Mach7 Technologies selected as ‘vendor of choice’ by Sentara Healthcare

Data management company Mach7 Technologies (ASX: M7T) has revealed that it has been selected as the “vendor of choice” for Sentara Healthcare’s Picture Archive Communication System (PACS) modernisation project.

Sentara is a not-for-profit health system which includes 12 hospitals, more than 1000 physicians and 3800 medical providers, based in Virginia, US.

This latest development means Sentara will incorporate Mach7’s Diagnostic Studio and Client Outlook’s eUnity radiology reading functionality for its PACS project.

The contract was awarded to both Mach7 and Client Outlook with all parties now expected to proceed to the contracting stage. Mach7 has said that the contract values are “not yet finalised” although the newly-awarded contract is likely to include a subscription license, adding to Mach7’s existing contracted recurring revenue.

The contract award is an eventuality of a long-term partnership between the two companies and will also include a “luminary site designation” that will drive continued innovation and evolution of imaging platforms.

The designation includes a Clinical Advisory Board and the establishment of an imaging innovations laboratory at Sentara’s facility which is expected to maintain the necessary infrastructure to support a modernised PACS platform.

When Sentara met Mach7

Sentara’s PACS project builds on an existing partnership between the two companies that started in 2014 when Sentara implemented Mach7’s vendor neutral archive (VNA) across its facilities in Virginia and northeast North Carolina.

According to Mach7, it is currently supporting Sentara with the migration from five separate PACS systems into its VNA.

Sentara said it selected Mach7 after a tender process that included an exhaustive review of the top PACS vendors in the industry. The company’s ultimate goal is to modernise their PACS through a “reconstructed architecture” that utilises the most cutting-edge technology that is also cost-effective.

Meanwhile, Mach7 is hoping to continue its commercial success following last month’s news that it had secured a contract to provide its enterprise imaging solution to Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority, which manages the country’s public health system.

Sentara has said it “forecasts substantial annual cost savings” from Mach7’s and eUnity’s diagnostic capabilities.

Furthermore, the combined solution will integrate with Sentara’s other systems to improve medical imaging fluidity across sites and increase radiology and clinician workflow efficiency, “resulting in better patient care,” the company said.

“With a proven data platform, solid enterprise viewer, and efficient, seamless migration process, Mach7 and Client Outlook have helped Sentara develop our vision of an evolutionary clinical IT ecosystem,” said Trent Conwell, director of IT of Sentara Healthcare.

“Sentara shares our commitment to innovation and developing solutions that empower physicians and radiologists to access the clinical data they need when and where they need it to support optimal patient care. We are thrilled to continue to grow our relationship with a health system that shares our vision of what next-generation healthcare technology can and should be,” said Mike Jackman, CEO of Mach7 Technologies.

This morning’s news helped Mach7 shares gain over 6% to be trading at $0.025 per share by midday.