Kings Fund Report, EU Directives, doctor training and working hours as well as NHS Green Agenda support growing demand from the market leading vendor in 2009

LONDON, 16th April 2010— TANDBERG, the leading global provider of Telepresence, high-definition video conferencing and mobile video today announced that sales for its products and services during 2009 were up more than* 39 per cent in the UK healthcare sector from 2008.

In the last six months alone the Company has added Dorset, Winchester and Eastleigh NHS Trusts to its portfolio of customers, as regulation coupled with a desire to enhance patient care while managing costs has driven the sector to do more with less; in some cases delivering telemedicine services.

Steve Woollett, Head of Public Sector Business at TANDBERG UK explained, “Video conferencing has a role to play across three key areas of healthcare operations; clinical, medical education and in a corporate function such as meetings, human resources (HR) and planning. The clinical area is where we have seen the most growth and interest.”

“Specialisms adopting visual communications include neonatal emergency surgical referral, assessment of spasticity in multiple sclerosis, remote diagnosis to community hospitals of chest pain and deep veined thrombosis,” continued Woollett. “There has also been a successful remote diagnosis trial using video conferencing for ultrasound operated by nurses under supervision by a clinician.”

Regulation has also played a part in the changing healthcare landscape. The Kings Fund Report published in November 2008 about the use of technology to improve patient outcomes, patient experience, and service delivery stated that the NHS is a slow adopter of modern technology; and this has to improve. This change, according to the Report should begin at the top; starting with the Department of Health (DoH) and implemented at all levels, including strategic health authorities and NHS trusts.

“The new doctors training program has been another big driver as the new junior doctors all leave medical school and take up posts in hospitals at the same time,” continued Woollett. “They need close supervision and support, and video supports expertise and consultancy being delivered over video. In addition to this, the new junior doctors’ working hours have increased the need for out of hours support and senior doctor contribution.”

Using video conferencing to deliver telemedicine is also supporting new government campaigns such as the National Stroke Initiative where speed of care is critical to identify thrombolytic cases; to dissolve any clot that may have caused the stroke. An EU directive also published in 2008 also specifies that every EU citizen should have access to telemedicine/telecare. Meanwhile, the Government’s NHS Green Agenda has also proven instrumental in the growth of video conferencing in healthcare.

* Actual figure could be considerably higher if the exchange rate for US dollars is factored in.