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Philips Simplifies Cardiac Care with Next Generation of Xcelera R2 Multi-Modality Cardiology Information Management Solution

Business Wire, Oct 30, 2007

New comprehensive clinical system that provides integrated cardiology information management, analysis tools and imaging systems may help physicians provide more timely diagnosis and treatment

ANDOVER, Mass. -- Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHI) today announced North American commercial availability of the next major release of Philips Xcelera, a clinically-advanced, multi-modality image management, physician reporting and information distribution system. Designed to help solve organization and workflow challenges, Xcelera brings advanced clinical tools from multiple imaging modalities onto one centralized platform to foster better clinical collaboration when diagnosing patients.

Philips' enhanced Xcelera solution organizes and provides access to images and data from key cardiology subspecialties, including echocardiography, cardiovascular ultrasound, nuclear cardiology, cardiac CT, cardiac MR, cardiac catheterization, and electrophysiology, as well as direct links to electrocardiography (ECG) studies. Featuring a user-friendly design, Xcelera is positioned as a leader by offering an extensive range of integrated, market-leading, advanced quantification applications on a common workspace. The approach delivers powerful clinical insights that help physicians pinpoint health concerns, allowing patients to move through each step of care more efficiently.

"The Xcelera platform allows clinicians to work across multiple imaging systems, resulting in faster clinical decision making," said Dr. Kirk Spencer, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago. "Having one workstation to review patient cardiac studies will eliminate the need to continue purchasing, upgrading and supporting individual workstations for each imaging modality. This system enables staff to instantly see previous cardiac studies patients have had and, with a click of a button, open and review these studies without going to another workstation elsewhere in the hospital."

Patients receiving cardiac care often undergo many clinical tests over a period of time and at different locations in the healthcare system. The Xcelera solution facilitates the process of documenting the patient's medical condition, as derived from these clinical tests, into a secure, centralized electronic system. As the patient moves through the care continuum, Xcelera manages and distributes the diverse test results, supporting collaboration amongst physicians to achieve better clinical outcomes. In addition, referring and on-call physicians can benefit from Philips' Xcelera WebForum, which allows Internet access to all relevant information.

"Delivering an intuitive system that aids cardiologists in their care and workflow is crucial, which is why Philips diligently worked closely with more than twenty-five leading clinicians in the development of the new Philips Xcelera solution," commented Joris van den Hurk, vice president of cardiology care cycles, for Philips Medical Systems. "We are actively combining customer-driven insights and clinical experience to continually improve our offerings to break down the silos that often exist in the hospital. Integrating systems across departments will help healthcare facilities better manage their patients' care and introduce more efficient solutions."

Philips also plans to enable its existing Xcelera customers to benefit from the clinical enhancements of the new release by making upgrades available beginning in the first half of 2008. Philips began demonstrating the power of the new Xcelera multi-modality cardiology system at the recent Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) medical conference, and will continue to showcase its capabilities at the upcoming American Heart Association (AHA) and Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) conferences.

About Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is a global leader in healthcare, lighting and consumer lifestyle, delivering products, services and solutions through the brand promise of "sense and simplicity". Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips employs approximately 128,000 employees in more than 60 countries worldwide. With sales of USD 34 billion (EUR 27 billion) in 2006, the company is a market leader in medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring systems, energy efficient lighting solutions, personal care and home appliances, as well as consumer electronics. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.>