News | Press Releases


June 17, 2009

TOSHIBA AMERICA MEDICAL SYSTEMS SELECTED BY THE PREMIER HEALTHCARE ALLIANCE TO HIGHLIGHT COMMITMENT TO HEALTHCARE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, INNOVATION

TUSTIN, Calif., June 17, 2009 — Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. was recently selected to participate in the Premier healthcare alliance‘s first Innovation Celebration, an annual event to celebrate advances in healthcare while highlighting healthcare industry suppliers committed to innovation and improving patient outcomes.

Premier’s Innovation Celebration highlights innovative solutions that bring a positive impact to healthcare delivery. The 26 products showcased were selected by a cross-functional team of Premier alliance members and staff of varying expertise, including clinical product planners, clinical field specialists, pharmacists, supply chain professionals, materials management and nurses.

Premier contracts with more than 800 suppliers and Toshiba was one of 24 Premier contracted suppliers selected to participate in the Innovation Celebration.

“Being recognized by Premier underscores the innovation that the Aquilion® ONE is delivering to healthcare systems across the country,” said Doug Ryan, senior director, CT Business Unit, Toshiba America Medical Systems. “Created for today’s healthcare environment, the Aquilion ONE has the potential to replace multiple existing tests, reduce overall exam time for patients and physicians, and decrease X-ray radiation dose, a main concern for physicians and patients.”

Toshiba was recognized for its Aquilion ONE computed tomography (CT) product. Developed by Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, the Aquilion ONE dynamic volume CT is the only medical imaging system that can image an entire organ like the brain or heart in one rotation, and show real-time function, including blood flow and movement, in less time than traditional multi-detector row CT systems. It also uses less radiation than traditional multi-detector row CT systems and allows for imaging with limited-to-no patient sedation.

“The Innovation Celebration is a unique opportunity to unveil revolutionary concepts and developments in the healthcare industry,” said Premier Purchasing Partners President Mike Alkire. “Similar to the Premier alliance, these suppliers are committed to innovation that leads to improved quality and reduced costs, and we’re happy to showcase their efforts to our alliance members.”

Innovation Celebration participants were featured on June 16 at the 2009 Premier Annual Breakthroughs Conference and Exhibition in Anaheim, Calif. Basic criteria for selection included solutions that displayed uniqueness, as well as solutions that have an impact on an unmet medical need.

For more information, please visit: http://www.premierinc.com/about/events-education/breakthroughs/2009/supplier/innovation-celebration.jsp

About Premier Inc., 2006 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient

The Premier healthcare alliance is more than 2,100 U.S. hospitals and 58,000-plus other healthcare sites working together to improve healthcare quality and affordability. Premier maintains the nation’s most comprehensive repository of clinical, financial and outcomes information and operates a leading healthcare purchasing network. A world leader in helping deliver measurable improvements in care, Premier works with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the United Kingdom’s National Health Service North West to improve hospital performance. Premier has offices in San Diego, Charlotte, N.C., Philadelphia and Washington.

About Toshiba’s Aquilion CT Product Line Recognition

The Aquilion® CT product line has received numerous accolades including the number one ranking in CT from MD Buyline since 2002 (six consecutive years). The Aquilion CT line has also been named Best in KLAS in 2006 and 2007; Best in KLAS in 2008 for 64-detector row and above; and Frost & Sullivan’s “Healthcare Innovation Award in Cardiovascular Imaging” in 2008. (For more information about KLAS, visit www.KLASresearch.com.) Most recently, Toshiba’s service for the Aquilion line was ranked number one in 21 out of 34 ServiceTrak Imaging’s 2008 report on CT system service.

About Toshiba’s Aquilion ONE

The Aquilion® ONE, the world’s first dynamic volume CT, utilizes 320 ultra-high resolution detector rows to image an entire organ in a single gantry rotation and shows dynamic function like blood flow. Since its introduction in November 2007, the Aquilion ONE has been named Popular Science magazine’s “Best of What’s New 2008 — Personal Health Category,” rt Image‘s 2008 Most Valuable Product (MVP), Frost & Sullivan’s Global CT Systems Product Differentiation Innovation Award 2007, AuntMinnie.com’s “Minnies 2008 — Best New Radiology Device” and Medical Design Excellence Award Winner in 2009.

About Toshiba

With headquarters in Tustin, Calif., Toshiba America Medical Systems markets, sells, distributes and services diagnostic imaging systems, and coordinates clinical diagnostic imaging research for all modalities in the United States. Toshiba Medical Systems Corp., an independent group company of Toshiba Corp., is a global leading provider of diagnostic medical imaging systems and comprehensive medical solutions, such as CT, Cath & EP Labs, X-ray, Ultrasound, MRI and information systems. Toshiba Corp. is a leader in information and communications systems, electronic components, consumer products, and power systems. Toshiba has approximately 198,000 employees worldwide and annual sales of $77 billion. For more information, visit www.medical.toshiba.com.