A recent report from the Orem, Utah-based KLAS Research, indicates that as the market for picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) grows, providers are looking for vendors that can rapidly improve in the middle of a changing industry. The report, Radiology PACS Technology: The World Looks Under the Covers, looks at various PACS-related feedback from customers and finds the top vendors are those who can offer “meaningful and timely upgrades with expanded usability.”

“The top-rated PACS innovators have a track record of improvement,” Ben Brown, author of the report and KLAS research director, said in a statement. “The vendors that land in the middle tier of this study offer solid technology and innovation, but at a slower pace. Vendors in that group are meeting most of providers’ expectations, but they are not exceeding them like the top-tier vendors are.”

The top-rated providers in the report were Infinitt, Intelerad, DR Systems, McKesson, Novarad, and Sectra. All of these vendors, the report says, have released advanced radiologist tools with recent upgrades. Middle-tier vendors are Carestream, Fuji, Merge, and Philips. Enthusiasm varies with these vendors, and vendor success in delivering all of what providers want in new releases varies as well.

Some of the “behind-the-curve” vendors, according to the report, are Agfa, Cerner, GE, and Siemens. These vendors, KLAS says, fall in the bottom tier of PACS innovators but offer some stability and integration.