VISICU's eICU Program can track ICU patients at various hospitals, and provides continuous monitoring of patient vitals signs, medications, labs and early-warning alarms - known as 'Smart Alerts' - which are triggered by deviations in a patients' vital signs based on their admitting or current diagnosis. 'Smart Alerts' use embedded algorithms and protocols to send warning signals to physicians and nurses to provide early medical intervention and optimal care. The eICU Program also supplements hospitals' critical care staff by allowing them to increase the number of ICU patients monitored by a factor of 15. The clinical and financial benefits of the eICU Program have resulted in several affiliated hospitals electing to expand their eICU program to serve smaller regional and rural hospitals outside of their network.

Commenting on today's announcement, VISICU chairman and CEO, Frank T. Sample said: "At VISICU, we have a long and successful track record of developing innovative solutions to enhance the delivery of patient care within the ICU resulting in significant improvements in clinical outcomes and saving more lives. We're excited to be teaming up with Philips - a global leader in patient monitoring - as it will give us the opportunity to build on Philips' extensive market presence to grow beyond our current focus on the ICU and US market. As a result the Board will recommend approving the merger to our shareholders."


Founded in 1998, VISICU has a staff of approximately 100, which includes clinicians, software developers, sales and client services personnel. The company had sales over a 12-month period ending in the third quarter of 2007 of approximately USD 36 million and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of approximately USD 9 million. Over the last three years, VISICU has seen it sales almost double, and the company reported in its third quarter results that it had approximately USD 60 million in revenue backlog.

Upon completion of the acquisition, Philips intends to capitalize on its extensive sales channel network to accelerate VISICU's adoption by ICUs at US hospitals, while internationalizing VISICU's activities and migrating its technologies into other departments within the hospital. Philips believes leveraging VISICU's and Emergin's clinical IT capabilities will also accelerate growth in its existing patient monitoring business. Philips has a leading position in the global patient monitoring market, which in 2006 was estimated to be approximately EUR 2 billion or approximately USD 3 billion.

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