Ultrasound is a non-invasive imaging tool that uses sound waves to produce detailed images of patients’ internal organs. Physicians rely on the technology to detect and diagnose a variety of medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and trauma.
GE Healthcare, a $17 billion unit of General Electric Co., employs more than 46,000 people in over 100 countries.
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