Philips and WellSpan Health have announced a seven-year strategic alliance that combines research, co-development, advanced imaging, and technology lifecycle management across WellSpan Health’s network in Central Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland. The agreement covers all 12 WellSpan hospitals as well as its diagnostic imaging and ambulatory surgery centers, creating a long-term framework focused on improving patient care, operational performance, and workforce efficiency.
The partnership represents the first joint innovation and research strategy between Philips and a U.S. community health system. Rather than operating solely as a technology supplier, Philips will work alongside WellSpan to evaluate, validate, and develop AI-enabled and digital healthcare tools that can be deployed within community-based care settings.
A central objective of the collaboration is to reduce administrative and operational burdens on healthcare staff. Joint research efforts will assess how AI and digital workflow technologies can influence imaging throughput, care delivery costs, workflow performance, and clinical documentation processes. These initiatives are intended to support WellSpan Health’s goal of reclaiming more than 500,000 hours of workforce time annually.
Roxanna Gapstur, Ph.D., R.N., President and CEO of WellSpan Health, emphasized the importance of a coordinated technology strategy as the health system continues to expand its clinical capabilities. She noted that the alliance creates an infrastructure that advances digital and AI-enabled care while reinforcing the role of community health systems in healthcare innovation.
The commercial component of the agreement establishes Philips as WellSpan’s preferred vendor across key imaging modalities, including CT, MR, digital X-ray, ultrasound, and image-guided therapy. This standardized approach is intended to create greater consistency across facilities while supporting clinicians and patients throughout the region.
Beyond equipment procurement, the organizations will implement a unified technology lifecycle management framework covering hardware acquisitions, enterprise service agreements, clinical training programs, and software upgrades. By coordinating these activities across the network, WellSpan aims to maintain consistent imaging access, reduce regional disparities in service availability, and establish a stronger data foundation for future AI applications.
Commenting on the collaboration, Roy Jakobs, CEO of Royal Philips, said that combining Philips’ health technology expertise with WellSpan’s clinical experience provides an opportunity to deliver measurable operational improvements. He added that the platform-based model is designed to support frontline clinicians while contributing to the future development of healthcare delivery.
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