Dutch technology giant Philips has signed a ten-year partnership with the University Hospital Brandenburg an der Havel in Germany to renew and expand the hospital’s diagnostic and therapy options.

The approximately €18m agreement includes the supply of diagnostic imaging including ultrasound, MR and mobile x-ray, as well as image-guided therapy suites and patient monitoring systems.

The long-term cooperation will provide the university hospital with flexibility and a needs-based approach to technology selection and financing.

“We have decided to partner with Philips in order to ensure high-quality, economical medical care for the population of our region into the future,” said Gabriele Wolter, managing director of University Hospital Brandenburg an der Havel. “Our joint activities will go well beyond device procurement and financing. There will be a uniform operating philosophy across devices and departments for renewal of our equipment inventory. In this way, we can speed up processes, minimise operating errors, and make its use easier throughout the clinic.”

With around 500 beds, the university hospital provides specialist care both locally and nationally for around 26,000 inpatients and 48,000 ambulatory patients in 15 specialised clinics. More than 2000 employees work towards a common goal of ensuring treatment quality by linking teaching, research and patient care.

Advanced diagnostic and therapy options, together with a modern standardised equipment inventory, are an important part of the hospital’s development. A significant strategic element of the agreement with Philips is enhancement of the hospital’s vascular and cardiology specialist services. This includes the upgrading of two existing interventional suites for cardiac and vascular procedures and installation of a hybrid operating room equipped with Philips’ Azurion image-guided therapy system for minimally-invasive interventions. Minimally invasive techniques offer benefits for healthcare systems and patients, including reduced patient trauma (less patient risk), shorter recovery times and hospital stays, and lower health care costs.

“The aim of our cooperation is to take a holistic approach to the design and organisation of healthcare along the full treatment pathways in the hospital, with our top priorities being improving outcomes, enhancing the patient and staff experience, and reducing the cost of care,” said Heiko Borwieck, health systems sales leader for Philips in Germany.

Well-trained medical and nursing staff are an important part of comprehensive patient care. Philips’ Icarus learning academy for medical and technical staff will be integrated into the hospital’s existing training and education programme as part of the cooperation.

Combining digital and face-to-face teaching methods, the platform will allow the hospital’s radiology team to be trained individually or in groups, independent of their location. The aim is to meet the daily challenges of the radiology workplace through the training of all employees so the hospital can deliver a high-quality standard of care.