Outstanding performances in Europe's healthcare industry were recognised at Frost and Sullivan's 2006 Excellence in Healthcare Awards Banquet held in London on 12 July 2006
14 companies were presented awards at this prestigious event.
Recipients were drawn from a range of healthcare sectors, including drug discovery technologies, healthcare and life sciences IT, medical imaging, patient monitoring and medical devices.
Among the Award recipients were Adobe Systems, Aerotel, Alcon, Astra Tech UK, Barco, BioMerieux, Biomet - Europe, Ceapro, Inpeco, Medcon, R2 Technology, Siemens Hearing Instruments, Tecan Group, and Viterion TeleHealthcare.
Honourees were lauded for exceptional product innovation and differentiation, business development strategies, market leadership and penetration, entrepreneurial ability, technology innovation and, customer value.
Delivering the keynote address, John Higgins, director general of intellect (the UK trade association for the IT, telecoms and electronics industries) spoke of the need for the government to make a full and sustained IT investment amounting to 4% of the NHS budget as laid out in the Wanless report.
This commitment, he emphasised, would be critical for the transformation of the country's healthcare system.
"The application of IT solutions at an appropriate level of investment, as suggested by the Wanless Report, is important to achieve efficiency goals," said Higgins.
"This investment in IT solutions is also essential to ensure that efficiency does not mean compromising on patient care and safety." Added Higgins, "Ultimately, we have no choice but to introduce these new devices into our health service in order to maintain, let alone improve, standards of healthcare for an increasingly ageing population".
"These technologies and devices will, in the long term, allow for more effective, efficient and safer patient care whilst cutting the cost of long-term disease management and reducing unnecessary hospital occupancy rates.
"It can only be through the collaborative efforts of the government, stakeholders and industry bodies such as the Intellect Healthcare Group that a modern, efficient and competently caring healthcare system fit for the demands of the 21st Century can be established," he concluded.
Following this address was the evening's highlight - a glittering awards presentation ceremony that recognised outstanding performers in the healthcare arena:.
Adobe Systems - 2006 business development strategy leadership award.
Aerotel - 2006 Patient monitoring company of the year award.
Alcon - 2006 market leadership award.
Astra Tech UK - 2006 technology innovation and leadership of the year award.
Barco - 2006 customer value award.
BioMerieux - 2006 technology innovation award.
Biomet Europe - 2006 market leadership award.
Ceapro - 2006 product innovation award.
Inpeco - 2006 entrepreneurial company award.
Medcon - 2006 product innovation award.
R2 Technology - 2006 technology innovation leadership of the year award.
Siemens Hearing Instruments - 2006 product differentiation innovation award.
Tecan Group - 2006 vertical market penetration leadership award.
Viterion TeleHealthcare - 2006 marketing strategy leadership award.
