SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Eklin Medical Systems, a leading developer of digital radiography (DR), PACS (Picture Archiving and Communications System) and Practice Management software (VIA(TM)) for veterinary care practices, announced the company’s revenues grew 45 percent to surpass $35 million for the year ending 2007 compared to the prior year. Both U.S. and international demand for Eklin’s open standard imaging and data management systems were credited for spurring the company’s growth.
“As the veterinary care market increasingly realizes the significant workflow and economic benefits of digital technology, we are seeing a substantial demand for our open standard solutions,” said Gary R. Cantu, president and CEO of Eklin. “In addition to hundreds of small animal and equine practices, we installed multiple systems at leading zoos and universities. In fact, Eklin now has systems in roughly 90 percent of accredited U.S. medical schools alone.”
Eklin provides a number of digital products including DR, PACS and Practice Information Management software (VIA) for equine, exotic and small animal practices. Using the Eklin Digital Practice(R), veterinarians can obtain images in seconds, then store, review and archive the images at the touch of a button. It also offers sophisticated image processing tools, giving the clinician much greater depth of information that can be enlarged or manipulated for far better detail, resulting in closer scrutiny of potential areas of concern. All of Eklin’s digital technologies are built on published DICOM standards, the medical industry’s digital imaging and storage protocols. This allows practices to select products from multiple vendors which follow the same open standard and be able to seamlessly integrate these other digital systems within the practice.
According to Cantu, several installations and events were specifically notable for the year. For example, installations at Texas A&M Veterinary School of Medicine included five RapidStudy(TM) DR systems (small and large animal), nine workstations, two servers with Eklin Remote(TM) web-based, long-term storage service, and integration of 13 DICOM devices represented by eight different third-party vendors. A similar installation also occurred at the University of Georgia, Veterinary School of Medicine where four RapidStudy systems, workstations and a PACS server were installed and 11 DICOM devices representing nine third-party vendors integrated.
Other significant installations included major zoos, such as in Denver, Columbus and St. Louis, and large aquariums like Atlantis and Georgia. In yet another milestone, the company expanded the Eklin Digital Repository(TM) at Keeneland from 12 review workstations to 32, enabling over 500,000 images to be reviewed during the 2007 September Yearling Sale alone. For Keeneland, Eklin published the industry’s first pre-purchase, radiographic study submission standard for digital radiographs.
“In support of Keeneland, we worked with its staff to draft and publish the first equine DICOM protocol for submitting pre-purchase exams and digital radiographs, an industry-wide open standard,” said Cantu. “Our goal is to achieve the same industry standard for digital information in veterinary care as now exists in human medicine. Keeneland, as the largest Thoroughbred auction facility in the world, represents an excellent example of leadership in supporting this goal.”
Eklin’s equine and small animal practice presence also increased internationally with key expansion in Europe and the Middle East. Canada experienced solid system growth as did Australia, including a multi-unit installation at the largest equine facility in the country, Randwick Equine Centre in Sydney. Introduction of the Mark III and Mark V DR systems contributed to the growth in the equine and exotic (zoo/marine) markets during the year. In December, the company introduced the RapidPACS Web Edition, offering an economical, per study-based, digital image storage and review solution, designed to grow with practice needs.
Eklin’s VIA Practice Management software group was reorganized as the Eklin Information Systems Division. A long-time veterinary care executive, Christine Stafford, was hired as division manager of the new entity. During the year, VIA completed the majority of its work on the VIA Hospitalization Functionality and VIA Safe.
“In support of all of our expansion, we grew our regional training offerings through Eklin University to assist clients with their expanding education needs,” said Cantu. “We are planning even more programs of this nature as we continue to grow Eklin. Key to our success, we believe, is the satisfaction and education of our clients. These will continue to be our driving goals throughout the year.”
About Eklin Medical Systems, Inc.
With hundreds of systems installed in private practices and universities around the globe, Eklin Medical Systems, Inc. is one of the world’s leading providers of veterinary PACS, practice management software (VIA) and digital radiography products. The company focuses on applications where speed, portability, and increased practice efficiency are critically important. Eklin is a privately-held company headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., and can be contacted at 800-819-5538 or visit http://www.eklin.com.
hallwyler@eklin.com
CONTACT: Laurie Hallwyler of Eklin Medical Systems, +1-650-248-9081,
hallwyler@eklin.com
Web site: http://www.eklin.com/
