Range of Healthcare Offerings Help Philips Customers Reduce Critical Time to Treatment...

Range of Healthcare Offerings Help Philips Customers Reduce Critical Time to Treatment for Heart Attack Patients

Philips simplifies cardiac care through innovative cardiology
systems that facilitate diagnosis and treatment and extend healthcare
into the home
ANDOVER, Mass.--(Business Wire)--
Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHI) today demonstrated
the company's strategy to help caregivers more efficiently focus on
specific cardiac conditions by bolstering the entire continuum of care
required to support a cardiac patient from illness to
wellness--whether it is coronary artery disease, stroke or heart
failure. Throughout the annual American College of Cardiology (ACC)
meeting in Chicago, Philips will highlight its complete, dynamic
portfolio of cardiology solutions. The company is addressing the needs
of cardiology customers seeking to improve care by helping customers
reduce time to treatment for certain heart attack patients, generating
vivid computed tomography (CT) scans to efficiently diagnose cardiac
patients in the emergency room, enabling unparalleled live 3D
ultrasound scans of the beating heart to assist surgery planning, and
making it possible to monitor cardiac patients in their homes.

Philips' cardiology solutions help providers reduce time to
treatment for Phoenix-area heart attack patients by nearly 45 minutes

Every minute counts for many heart attack patients. In the case of
patients suffering from a class of heart attacks called ST-segment
elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the current ACC recommended
"door to balloon" (D2B) protocol--referring to time from patient's
hospital arrival to balloon catheter inflation within the patient's
blocked artery--is less than 90 minutes. Philips' technologies can
help hospitals reduce D2B time by clearing a path from discovery to
treatment.

First, the Philips HeartStart MRx monitor/defibrillator enables
paramedics to wirelessly transmit vital 12-lead electrocardiogram
(ECG) data on the heart's condition while en route to the hospital.
Once this data is received, caregivers move into action, preparing the
catheterization (cath) lab before the patient arrives. Philips
informatics solutions throughout the D2B care cycle deliver instant
access to and seamless sharing of clinical information throughout the
hospital. Inside the emergency department and cath lab, Philips
cardiovascular imaging equipment helps clinicians pinpoint issues in
the heart and allows for confidently planned and executed
interventional procedures.

Some of these advanced solutions are helping the community of
Glendale, Arizona save valuable time for critical STEMI patients.
Outfitted with a HeartStart MRx in every fire engine, the Glendale
Fire Department utilizes the innovative pre-hospital triaging
technology when a patient displays symptoms consistent with STEMI.

"HeartStart MRx has reduced D2B times, as previously we would have
to obtain the 12-lead ECG inside the hospital and wait for a decision
on next treatment steps," said Daniel Wintrow, captain and paramedic
with the Glendale Fire Department. "Now, our paramedics are able to
send digital quality 12-lead ECG data to the hospital while in
transit, which can dramatically cut down on time and help physicians
make decisions about appropriate care before arrival."

"With this new capability, we can mobilize resources quickly,
better manage and activate the cath lab, and get interventionalists to
the hospital for timely and expedited care," said Dr. Marc Kates,
cardiologist, Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale, Ariz. "By
carefully planning and implementing well defined processes and taking
advantage of new technologies, our hospital has experienced reductions
in D2B times. We are currently right around the recommended 90 minute
guideline, and have seen as much as 44 minute reductions versus our
previous averages."

As a patient moves through the continuum of cardiac care and
receives care in the ambulance, emergency department, diagnostic
imaging center, cath lab, operating room and/or critical care ward,
Philips helps to manage the flow of patient information, making it
available when and where it is needed to empower providers to offer
better, faster care. Philips is uniquely positioned to help customers
in each of these settings, as well as the home.

Philips strengthens cardiology informatics offerings with
acquisition that will help to manage the flow of patient information
relative to cardiac care

Last week, Philips announced it will acquire TOMCAT Systems Ltd.
based in Northern Ireland. TOMCAT offers a software solution that is
able to aggregate, from various sources, data relative to the cardiac
care of a patient and presents this in a comprehensive patient-centric
view for doctors and nurses. This equips caregivers with a strong tool
to help monitor progression of treatment, enable better informed
decision making and manage patient care.

"Philips recognizes the challenges healthcare providers face in
cardiology, and we believe that while diseases may be complex, using
advanced technologies to assist in diagnosing, treating and managing
cardiac patients should not be difficult," said Joris van den Hurk,
vice president of Cardiology care cycles, Philips Healthcare.
"Philips' solutions are designed to simplify cardiac care. Our
cutting-edge imaging and information management tools, which can
provide fast, non-invasive, 3D views of the heart, help clinicians
better evaluate patients, while Philips' home healthcare systems help
monitor patients with chronic heart disease after hospital discharge,
enabling greater independence and convenience."

For more information, these Philips solutions will be featured at
the Philips booth, #6000.

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 people-centric, innovative products, services and solutions
through the brand promise of "sense and simplicity". Headquartered in
the Netherlands, Philips employs approximately 123,800 employees in
more than 60 countries worldwide. With sales of $36.8 billion (EUR 27
billion) in 2007, the company is a market leader in medical diagnostic
imaging and patient monitoring systems, energy efficient lighting
solutions, as well as lifestyle solutions for personal wellbeing. News
from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.

Philips Healthcare
Steve Kelly, +1 425-487-7479
steve.kelly@philips.com
or
Philips Healthcare
Ian Race, +1 978-659-4624
ian.race@philips.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008