Beloit Memorial Hospital Selects GE Healthcare's Optima XR640 Digital Radiographic System for Emergency Department Expansion.

On-site X-ray system provides flexibility and productivity

WAUKESHA, Wis. -- GE Healthcare, a division of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) announced that Beloit Memorial Hospital, Beloit, Wis., has selected an Optima[R] XR640 digital radiographic system for its expanded emergency department.

Digital systems capture X-ray images on computers instead of film. The exams are faster and provide high-quality images, with radiation dose efficiency. The system will help physicians clearly see injuries and abnormalities and confidently prescribe appropriate treatment.

Beloit Memorial Hospital is a 105-bed primary care facility affiliated with the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. Serving more than 35,000 emergency patients yearly, the hospital said that the physical size of the emergency department as well as the roster of services was expanded in order to provide better patient care. "We currently see over 100 patients a day, and this new system and emergency department expansion are critical in allowing us to meet the increased capacity demands while maintaining patient comfort," said Mardell Jacobsen, Director of Medical Imaging at Beloit Memorial Hospital.

The Optima XR640 was developed to deliver digital productivity and application flexibility. The system includes new tools that help doctors save time while maintaining outstanding image quality. One such tool is Auto Positioning, which allows the technologist to set up exams quickly by pre programming up to 40 exam positions. "With Auto Positioning, the technologist can simply push a button to choose a position for a specific exam," says Jacobsen. "This allows our staff to focus on the patient - who is our number one priority."

"The Optima XR640 offers digital image quality and digital productivity," said David Widmann, GE's General Manager for Global Radiography and Fluoroscopy. "Its moveable detector allows fast and easy positioning, key to maintaining patient comfort and safety in trauma situations."

"We are excited about the Optima XR640 and the latest technology that we will be bringing to the community with this hospital expansion," added Jacobsen. "By offering this technology we continue our tradition of putting the latest tools to work to benefit patients and families in our community."

ABOUT BELOIT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL:

For further information about Beloit Memorial Hospital and the recent ED expansion, visit our website at www.beloitmemorialhospital.org.

ABOUT GE HEALTHCARE:

GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient care. Our broad expertise in medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, performance improvement and performance solutions services help our customers to deliver better care to more people around the world at a lower cost. In addition, we partner with healthcare leaders, striving to leverage the global policy change necessary to implement a successful shift to sustainable healthcare systems.

Our "healthymagination" vision for the future invites the world to join us on our journey as we continuously develop innovations focused on reducing costs, increasing access and improving quality and efficiency around the world. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, GE Healthcare is a $17 billion unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE). Worldwide, GE Healthcare employs more than 46,000 people committed to serving healthcare professionals and their patients in more than 100 countries. For more information about GE Healthcare, visit our website at www.gehealthcare.com