The collaboration includes a research agreement to validate new technology and a commercial deal naming Philips the preferred vendor for imaging equipment across 12 hospitals.
Royal Philips and WellSpan Health announced a seven-year strategic alliance to establish a research collaboration and deploy advanced imaging and diagnostics technology across Central Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland. The partnership aims to position the health system as a leader in the application of artificial intelligence and technology, according to a press release from Philips.
The collaboration includes a research agreement and joint innovation strategy focused on validating the performance of new tools. Research will examine how artificial intelligence and digital tools improve throughput, cost, and workflow efficiency, with a goal to reclaim more than 500,000 hours of workforce time annually for WellSpan. The health system will also work with Philips Research to co-develop products and features, serving as a proving ground for future health care technology.
A long-term commercial agreement establishes Philips as the preferred vendor for WellSpan across imaging modalities, including CT, MR, digital X-ray, ultrasound, and image-guided therapy. The agreement covers all 12 WellSpan hospitals, diagnostic imaging centers, and ambulatory surgery centers. The companies will align equipment, service, training, and upgrade planning under a single framework to manage the technology lifecycle.
“As WellSpan has grown in clinical capability, so has our responsibility to be more intentional about how we plan, deploy, and support the life-saving technology our teams and patients rely on,” says Roxanna Gapstur, PhD, RN, WellSpan president and CEO, in a release. “This collaboration gives us that foundation, bringing consistency and coordination across our entire system, advancing digital and AI-enabled care, and building a leading research and co-development platform that will transform the future of health care.”
The alliance builds on a long-standing relationship between the two organizations. By combining health technology with clinical expertise, the companies aim to drive improvements in patient care quality and operational performance.
“Together, we’re establishing a scalable, AI-driven, platform-based approach that supports clinicians today while shaping how care is delivered in the future,” says Roy Jakobs, CEO, Royal Philips, in a release.
