Kodak exits ultrasound miniPACS market

Kodak exits ultrasound miniPACS market
Published on Diagnostic Imaging (http://www.diagnosticimaging.com)
Kodak exits ultrasound miniPACS market
October 13, 1999 | PACS and Informatics [1]
After several unsuccessful attempts to divest its ultrasound miniPACS operations, Eastman Kodak
has opted to shut down this business to focus on its full-scale PACS products. Rochester, NY-based
Kodak quietly announced in early October that all sales and
After several unsuccessful attempts to divest its ultrasound miniPACS operations, Eastman Kodak
has opted to shut down this business to focus on its full-scale PACS products. Rochester, NY-based
Kodak quietly announced in early October that all sales and manufacturing of its Access ultrasound
miniPACS, ImageVue echocardiography image management system, and Kodak G4 image and
information management system would cease by year’s end.
Service and support for these products will continue until the company has transitioned existing
customers to other sources or products. The number of employees affected by the discontinued
operations is very minor, according to Nancy Sousa, vice president of new business for Kodak’s
health imaging division.
Kodak originally got into the ultrasound miniPACS business through a 1994 partnership with Nova
Microsonics, then an Allendale, NJ-based subsidiary of ATL Ultrasound (SCAN 2/1/95). Nova
developed both ImageVue and Access, which Kodak integrated into its PACS product line. Kodak then
acquired Nova Microsonics in 1997 (SCAN 2/19/97), after ATL determined that it was not interested
in providing the broad-based image management solutions many of its ultrasound customers were
clamoring for.
But Kodak’s acquisition of Cemax-Icon last year as part of Imation’s medical imaging business
(SCAN 12/16/98) has led to a change in the company’s image management strategy. Since
completing the Imation deal, Kodak has consolidated all of its PACS business into Cemax-Icon (SCAN
3/3/99) but felt that trying to integrate the ultrasound products into Cemax as well was “not the best
decision,” according to Sousa.
In addition, both Kodak and Cemax had determined that the growth of the ultrasound miniPACS
market has been moderate at best, according to Gary Larson, president of Fremont, CA-based
Cemax-Icon.
“The main impact on Cemax is that we now have greater resources to devote to our enterprise-wide
PACS business,” Larson said.
Disclosures:
Source URL: http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/articles/kodak-exits-ultrasound-minipacs-market
Links:
[1] http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/pacs-and-informatics
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