Amsterdam-based Royal Philips has announced a multi-year partnership with Banner Health, a hospital network managing 28 hospitals across six U.S. states. The partnership is an extension of collaborative programs already in place, including the Intensive Ambulatory Care (IAC) pilot and telehealth solutions.

At the heart of the partnership is Philips’ PerformanceBridge Practice, a radiology practice management suite. The software supports radiology administrators by benchmarking imaging performance, managing patient dose and monitoring equipment for proactive maintenance.

The IAC project was not left by the wayside, however.

IAC is a telehealth program that treats the most complicated and expensive patients: those with multiple chronic conditions. An internal study showed “significant decreases in patient healthcare costs and hospitalization rates,” attributed to the multidisciplinary care team that works to identify early signs of deterioration and prevent adverse events.  

“We have always taken a long-term view of our business, and realized very early on that the current healthcare system was not sustainable,” said Peter Fine, president and CEO of Banner Health. “With legislation driving reform, we knew that we needed to manage population health and essentially keep people healthy and out of the system to reduce costs, while ensuring better patient outcomes.

“If we are to make a difference in patient’s lives, we need to work collaboratively with innovative technology partners such as Philips.”

Banner is the latest in a string of partnerships with health networks for Phillips. Since 2015, Phillips has signed long-term contracts with Westchester Medical Center Health Network, Mackenzie Health, Marin General Hospital and the Medical University of South Carolina Health.