Philips får topkarakterer og er nu nummer 1 blandt medicinsk-teknologiske virksomheder

Philips beats out competitors to rank first among medical technology companies.

Data compiled by independent market research company gives Philips top honors in majority of product categories.

Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) today announced its Medical Systems division earned top standings in recent market outlook reports issued by MD Buyline, an independent healthcare research company. Setting an unprecedented record, Philips received the highest ratings in 15 out of 26 categories among eight medical technology companies. MD Buyline’s October 2002 Market Outlook Reports showed that Philips ranked number one in every modality that it offers, from CT scanners to patient monitoring, ultrasound to cardiovascular catheterization labs, MR to Nuclear Medicine and PET.

“This incredible recognition from a well-respected and highly reputable industry authority reinforces Philips’ leadership in the medical technology industry,” said Jouko Karvinen, president and CEO, Philips Medical Systems. “In particular, it is an honor that this recognition comes from our customers, who were interviewed as part of the process. At the end of the day, we rely on our customers who provide valuable input on a daily basis to help shape our technologies for today as well as the future.” Market Outlook Reports are based on four weighted criteria: user satisfaction ratings, user interviews, analyst identified strengths and opportunities and winning combination data. Users evaluated products on system performance, reliability, installation and implementation, applications training, service response time, and service repair quality. Philips received top marks in User Satisfaction and User Interviews in the above categories, which account for 75 percent of the rankings.

Philips received five top rankings in the following categories: Advanced Patient Monitoring, Fetal Monitoring, Point of Care, Cardiology Management System and Electrocardiographs. Philips recently introduced the IntelliVue Patient Monitoring System with portal technology. IntelliVue enables clinicians to view vital monitoring data and interact with other patient information from throughout the hospital, such as X-rays and lab results, on a single display at the patient’s bedside. With more than 300,000 patient monitoring systems installed worldwide, Philips is the clear leader in patient monitoring. The Philips TraceMaster ECG Management System, which utilizes web-browser technology, allows clinicians the ability to view, edit and print ECGs anywhere, anytime. The latest edition of TraceMaster supports XML ECGs from the IntelliVue Patient Monitoring System.

Offering the best in ultrasound and echocardiography, Philips ranked number one in three categories: Ultrasound PACS, Cardiology; Ultrasound, Cardiac (Echo); and Ultrasound, Diagnostic. Philips’ portfolio provides customers with the full range of general ultrasound imaging and cardiology systems from the HDI 5000 and the SONOS 5500 to the hand-held OptiGo to the EnConcert echo information management system. Philips’ HDI multi-specialty ultrasound system, with more than 16,000 systems installed worldwide, has captured a 45-percent share of the global premium segment, and the SONOS system is the global leader in echocardiography with more than 18,000 systems installed worldwide.

Philips’ CT scanners were rated number one in the October 21 rankings. The Mx8000 family of multislice CT scanners is the most advanced in the industry. Most recently, Philips introduced the world’s first 16-slice scanner and is on pace to have well over one hundred of these systems in place by year’s end. Philips pioneered 16-slice imaging, which is changing the way radiologists image patients, offering exciting new or greatly enhanced applications such as cardiac, trauma, CT angiography and more.

Philips received the top ranking in the PET, PET/CT and Cyclotron category, gaining recognition for advanced PET technology that enables consistent delivery of high-resolution images while assuring optimum imaging times. In November 2001, Philips introduced GEMINI, a combined PET/CT scanner which integrates the anatomical data from CT with the metabolic data from PET, giving clinicians visual information to define the severity, as well as the extent, of a disease.

Philips took top honors in the Cardiac Cath or Electrophysiology/EP Imaging Lab and Special Procedures Suite categories, with its Integris Allura family of cath labs. Earlier this year, Philips introduced the Flat Detector option on the Integris Allura cath lab. This next generation Flat Detector technology enables clinicians to see and work in the smallest vessels of the heart, while reducing X-ray exposure and procedure times for clinicians and their patients. Since being cleared to market by the FDA in March 2002, Philips has taken orders for more than 100 Integris Allura Flat Detector cath labs worldwide, making it one of the company’s most successful cath lab product launches.

Philips grabbed top honors in the MRI category. Earlier this year, Philips introduced the Intera 3.0T MR scanner for whole body scanning. The Intera 3.0T shares all the benefits of Philips’ Intera family of compact MR scanners including high speed and power, system longevity and advanced imaging capabilities, which translate into clear, more precise images. Philips also introduced Explorer Gradients for its 1.5T MR systems. These revolutionary 60mT dual mode gradients enable unparalleled neurological and body imaging on the Intera platform.

Philips was also rated number one in the Radiographic/Fluoroscopic Unit and Computed Radiography categories. The Philips Computed Radiography System (PCR) is the essential building block of digital radiography. The PCR Compano system is big on flexibility, while making minimal demands on infrastructures and budgets. It is the ideal solution for departments taking their first step into digital radiography as well as those looking to expand their digital radiography applications. The PCR AC5000 allows high plate throughput for busy X-ray departments as well as in intensive care units, trauma departments, and pediatric radiology.

MD Buyline, based in Dallas, is an industry-leading provider of research, information and consultation to help healthcare providers make sound decisions when buying and implementing information technologies. The company provides objective information that helps healthcare providers reduce risk, contain costs, and increase efficiencies by offering reliable data, strategic analysis, and counsel.

Europe: Diana van Dongen Tel: +31 40 27 64718 diana.van.dongen@philips.com