Mr. Tom Giordano

Even if we had perfect panels and perfect software , it would be difficult to justify the price of integrated detector systems , said Tom Giordano , business unit director for radiography and PCR at Philips.The basis of argument from a cost viewpoint is primarily one of reducing and in fact eliminating conventional radiographic rooms in hospitals..

It is likely , though , that the cost of DR will go down in the near future , as its convenience and power increase.

Suppliers like Edge Medical are finding ways to lower the cost of manufacturing flat panels.Thin DR detectors that can fit into existing film based systems without the need for expensive modifications are already being introduced , such as those supplied by Canon.

Even if we had perfect panels and perfect software , it would be difficult to justify the price of integrated detector systems , said Tom Giordano , business unit director for radiography and PCR at Philips.The basis of argument from a cost viewpoint is primarily one of reducing and in fact eliminating conventional radiographic rooms in hospitals..

It is likely , though , that the cost of DR will go down in the near future , as its convenience and power increase.

Suppliers like Edge Medical are finding ways to lower the cost of manufacturing flat panels.Thin DR detectors that can fit into existing film-based systems without the need for expensive modifications are already being introduced , such as those supplied by Canon.

"Even if we had perfect panels and perfect software, it would be difficult to justify the price of integrated detector systems," said Tom Giordano, business unit director for radiography and PCR at Philips."The basis of argument from a cost viewpoint is primarily one of reducing and in fact eliminating conventional radiographic rooms in hospitals."

It is likely, though, that the cost of DR will go down in the near future, as its convenience and power increase.

Suppliers like Edge Medical are finding ways to lower the cost of manufacturing flat panels.Thin DR detectors that can fit into existing film-based systems without the need for expensive modifications are already being introduced, such as those supplied by Canon.

"Even if we had perfect panels and perfect software, it would be difficult to justify the price of integrated detector systems," said Tom Giordano, business unit director for radiography and PCR at Philips."The basis of argument from a cost viewpoint is primarily one of reducing and in fact eliminating conventional radiographic rooms in hospitals."

It is likely, though, that the cost of DR will go down in the near future, as its convenience and power increase.

Suppliers like Edge Medical are finding ways to lower the cost of manufacturing flat panels.Thin DR detectors that can fit into existing film-based systems without the need for expensive modifications are already being introduced, such as those supplied by Canon.

The Digital Radiography Workgroup - Thomas A. Giordano, Director, Radiography Business Unit, Philips Medical Systems - May/June 2000

Author: Mr. Thomas Giordano About the author: Thomas A. Giordano is currently an "Executive in Residence" at the University of New Haven Business School in Connecticut, teaching marketing at the MBA level.He is also an adjunct professor at the business school at the University of Washington in Seattle.Tom is a 28 year veteran of Philips Medical Systems.He retired in 2005 as Vice President, Marketing, where he was responsible for 240 marketing professionals and several billion dollars in product.Through his career, Tom has held a wide variety of positions of increasing responsibility at Philips, starting in engineering, progressing to product management, then marketing management and finally senior level business leadership.In 2004, Tom was awarded the prestigious Presidential Award from Philips for forming a new entrepreneurial business unit that tripled sales in 18 months.Tom played a key role as a course developer and instructor in the management development and executive training efforts within Philips.Most recently he worked with the Philips High Potential Development Center.Prior to joining Philips in 1977, Tom was with CBS laboratories for four years.He also served as a US Army officer.Tom holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Drexel University in Philadelphia and a MS degree in Engineering from the University of Florida.

According to Tom Giordano, radiography business unit director for Philips Medical Systems North America, "Philips brings over 15 years experience in digital image processing and ergonomic design innovation to the joint venture.Since our pioneering work in the early 1980's in computed radiography, Philips is recognized as one of the industry's leaders in digital image processing and workflow optimization."

The seven systems are slated for completion in the April/May timeframe.Philips Medical Systems is a leading supplier of diagnostic imaging systems and related services worldwide, employing 11,800 people in more than 100 countries.Philips' products are backed by a worldwide network of research and development and sales and service organizations.Philips Medical Systems is part of Royal Philips Electronics, one of the world's largest electronics companies.

Thomas Giordano, Philips' business unit director of radiography, says upgrades comprise about 10 percent of their DR sales.All Bucky THs sold in the last six to nine months, about 3,000 worldwide, are upgradeable.

Giordano says Philips decided not to enter the retrofit market, because the final product is not acceptable in the company's view.

"The interfaces and requirements on the system have a significant impact on the image quality that a system gives in the end," he says."Sure it works, but after all is said and done, the image quality really isn't up to standard and, more importantly, if the workflow hasn't improved significantly, than it has all been for not."

Giordano says that for those reasons and because the cost is not substantially higher, more facilities will opt for a new system.

By Tom Giordano and Jim Moran
...
â€" Tom Giordano is vice president of marketing, North America sales and service representative for Philips Medical Systems North America, Bothell, Wash.