AGFA GEVAERT : East Sussex Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust upgrades to Agfa HealthCare’s next generation digital radiography

- State-of-the-art image quality and smoother, more productive workflow - DX-G digitizer provides advanced image processing potentially reducing patient doses - Allows the Trust to meet increasing demands whilst delivering high-quality imaging - Minimum training and ease of adoption by staff - Procured through the NHS Supply Chain for best pricing and compliance without the need for a lengthy tender process

Agfa HealthCare announces today that it has been successfully installing seven new DX-G digitizers and five CR 30-X systems as part of a digital radiography update at East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust. The digitizers support both standard phosphor plates and needle-based detectors, providing state-of-the-art image quality for the next generation in digital radiography across a broad range of applications.

An Agfa HealthCare customer since 2000, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust performs more than 310,000 radiological examinations and therapeutic procedures per year. Services are provided from two district general hospitals, Conquest Hospital and Eastbourne DGH, both of which have Emergency Departments providing 24 hour care. The hospitals offer a comprehensive range of surgical, medical and maternity services supported by a full range of diagnostic and therapy services. Other services are provided from Crowborough War Memorial Hospital, Lewes Victoria Hospital and Uckfield Community Hospital.

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust provides healthcare services for the 500,000 population of East Sussex. Over 7,500 dedicated staff treat more than 146,000 patients in the Emergency Departments and associated areas annually. Each year over 94,000 people are provided with hospital care either as inpatients or as day cases and more than 312,000 people attended outpatient clinics at one of the Trust's hospitals or outreach centres.

Suitable for a broad range of applications
The Trust has purchased the DX-G digitizers for use across all departments for its computed radiography requirements including accident & emergency. With its small, convenient footprint the DX-G digitizer offers state-of-the-art image quality and a smoother, more productive workflow enabling the Trust to process images much quicker and potentially reducing patient doses. The additional capacity also has the potential to increase the volume of patients being treated, because departments are more efficient in the provision of their radiology services.

High-volume table-top CR
The CR-30-X systems offer affordable and efficient digital radiography with high image quality and throughput using the latest intelligent MUSICA image processing. Its small size means that it fits in small spaces and is also suited for mobile applications.

Effective procurement through NHS Supply Chain
The equipment was purchased through NHS Supply Chain framework where the Trust received quotes from several suppliers and ultimately chose Agfa HealthCare. The key decision factor was the high image quality and speed of processing offered but additional benefits for the Trust included the reduced support costs, productivity gains and ease of implementation, as radiographers were already used to Agfa HealthCare's NX workflow, meaning there was minimum training and ease of adoption by staff.

Karen Betts, Superintendent Radiographer, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust comments: "The image quality was the key factor but on top of that the new equipment is smaller, faster and quieter which are important features that all go to improve the services to patients. Our staff are also already used to working with the Agfa HealthCare technology which meant that the new equipment was easily adopted with minimal training. The user-friendly interfaces and speed of installation also helped make the transition to the new equipment a success. Looking to the future, the equipment is also Direct Radiography (DR) compatibly so this is an option should we wish to upgrade."

Grant Witheridge, General Manager of Agfa HealthCare UK, comments: "East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust has been an Agfa HealthCare customer for over 13 years, and we continue to work together to develop their image management and delivery across the Trust. I am pleased that the procurement, implementation, training and transition of the new CR equipment has been a swift process allowing the Trust to realise the benefits immediately."