PACS Professional Services Market in Europe

The overall PACS professional services market in Europe is forecast to increase from U.S.$95 million in 2003 to $334 million in 2010, at an average annual rate of 19.7%, according to a new analysis by Frost & Sullivan, an international consulting firm. This market comprises PACS consulting, project management, systems integration, and training and support.

Since expanded PACS use will result in the need for re-engineered workflow as well as organizational resistance to change, effective change management during the transition phase is important. Vendors of professional services can help provide a smooth transition during and after PACS implementation.

They may face some apprehensions about the actual benefits of PACS. A significant obstacle to greater implementation has been the quantification of benefits derived from the system. Healthcare providers want a good return on investment, while executives in charge of operations look for enhanced productivity. Thus, suppliers of professional services will need to justify the costs of using this new technology. As the benefits of PACS and professional services become evident, organizational resistance is likely to diminish.

PACS professional services vendors need to maintain a diverse client portfolio to leverage their experience in the varied and competitive healthcare industry. Companies offering scalable and flexible solutions along with a smooth evolution to new systems are likely to gain favor with both end-users and vendors. Market participants also need to build and retain strategic relationships with hardware suppliers, distributors, and clients, to facilitate easy client servicing.

"Clinical transformation during the implementation of PACS solutions throws open several issues that need to be dealt with, both by the provider institution and the PACS vendor,” cautions Siddharth Saha, a research analyst with Frost & Sullivan.




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