Reviews and News on Medical Equipment

Thanks to recent advancement in data security, medical electronics are poised for a future of portability, accessibility and remote connectivity. Systems that are able to leverage these technologies will connect doctors and patients from clinical settings to homes, allowing caregivers, doctors and family members to monitor biological trends and changes in real time.

These rapid developments blend well with the increased use of electronic medical records (EMRs), which will eventually become universally accessible throughout the medical community in the form of electronic health records (EHRs).

One medical equipment supplier on the cutting edge of portable medical devices is Texas Instruments. Their broad portfolio of digital and analog solutions is evidence of the company’s continued investment in new technology. Manufacturers of medical devices and equipment are already taking advantage of these solutions to optimize their newest designs.

Telehealth and telemedicine are seeing the fastest growth as more systems are equipped with remote patient monitoring systems. Using wireless and Ethernet interfaces, hospitals can now network all of their equipment as well as connect directly to a patient’s home. As a result, caregivers can remotely monitor patients via wireless sensors that are worn on the body.

In 2010 and beyond, we can expect to see even more advances in the remote connectivity of hospital medical equipment, providing exciting innovations in system flexibility and mobility, the most important factors for advanced patient monitoring systems.
As more healthcare systems are able to adopt Bluetooth technology, the quality of patient care will continue to improve, as well as the quality of life for chronically ill patients.

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Researchers from ETH Zurich have developed a new diagnostic tool for detecting Type 1 Diabetes in patients. Their new sensor is fueled by nanotechnology and can instantly tell doctors whether a patient is diabetic. Without a single blood test or related lab work, it can also recognize a related complication of Type 1 Diabetes known as diabetic ketoacidosis.

So, how does this new test work? Similar to a breathalyzer test, it can detect high levels of acetone in the breath of a patient, which is a key indicator of Type 1 Diabetes. If a patient has an especially high level of acetone, it is very possible that they also suffer from ketoacidosis, a serious buildup of acetone levels in the blood which occurs when the level of insulin falls too low.

A breakthrough in the medical equipment industry, this new sensor can identify the properties of nanoparticles as they are laid into a thin film between the device’s gold electrodes. Normally, these particles act like an electrical resistor, but that resistance is immediately diminished when acetone touches the sensor. Only a significant level of acetone will alter the resistance enough to cause the sensor to raise the red flag. However, it is sensitive enough to detect acetone at only 20 parts per billion, so its results are extremely reliable.

This innovation is certain to provide key lifesaving information when used to detect ketoacidosis in an ER setting, but it can also be used as intervention at home to determine if a diabetic should be taking more insulin.

Medical equipment researchers expect to see even more new applications for nanotechnology appear in medical devices over the next decade.

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As more and more patients take advantage of advances in medical devices, the market for home medical equipment now includes monitoring devices once reserved for the doctors’ office only. Some patients have been able to synchronize their home monitors to interface directly with their electronic medical chart and keep their physician’s records current.

Buying home medical equipment is relatively simple. Most equipment requires a doctors’ prescription in order to be reimbursed from their insurance company for the needed equipment. Some equipment, like oxygen, must be prescribed by a physician whether the patient is seeking reimbursement or not, because it is regulated by the FDA.

In many cases, the physician will recommend the best source for buying home medical equipment, but many patients will want to research this on their own. Supply companies vary in size and scope, from very large retailers like Apria, Walgreens and LinCare, to small local proprietors. However, many patients are looking to the Internet for the best prices. Because ecommerce companies operate with much lower overhead; they can offer some of the best prices for consumers.

Once the medical equipment is delivered, it is important that the patient or caregiver is properly trained in using and maintaining the equipment. When a device is covered by Medicare or Medicaid, some strict laws govern the suppliers who can sell this equipment. Customers who are using Medicare/Medicaid can only purchase from suppliers who have attained the mandated third-party accreditations, as outlined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Home medical equipment suppliers are obligated to provide proper delivery and setup of the equipment, and they must also ensure the home is suitable for the safe and proper use of the equipment. Family and caregivers should be trained in the proper use of home medical equipment, and thereby informed of their rights and responsibilities as users, as well as the instructions about periodic maintenance services.

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A new report, “Medical Devices Outsourcing”, released earlier this month projects the medical device that are  outsourced to reach $42.6 billion within the next five years.  The report was compiled by GIA (Global Industry Analysts) and includes a fully comprehensive guide on the use of outsourcing in the medical devices market, which they say has been driven by increased demand.  OEMs who manufacture medical equipment are looking for ways to improve productivity and simplify their supply chain networks while continuing to cut costs in a touch economic climate.

As manufacturers of medical equipment face increasing pressure to cut costs and improve profit margins, they are still very conscious of the need to deliver cutting edge products and providing customer service that is considered superior.  As a result, they need to modernize the way they do business in this ever-changing marketplace.  Outsourcing provides OEMs the flexibility to utilize off-site facilities to assemble specific portions of their new medical devices, thereby realizing better efficiencies in their existing plants.

Aside from these benefits of efficiency, outsourcing medical equipment manufacturing also allows medical equipment suppliers to focus efforts on other areas, including R&D, technology, and marketing.  Outsourcing lets these OEMs either scale their services upwards or downwards based on customer demand, which makes a lot of sense given current economic conditions.  The easier it is to implement the creation of a new medical device, the more likely these suppliers will be able to keep up with their competitors and add new technologies to their product lines.  Contract manufacturing has gained wider acceptance in the medical equipment community and has allowed for greater efficiencies and the ability to combine many services in one-stop shops.

Some of the key players taking advantage of outsourcing include HCL’s Life Science, Minnetronix, Inc., The MedTech Group, Inc., Symmetry Medical and Heraeus Medical Components, to name a few.

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As a regular reader of medical equipment news, it is hard to miss the flood of new robotic equipment being introduced. It seems like every day another manufacturer releases a robotic surgical technique or therapeutic treatment. These developments may be exciting to patients who appreciate the precision and availability of robotic medical equipment, but the more advanced they become the more it could threaten the future of the medical profession.

Surgical robots aren’t the only threat to a traditional doctor’s livelihood. Innovations in electronic medical records and advancements in “telemedicine” are also changing the way medical professionals interact with patients. For example, in some rural areas and remote locations, robots are acting as “remote specialists” to administer care to patients who need a rapid diagnosis in a critical care situation.

In cases where a patient has suffered a stroke, these robotic specialists are able to communicate with a patient and a big-city hospital to determine the best course of treatment before the window of opportunity closes. With these robots, doctors can actually see and speak with patients directly using the robot’s video camera. They can also view test results and decide whether a patient is a good candidate for the clot-dissolving drug, tPA.

When robots can be used in situations like this, it’s easy to see why a physician or specialist would feel threatened, but the use of robotics in medicine is all about saving lives and making healthcare more accurate and efficient. They are also welcome news for insurance providers and medical equipment manufacturers. Even patients are getting used to the idea of robots in a health care setting. And while it is doubtful that the introduction of this new technology will have any real impact on job security for practicing doctors, if these advancements continue to progress this rapidly it could change the nature of the medical profession.

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According to a new study by the Mayo Clinic, transoral robotic surgery can now be safely used to treat certain cancers in the throat. Researchers found that transoral robots offer profound advantages for effective treatment of the tonsils and tongue and allow patients to recover more quickly.

Robotic medical equipment is nothing new, but it seems like medical equipment manufacturers are discovering new applications for this technology every day. In the case of traditional tongue and tonsil cancer surgery, complications during the procedure and the recurrence of tumors have been a challenge for surgeons. However, when using a transoral robot for surgery, patients in this study experienced no major complications, and none of their tumors returned. They were also able to swallow on their own much sooner, resulting in shorter hospital stays.

One of the study authors is Dr. Eric Moore, a head and neck surgeon from the Mayo Clinic. He and his team performed 45 surgeries using this new transoral robotic medical equipment. They were able to cut down the average hospital stay from 10 days to 2.3 days. In addition, they were able to dramatically reduce the amount of time a typical patient must use feeding tubes after surgery. With transoral robotic surgery, feeding tubes were removed in a week to 10 days, where the average patient getting traditional surgery would have needed them for two to three months.

With results like these, transoral robotic surgery is expected to become a more commonly used technique for removing cancerous tumors from the throat. Expect to see many medical equipment suppliers stepping in to serve this need.

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When a stroke occurs, victims are often left with limited mobility in their upper limbs, resulting in the need for regular physical therapy sessions. Traveling to and from a therapists office can be a tremendous burden on elderly patients, especially because successful recovery often requires several sessions per week.

To aid in their recovery, many stroke sufferers are expected to start taking advantage of an innovative breakthrough in medical equipment that uses robotic therapy. This new robot is known as the MIT-Manus and it has the industry buzzing with excitement.

Brown University researchers were able to test the robot as a physical therapy tool over a three month period and monitor its success rate with recovering stroke patients. Even in this relatively short time frame, they could see a measurable improvement in upper limb mobility.

This revolutionary new robotic medical equipment takes hold of a patient’s arm and instructs the patient to perform different tasks. Because it has the ability to sense their movement, it can even help them out when needed. Using robotic therapy in the home will save patients valuable time and speed up their return to an active lifestyle.
According to the recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the MIT-Manus will offer many therapeutic benefits to stroke patients, including a faster return to everyday mobility and function. Considering that strokes have affected over 6 million Americans, this new robotic therapist may soon become standard medical equipment for stroke patients.

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The Food and Drug Administration announced last week that they will begin to address inherent safety issues with external infusion pumps used to deliver medications and nutrients to patients during hospitalization. Until now, medical equipment manufacturers making infusion pumps had not been subjected to strict pre-market guidelines.

Because these pumps are used to provide high-risk patients with critical life-saving fluids, any failure in the equipment could have serious implications. As a result, more comprehensive safety guidelines became a necessity. A new FDA web page will help medical equipment suppliers adhere to the new safety regulations for improved pump design.

Infusion pumps are used in various clinical settings to help doctors control drug delivery and reduce errors in medication dosage. However, in the past five years the FDA received over 50,000 reports citing adverse affects because of problems with this medical equipment. Some of the more serious incidents resulted in the death of over 500 patients. Some of the most common defects involved the failure of software and dosage safety alarms, ambiguous interface issues that led to dosage errors, and mechanical failure under routine use.

According to the FDA, 87 different infusion pumps were recalled to address these concerns in the past five years. Because most of the defects uncovered were related to medical equipment manufacturing and engineering, the FDA has ordered manufacturers to conduct additional testing and risk assessment on new or modified infusion pumps before they are brought to market. In addition, manufacturers have the option of submitting the software codes for these pumps for pre-market analysis by the FDA. Using static analysis, the agency can help detect problems related to software while the device is still in the development phase. A public workshop will be held on May 25 and 26 where participants can work to improve infusion pump design and the risk of equipment malfunction.

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When patients are awaiting a heart transplant, a mechanical circulatory support system is an excellent way to improve outcomes, lower costs and increase their chance for survival. Recent research shows that continuous flow Ventricle Assist Devices (VADs) are among many new advances in medical equipment that will saves improve clinical outcomes for patients with severe heart disease.

According to the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, heart pumps (also known as VADs) can be used to either partially or fully replace heart functions. They do this by restoring a healthy flow of blood throughout the body in a patient whose heart has been seriously weakened.

How are these new pumps different than previous VADs?

First of all, this revolutionary medical equipment device is designed to provide a continuous flow of blood instead of a flow that is administered in pulses. While earlier VADs mimicked the pulse of a beating heart, they were often associated with complications during implant surgery, these newer continuous flow VADs have not shown to increase complications after a heart transplant.

Recent research from the University Medical center in Salt Lake City showed a marked improvement in patients tested between 2004 and 2008. The report illustrates improvements in post-transplant survival rates when patients were given a continuous flow VAD instead of a pulsatile device. According to the study, when a continuous flow pump was used, patients’ overall improvement rate after surgery was 30% higher than those who used pulsatile flow technology.

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Medtronic is a medical equipment manufacturer that never stops innovating. That’s why it’s no surprise the company was chosen as one of fifty most innovative companies by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Technology Review. This is the first year that the Technology Review has issued a list of companies known for their superior ability to invent new technology that transforms their business, along with the way we live.

This influential list, known as TR50, includes companies in the computing, energy, Web, materials and biomedicine. Each company that made the list has proven successful at not only the invention of technology, but its strategic business model for the deployment of this technology.

Medtronic has made many breakthroughs in the field of medical equipment technology. Early in its history, company co-founder Earl Bakken wanted to make “human benefit” the company’s primary goal, and the company has continued to be guided by this mission it its global efforts to change the face of chronic disease.

They apply their expertise in biomedical engineering to benefit the medical community through research, design, creation and sale of medical equipment and instruments to relieve pain, extend life and restore the overall health of millions. Through their key businesses, they partner with countless medical professionals to develop technology that improves the way people with chronic disease are treated. In all of their operations, Medtronic strives to provide the greatest possible quality and reliability in all of their products.

Given the history and accomplishments of Medtronic technology within the medical equipment industry, it is no surprise that the company was recognized so favorably by the MIT Technology Review.

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