Dutch electronics giant Philips on Monday announced the signing of a 15-year agreement to supply echography technology to the Reinier de Graaf hospital in Delft.

It is the biggest-ever contract Philips has signed for medical equipment in the Netherlands, and gives the hospital much faster access to this diagnostic tool. The partnership with Philips is expected to help the hospital optimise its operating results in the long-term.

The contract, an extension to an existing agreement, deals with the replacement and maintenance of all the echography systems in the hospital. The new generation of echography equipment will be used to investigate the stomach area, in pregnancy tests and in the treatment of rheumatism.

The Reinier de Graaf hospital employs around 3,000 staff. As well as its main location in Delft, it has hospitals in Voorburg, Naaldwijk and The Hague-Ypenburg.

Philips, which started life as a manufacturer of light bulbs, is sharpening its focus to concentrate on healthcare technology.

Echography is a radiologic technique in which deep structures of the body are visualised by recording the reflections (echoes) of ultrasonic waves directed into the tissues.