Agfa appoints new head of health IT

Belgian giant, Agfa Healthcare, has appointed a new executive vice president to head its healthcare IT division and grow the company’s global market position.

Dr Volker Wetekam will lead Agfa HealthCare’s global HealthCare IT division, heading up an operation of around 3,000 staff members and report directly to Christian Reinaudo, president of Agfa HealthCare. He will take up his new position in September. Dr Wetekam joins Agfa from Siemens.

According to Agfa Dr Wetekam will define and implement the overall strategic positioning and roadmap for Agfa HealthCare’s IT division, which manages both the company’s Imaging Informatics and its Enterprise IT business. The division covers everything from Picture Archiving and Communications Systems to Cardiovascular Information Systems and Hospital and Clinical Information Systems.

Dr Wetekam will also become a permanent member of the HealthCare organization’s Executive Committee.

Volker Wetekam has been the head of Siemens Medical Solutions’ Managed Services, Turnkey, eHealth, and Consulting business in Healthcare since October, 2004. Additionally, he has been responsible for the Siemens Medical Solutions Corporate CRM activities in the healthcare sector.

"We are extremely pleased to have attracted such talent to our organization", said Christian Reinaudo, President of Agfa HealthCare. "His years of experience in the healthcare IT sector, and extensive understanding of its challenges and opportunities, will further support our company’s transformation to a fully fledged healthcare IT provider."

Dr Wetekam commented: "Taking on the challenge of further strengthening and expanding the company’s leading market position in healthcare IT will be a key priority for me in the years to come, and an opportunity I look forward to."

Dr Wetekam holds a post-graduate degree in Computer Sciences from the European Business School in Frankfurt/Main and a PhD from the University of Leipzig, Germany.

Agfa HealthCare claims to have healthcare IT leader with installations in 1,200 European hospitals and 1,000 laboratories.