"This product has been developed in direct response to what clinicians have told us they need: a user-friendly, compact system for urgent, on the spot investigations. Very sick patients are often difficult to move – those on the critical and intensive care units may be attached to multiple tubes leading to ventilators, infusions, monitors and drug administration pumps. The CX50 provides a simple way to secure diagnostic quality images at the bedside saving valuable time, which in the treatment of critically ill patients is a very important factor," commented Joris van den Hurk, vice president of cardiology programs for Philips Healthcare.

A leader in cardiac ultrasound, cardiovascular X-ray, monitoring systems and automated external defibrillators, Philips is committed to a patient-focused approach to healthcare. By working with clinicians at the forefront of patient care, Philips develops the technological solutions to help them provide top quality care for their patients throughout the care cycle - from disease prevention through to screening, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and health management.

At the ESC Congress 2008 Philips is focusing on 'simplifying cardiac care', built around four key areas:

• Gaining time by clearing a path from discovery to treatment
  Whether a STEMI patient arrives by ambulance or transports themselves to the hospital, our solutions can capture and integrate each patient’s diagnostic data, while supporting teamwork – a key strategy that enables healthcare providers to prevent information delays and shorten critical care times.
• Timely triage by fast non invasive evaluation of cardiac patients
  Identifying, monitoring and examining asymptomatic patients with high risk factors at an early stage is becoming increasingly important. The compact CX50 provides premium class echocardiography performance as well as the flexibility to examine the patient, wherever they are in the hospital.
• Independence and convenience for chronic heart patients through home healthcare
  Healthcare should be provided wherever it is best for the patient, and increasingly the home is playing a more important role in care. For over seven years, Philips' award-winning telemonitoring devices have enabled disease management firms, home care agencies and healthcare providers to remotely monitor chronic disease patients in their homes.
• Minimally invasive interventions supported by outstanding 3D views of the heart
  Philips' Live 3D Transesophageal Echocardiography delivers high quality 3D views that depict cardiac structure, pathology and function. It enables clinicians to capture the required views, assess function and morphology in real time, and measure and quantify data. This ensures the physician has access to more information for planning treatment, facilitating decisions such as whether to repair or replace a heart valve.
• Connecting cardiac patient information across the hospital
  At ESC Philips will be showcasing the new Philips cardiovascular information system (CVIS). The solution, which results from Philips’ acquisition of Northern Ireland-based TOMCAT earlier this year, enables hospitals to automate the capture, reporting, review and analysis of detailed clinical and operational information across a patient’s cardiovascular continuum of care.

  Philips CVIS also connects to devices and systems from other leading vendors, with clinically proven system interfaces able to facilitate automated communication and data exchange. The solution is designed to complement and integrate seamlessly with a hospital's existing IT infrastructure, helping them to make the most out of the previous investments.

Philips CVIS is currently not available in the USA.

You can visit Philips at ESC 2008 at Messe Munich, Germany in booth # B201 – zone A2 in Hall 2 from August 31- September 3, 2008 or online at www.philips.com/ESC

Related news articles:

• Philips Healthcare's Profile

About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is a diversified Health and Well-being company, focused on improving people's lives through timely innovations. As a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting, Philips integrates technologies and design into people-centric solutions, based on fundamental customer insights and the brand promise of "sense and simplicity". Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips employs approximately 133,000 employees in more than 60 countries worldwide. With sales of EUR 27 billion in 2007, the company is a market leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as lifestyle products for personal well-being and pleasure with strong leadership positions in flat TV, male shaving and grooming, portable entertainment and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.