Turner Imaging’s SMART-C wins Defense Health Agency authorization

Turner Imaging Systems says its SMART-C mini C-arm received a two-year Defense Health Agency Authorization to Operate, clearing the device for use on Military Health System networks. The company is also rolling out the same security-hardened software to civilian customers as SMART-C Secure.

Why it matters: - The authorization lets military medical teams move SMART-C onto Defense Health Agency and Military Health System networks. - The approval also matters for civilian buyers because Turner is packaging the same security-hardened software as SMART-C Secure for hospitals that want a government-reviewed configuration. - The decision could speed cybersecurity reviews for health systems that need point-of-care imaging and network access to PACS and electronic health record workflows.

What happened: - Turner Imaging Systems announced that SMART-C received a two-year Authorization to Operate after working with the U.S. Defense Health Agency. - The ATO confirms that SMART-C meets Department of War cybersecurity requirements under the Risk Management Framework. - The authorization followed assessment of security controls, configuration hardening, and vulnerability scanning. - Military medical teams can now operate SMART-C on Military Health System networks and send images into existing PACS and electronic health record workflows. - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs approved SMART-C for use with VistA DICOM. - SMART-C is already in use at VA medical centers across the country.

The details: - SMART-C is a cordless, battery-powered, 16-lb mini C-arm that brings fluoroscopy to the point of care. - SMART-C Secure is the security-hardened software developed for the ATO. - Turner is making SMART-C Secure available to all SMART-C customers on request. - Civilian hospitals and health systems can deploy the same configuration that passed the government review. - Turner says that configuration can shorten a customer’s own cybersecurity evaluations. - Turner plans to pursue the same authorization for ENDURO DR, its portable digital X-ray system. - Turner continues to work with the U.S. military on point-of-care imaging for service members and veterans. - Turner says SMART-C is the first cordless, battery-operated, hand-transportable mini C-arm for fluoroscopy. - ENDURO DR brings full-body digital radiography to the point of care. - Turner’s systems are used in clinical, military and humanitarian settings worldwide. - More information is available at turnerxray.com. - The company’s social channels include LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.

Between the lines: - The company is using one federal security review to support both defense and civilian sales. - That strategy positions Turner to market cybersecurity as a product feature, not just a compliance requirement. - The VA approval adds another federal foothold and may help validate the device for broader hospital adoption. - Mike Orthner, Turner’s vice president of product, said the ATO demonstrates mission readiness and that Gen2 will build on the platform with secure, rugged whole-body imaging. - Rob Scorcia, vice president of sales and marketing, said hospital IT teams are asking about device cybersecurity earlier in the buying process and that SMART-C Secure puts Turner ahead of that shift.

What's next: - Turner says it will pursue the same authorization path for ENDURO DR. - The company will continue working with the U.S. military on point-of-care imaging use cases. - SMART-C Secure will likely be positioned for broader civilian deployments as hospitals look for pre-reviewed cybersecurity configurations.

The bottom line: - Turner has turned a military cybersecurity approval into a dual-use selling point for both defense and civilian healthcare markets.