Siemens to refresh DI systems in London, Ont.

LONDON, Ont. – Siemens Healthineers Canada has been selected by London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London to provide imaging systems to serve the community of Southern Ontario. Siemens Healthineers will replace and upgrade the hospitals’ Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Interventional Radiology and Cardiology systems citywide and provide support services for at least ten years.

“We are very excited to be partnering with London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London,” said Sevket On (pictured), VP, zone general manager for Canada, Siemens Healthineers. “This alliance will see the replacement of the hospitals’ MRI and Advanced Therapy equipment across the city of London, providing the community with access to leading diagnostic imaging equipment.”

Over the term of the agreement six new MRI systems and eight new AT systems (Interventional Radiology, Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery) will be installed. The six MRI systems will consist of three 3T and three 1.5T systems. The eight AT systems being installed include three Artis Q biplane, two Artis Q Floor mounted systems, two Artis Q ceiling mounted systems, and one Artis Pheno system.

The relationship also has the potential for additional systems to be added in the future.

In addition to the purchase of new equipment, and in partnership with Siemens Healthineers and London’s academic teaching hospitals, LHSC and St. Joseph’s Health Care London, and Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry have also announced the creation of a centre of excellence in Advanced Diagnostic Imaging and Therapeutics in Southwestern Ontario.

This agreement includes the creation of an education, training and scientific research support fund in the area of Advanced Diagnostic Imaging and Therapeutics. Siemens will provide in excess of $1M CDN in support funding for research, advanced clinical applications, teaching and outcomes analysis

“This academic partnership represents another important building block in the incredible foundation of imaging excellence that we have in London,” says Dr. Narinder Paul, chair/chief of the department of medical imaging at LHSC, St. Joseph’s, and Schulich Medicine & Dentistry. “Not only will we become leaders in state of the art imaging and intervention through the centre of excellence in advanced diagnostics and therapeutics, but thanks to the investment from Siemens Healthineers, we will also have dedicated funds for critical research in cardiovascular and neurological diseases that will translate to improved services and outcomes for patients in London and the region.”

The fund will support collaborations between research teams in diagnostic and interventional radiology, cardiology and cardiac surgery to work closely with imaging scientists at the Lawson Health Research Institute, the research institute of LHSC and St. Joseph’s, and the Robarts Research Institute, at Western University. These teams will work with scientists from Siemens Healthineers to focus on improving both the patient experience and the outcomes in important cardiovascular and neurological diseases. The research funds will be leveraged against Provincial and Federal research grants to increase the funds available to the research teams.

“Partnerships of this kind are critical to ensure continuous evolution of imaging and diagnostic technology,” said David Pacitti, president and head of the Americas, Siemens Healthineers. “With best-in-class diagnostics, we can collectively address some of the most pressing challenges facing the healthcare system today like shifting demographics, population growth, and the growing chronic disease burden. We are all looking forward to this valuable partnership and the outcomes it will create to further patient care.”