German based company HIT.net presents the Hospital IT Network, a ground-breaking, ambitious and extensive European eHealth online network for vendors and users of IT products and services in the healthcare sector with more than 1,500 profiles of Healthcare IT (eHealth) vendors and products.
“The health IT market with its numerous products has become so complex and versatile that it is difficult for the user to keep track of the big picture,” stated and explained Mr. Uwe Buddrus, HIT.net manager, “This is where we start off. Our online platform helps to make the market more transparent by providing the user with an access to independent product information and in this way enable a conscious and focused purchase decision.”
Vendors from the medical IT sector on their part, temporarily those in the hospital sector, profit from the platform users’ inclination to buy and can in this way increase their market presence as well as their company reputation. All released materials are neutrally and independently sorted and classified and are anonymously evaluated by HIT.net staff.
The platform currently offers more than 1,500 vendor profiles in 11 countries. By the end of 2009 the database is planned to be extended to 2,500 companies and product profiles in more than 20 European countries.
The Hospital IT Network’s service consists of three complementary areas which are accessible through central and area related search functions and enable an easy and efficient orientation. The vendor directory is the core of the propsed services, it is not only the most extensive and up-to-date directory of healthcare IT products and services in Europe, but also offers independent ratings of other users in addition to a standardized search function.
Mr. Uwe Buddrus added: “Independent user ratings reveal the strengths and weaknesses of each product and fundamentally support the selection of a suitable vendor.” Users are able to filter their products of interest and find the best IT solution tailored to their needs. On the other hand companies gain an unique opportunity to compare their products with those of their competitors and to enhance their programming on the basis of the consumer’s ratings.
The HIT.net Marketplace is the second area of the platform, facilitating “the virtual meeting of supply and demand” as Mr Buddrus explained. Vendors are able to include additional material such as demo software, application descriptions etc. and can also face the individual and objective reviews of the users. Furthermore users of the software have the opportunity to publish product requests and invitations to tender. Mr. Buddrus stated: “There is no easier way to bring the market participants together.”
Interactions through networking form the basis for the third area of the platform, the business-to-business community, offering a focused exchange of information and opinions. Here not only the latest news for IT in the healthcare sector can be actively spread, also the professional exchange of experiences as well as straight-forward trouble shooting can be focused on in discussion forums. To bring forward technical developments spanning over all vendors, the online platform offers specialist interest groups to provide an appropriate forum for experts.
For users of the software solutions the platform is generally free of charge, therefore the users can search the vendor directory and filter the appropriate vendor without any limitations. HIT.net finances itself through scalable member fees from the IT vendors and through profits from selling market reports as well as vendor profiles. Via a fee companies have the opportunity to enhance access to the platform functions as well as to complement their profiles with additional information. Through this, they can clearly articulate their added values for the end users and maximize their presence. In order to avoid influence by companies, the online network is generally free of advertisements.
“Impartiality and above all transparency is to be the hallmark of the Hospital IT Network. We are the ‘Consumers’ Association’ for IT solutions in the healthcare sector, if you will,” concluded Manager Mr. Buddrus.
