The imaging industry's keen desire to move buying to the Web is starting to yield some fairly sophisticated results. Marconi Medical Systems has become the latest supplier to hitch its star to the Internet with the launch of Marconihcp.com, a new online initiative designed for the $2.6 billion medical imaging supplies market.
The site, to be operated by Marconi’s HealthCare Products division, will give healthcare and imaging administrators, materials managers, private practice radiologists, clinicians, and imaging center managers access to a constantly updated online catalog, Marconi said. More than 32,000 products from about 300 manufacturers and suppliers will be available on the site.
Marconi has allied with several large group purchasing organizations that, in effect, will give the Cleveland-based vendor access to 90% of U.S. hospitals, Marconi said. The site offers everything from radiation protection to contrast/barium; film; illuminators; data recording and print media supplies; film processing and darkroom equipment, to name just a few. The site will only be accessible to Marconi HCP partners.
To tie it all together, Marconihcp.com will offer several inventory and order management features such as templates that "remember" standing orders, as well as shipping and billing information. A "reports" function will be available for inquiries about open or closed orders. Another function is being tested that will enable Marconihcp.com clients to track their orders in real time, according to the firm.
To develop the site, Marconi's HealthCare Products group teamed up with fellow Marconi divisions Infochain and Infosec. The site is working with Infochain to develop capabilities such as an electronic distribution manifest -- an electronic delivery signature capability and an inventory-asset tracking feature that uses radiofrequency identification and the Internet to track hospital assets remotely, as well as archive and communicate inventory and replenishment information, Marconi said.
The site is working with the Infosec division to incorporate Internet and systems security, and work out data availability issues. It's also looking into a product that audits a customer’s compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and proprietary data security rules. Other functions could include Web hosting, e-marketing collaboration, and e-business strategy development, Marconi said.
By Erik L. RidleyAuntMinnie.com staff writer
August 8, 2000
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