Healthcare systems across the world are generating enormous amounts of data. About 80 percent of that data is imaging, spanning from radiology and orthopedics to breast imaging, cardiology, and pathology. And the volumes are constantly growing. At the same time, healthcare is at the top of the list of industries most vulnerable to cyberattacks. This is where Sectra, in collaboration with Microsoft, is making a huge difference by deploying on Azure.
Sectra was founded in 1978 in Linköping, Sweden. A cybersecurity company from the beginning, before expanding into digital imaging for healthcare in the late eighties. Sectra One is their market-leading enterprise imaging solution, allowing hospitals and other healthcare systems to easily capture, store and collaborate on medical multimedia.
Sectra One Cloud is a SaaS solution running in the Microsoft Azure Cloud. It gives you predictable cost, superior uptime, scalability and always up-to-date security. Fredrik Gustavsson, CTO at Sectra elaborates:
”The pressure on healthcare is increasing as a result of an aging population across all countries. There is also a huge lack of resources, both when it comes to staff and from a financial perspective. Sectra One Cloud increases both speed and quality in healthcare, in a very resource-efficient way. Meaning that the hospitals can reduce their IT-costs and focus on their core business—helping patients.”
One of the biggest advantages of a SaaS solution is the ability to always run the latest version of the software, providing instant access to new functionality and innovations. There are also significant benefits to leveraging the power of large-scale cloud-based AI, which is not possible with on-premises solutions. Nynke Breimer is Sectra’s Global Product & Line Manager AI:
”The potential for AI to improve performance and productivity in diagnostic imaging is tremendous. Sectra One Cloud provides an easy way to adopt AI in clinical practise. To accelerate innovation, to bring it faster to the clinics. To try what works and what doesn’t. And to remove hurdles like technical integration and administrative complexity.”
Nynke Breimer, Global Product & Line Manager for AI at Sectra.
Whether applied to radiology, pathology, cardiology, or any other diagnostic specialty, AI can improve accuracy and efficiency, which ultimately results in better and more effective patient care. Nynke continues:
”One great example is in breast imaging. Every mammogram needs to be double read, that is a burden on the personnel. AI is shortening the process. The patient gets the results faster, and it takes less people to report on these scans.”
Cybercrime is on the rise all over the world, with countries, businesses and infrastructure being targeted. Healthcare is no exception. Attackers are constantly finding new ways to implement their technique, and it is challenging for a hospital’s local IT department to keep up with the pace. Sectra One Cloud was created in collaboration with security experts from Sectra and Microsoft to take advantage of the state-of-art security built into Azure. From customized hardware to a team of more than 3,500 global cybersecurity experts that work together to help safeguard business assets. Fredrik explains:
”Sectra has its roots in security. And Microsoft has a long, long experience of providing highly secure solutions to the market. When we set out on this journey together, we realized that we shared the vision of the importance of us protecting customer’s data. The result that we deliver today, in our product, is a security level that is much, much higher than any individual healthcare system can deliver on.”
Fredrik Gustavsson, CTO at Sectra.
Today, the Sectra Group has over 1000 employees worldwide and over 2000 customers in more than 60 countries. And the collaboration, or journey, with Microsoft is just getting started. Fredrik continues:
”One of our core commitments to our customers is to ensure future-proof solutions. We achieve this by combining our own research capabilities within medical imaging with Microsoft’s ability to innovate, both today and in the future. This collaboration empowers us to concentrate on developing cutting-edge solutions that bring enhanced value to our end users, specifically hospitals. By leveraging this strategic partnership, we can enhance our success rates, expedite product launches, and foster growth.”
And if Sectra grows, it should mean less pressure on clinicians and a more accessible healthcare system. Nynke finishes:
”If we help our customers embrace this innovation. And by that improving their clinical practice and their clinical quality. I think the future looks quite bright. In the end, this means saving more lives.”