Philips Sparq

The refurbished Philips Sparq incorporates Philips’ top imaging technologies, including SonoCT, XRES, and a 17″ High Resolution LCD monitor. The mid-range ultrasound system is also compatible with a PureWave TEE transesophageal probe, which is Philips’ probe technology that increases resolution and penetration for hard-to-scan patients.

Its buttonless interface pushes the boundaries of Philips’ traditional ultrasound hardware to offer a more modern feel and an easier-to-clean surface. With Simplicity Mode “on,” the tempered glass interface will only show the ultrasound functions that you use most often in that mode. The refurbished Philips Sparq also features SmartExam technology so you can increase consistency by following the on-screen fully-customizable guided workflow exam protocols. Meaning in an emergency situation, you can take more work off of your team by putting the work on the machine.

Another feature that is noteworthy for a point-of-care situation is the Temporary ID, which assigns a unique, temporary number to each unidentified patient so you can start scanning immediately.

Although Philips was one of the last popular OEM’s to develop a true point-of-care bedside ultrasound, the fully refurbished Philips Sparq is a nice addition to that category and is a great competitor to GE’s Venue point-of-care line. Philips’ goal for creating the Sparq was to streamline workflow and it was generally successful. Although the auto-adjusting Simplicity Mode technology takes time to get used to, the adjustment will save you time. That combined with the many of the popular features found in Philips midrange ultrasound machines make the Sparq a solid contender for the point-of-care space.