The healthcare industry in Europe is fragmented with hospital information systems (HIS) vendors that implemented legacy systems. These systems still have a hold on pockets of provider groups both in the primary, secondary, and acute care segments, according to an analysis from Frost & Sullivan of San Jose, CA.
Because end users do not have the resources for expensive upgrades, established relationships are valued and new entrants, including multinational vendors, modality majors, and technology powerhouses, find it extremely difficult to penetrate new markets, Frost & Sullivan said.
However, once customers start replacing legacy systems, there is likely to be a major initiative to integrate new modules with existing systems, the firm said.
Frost & Sullivan pointed to a trend toward integrated healthcare delivery in markets such as the U.K., France, Germany, and Scandinavia as fueling the need to install scalable systems. Although the $3.13 billion (U.S.) European HIS market grew an estimated 9.7% in 2003, this growth rate was primarily achieved due to the active implementation of HIS products in those countries.
The report, Strategic Analysis of the Key Healthcare IT Modernisation Initiatives in Europe, noted that companies with proven integrated healthcare IT solutions are likely to take the lead in the European markets. The hospital clinical systems segment is expected to exhibit a higher growth rate, and the European HIS market is estimated to be worth $6.34 billion in 2010, Frost said.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writers
March 29, 2005
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