Reviews and News on Medical Equipment

As the Chinese economy grows, the nation plans to spend billions of dollars on new hospitals and clinics, making health care accessible to nearly every Chinese citizen. All of this growth is outlined in a three-year healthcare plan that was announced in late 2009, and Western medical equipment manufacturers are anxious to serve these needs with advanced diagnostic imaging systems.

Despite Chinese procurement rules that make it difficult for foreign suppliers to compete for this business, companies like Royal Philips Electronics, General Electric and Siemens AG are setting their sights on China. The need for advanced medical imaging equipment within China’s healthcare infrastructure is expected to fuel robust sales for high-tech scanning devices.

According to industry analysts Frost & Sullivan, China’s medical equipment market is expected to double in size by the year 2015, reaching more than $53 billion. This includes a wide range of patient monitoring devices and durable medical equipment, but much of this increase will likely come from the sale of CT and MRI scanners, which can cost up to $2 million each. This is great news for the beleaguered U.S. medical device industry, which has suffered a great deal during the economic downturn, falling by one-third of its value just last year alone.

Philips Healthcare has projected double-digit increases in its Chinese healthcare operations unit, and General Electric has already generated $1 billion in new revenue from the Chinese market. Siemens expects rapid increases in spending on their medical imaging equipment in China, far exceeding the market’s 10% annual growth percentage. As a result, all three of these companies have expanded their offerings of less expensive imaging gear to meet the needs of rural hospitals and clinics across China.

Twitter This

Usuario: Password:

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.

Twitter This

Usuario: Password:

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.

Twitter This

Usuario: Password:

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.

Twitter This

Usuario: Password:

Whether you need an EKG machine, an examination table or a new nuclear imaging camera, buying used medical equipment can save you up to 70% off of retail prices. Buying used medical equipment can make sense for many medical facilities, especially if the technology in the equipment hasn’t changed much over the years. 

If your practice is cutting back on spending (and who isn’t these days?), or if you are just starting out, buying used medical equipment may be just what the doctor ordered.  Typically, slightly used equipment is priced from about 30% below retail, or up to 70% less if the equipment is old or only in fair condition. 

Ultrasound equipment is one of the top selling items because the technology hasn’t changed all that much and will still get the job done.  Most used medical equipment dealers get their items from hospitals that have recently purchased new equipment or through liquidation sales when a practice goes out of business, but sometimes it comes directly from the manufacturer.

So, what are some of the pitfalls when buying used medical equipment?

You probably won’t get the training your staff needs on the used equipment, and may have to rely on old training manuals if you can find them.
It could also be difficult to have very old equipment serviced or buy parts for it, especially if the model has been discontinued. 
The equipment may not arrive in the same condition as described, or there could be lengthy delays in delivery. 
You may need to arrange for your own delivery and installation.
If something is wrong with the equipment, it may be difficult to return it.

Here are some guidelines for avoiding these pitfalls:

Do plenty of research online first, and thoroughly read the terms and conditions before purchasing from an online medical equipment dealer. 
Be sure you are dealing with a reputable company.  Ask for references if necessary, or get recommendations from your colleagues.  Look for solid business records from credible sources.
Check out the directory listings on IAMERS – the International Association of Medical Equipment Remarketers and Servicers.
Do some comparison shopping first, and try to determine the fair market value for the equipment you need. 

Doing some preliminary research and investigating the credentials of the seller will keep you from getting burned, and will ensure that you get the best medical equipment for your money.

Twitter This

Usuario: Password:

Urine analyzers, as the name suggests, are used for the purpose of analyzing urine samples based on pre specified parameters. The Chemstrip 101 Urine analyzer is one among many that are available in the market but stands out from the crowd owing to its affordability and reliability. It offers visual urinalysis test strip evaluation and has a easy to use interface which is user friendly and basic. It helps keep the entire testing process simple and cost effective.

The test strips that come with the Chemstrip analyzer have more than a year of shelf life and are resistant to ascorbic acid and glucose and hemoglobin interferences which could deteriorate the reliability of readings. It allows for simultaneous reading of the strips with minimal time consumption and also detects other key determinants such as acetoacetic acid and acetone which aid in ketone determination. The wide ranges of parameters that are used include the ph levels, leukocytes, protein, glucose, haemoglobin and specific gravity among others.

Compared to other medical equipment, it ensures reliability and offers a consistently high level of accuracy in the readings. There are error detection indicators which detect human errors and instrument or functional failure. It also comes with patient identification features and has a compatible interface and connectivity features that enable it to be connected via cable to a computer for download of relevant data.

The easy to understand user interface is coupled with function keys that allow for various settings. The readings can be printed using an in built printer in different units of measurement based on the need along with the flagging of abnormal. It also has an inbuilt memory that can store up to a hundred results and offers reprint options. The rapid results that are more than accurate, reliability, ease of use and affordability all combine to give the Chemstrip Urine analyzer a distinct advantage over the competition and hence is a much recommended piece of medical equipment.

Twitter This

Usuario: Password:

Medical equipment used to examine the condition of a person’s eyes such as an ophthalmoscope makes the work of medical practitioners and more specific that of an ophthalmologist a lot more easy.

A satisfactory amount of modernization on this type of medical equipment has taken place in recent years and the improvement on the various types of ophthalmology diagnostic equipment can be seen on a frequent basis.

Ophthalmoscopes are one of these instruments that enjoy a great number of researches and enhancement of the design and functionality.

One such ophthalmoscope is the Reister 3060 Ri-Scope that comes with a C-Handle. It is an instrument that consists of apertures ranging from a large to a small circle, a half circle, a slit and grid and a fixation star. Polarising, green and blue filters can be applied and the various filters can be changed to each different aperture.

Another high-end instrument is the Welch Allyn Panoptic ophthalmoscope. By utilising this device you will be able to make use of some of the best optical systems available that enables you to have a more clear and optimized view of the eye. Another advantage of this ophthalmoscope is that you do not need to dilate the patient’s eyes to carry out the inspection on the eyes. One addition to the advantages of this instrument is that it enables you to examine small pupils with comfort.

The Piccolight E50 ophthalmoscope serves as an example of the value of the intense research in this particular field of ophthalmology. It comprises of a high-tech correction lens wheel, which enable the ophthalmologist to perceive particular eye problems. Adding to the distinction, it is easy to use, and with out doubt one of the sought after devices in this category of ophthalmology medical equipment.

Twitter This

Usuario: Password:

Have any of us ever really contemplated on the hygiene of the various medical equipment which doctors, surgeons, dentists, nurses and other health care workers use on us? No! We just assume that what ever medical equipment and more specific surgical equipment, used on us will be sterile and hygienic and it never or at least hardly ever even cross our minds or do we question this highly serious facet of your medical treatment. Even worse, while we are in surgery, we will never know or rather do not want to know how sterile or clean the medical equipment is.

Well, be rest assured, we never really had any reason to worry before, and with new improved technology, we can put our fears and wandering thoughts at ease thanks to even better ways to sterilize medical equipment. Due to some British research recently, a new type of sensor has been developed that will display to surgeons, doctors or other users of sterile medical equipment, that the instrument are not 100% up to standard of sterilization for use.

This new sensory device makes use of sound waves with high frequency that flow through the disinfectant that the medical equipment is placed in. Due to the high frequency, bubbles are created that burst out. The vigor of each burst of these bubbles causes the microscopic contamination to loosen up from the medical equipments and become sterile as such.

Cavitation, as the process is called, is not new to doctors and the other users of sterile medical equipment and has always been regarded as an effective and sufficient method of sterilizing medical or surgical equipment to required medical standards.

However, in spite of the effectiveness of the cavitation process, it was not possible, until this recent British research, to quantify or determine how effective this cavitation process is and to what extend it is effective.

The solution came with this sensory equipment that “listen” to the busting sound of the bubbles as they burst out. This enables the user of these medical equipments to know exactly how much of the cavitation process have been done at that specific time and location. It can be used on new or used medical equipment.

Twitter This

Usuario: Password:

The implementation of cost-cutting rules for Medicare has been advanced by the Obama administration, allowing Medicare to use competitive bidding strategies to purchase medical equipment such as power wheelchairs and walkers. The administration said it supports competition among companies vying for the right to supply medical products such as oxygen to the homes of elderly patients. After complaints from The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) about excessively high medical equipment prices that can often have price tags that are thousands of dollars higher than advertised Web vendors, the administration elected to allow Medicare to choose several low bidding companies within a specific geographic location. Because this program will require the government to pay for medical equipment from only approved suppliers, it has the potential to save the government $1 billion per year.

The new program was implemented despite last minute lobbying efforts by both Congress and the home-care industry. The White House received a total of 84 written requests from Congressional lawmakers requesting that the government drop the proposed plan. In addition, Congress received similar letters from 28 home-care agencies. In a news release, the groups claimed that the bidding program will result in decreased quality and limited access to care for both senior citizens and people with disabilities by forcing up to 90% of small business medical operators out of the market. Opponents of the plan claim that both CMS and senior citizens will be the ones to feel the brunt of the plan by cutting back on quality providers of medical equipment.

The plan, proposed in 2003 and later blocked by Congress was passed by President Obama who expressed a desire to do away with waste in the health care industry while improving the quality of health care for senior citizens. The plan will go into effect on 2011; however CMS will begin accepting bids in 2010.

Twitter This

Usuario: Password:

Whenever you select and purchase electrical medical equipment, the first step in installation is to consider the electrical needs and power source for that piece of equipment.

First assess the power needs of your medical equipment. Power needs will vary greatly. X-ray machines, for example, use a great deal of power and require special wiring and outlets that only a professional licensed electrician will be able to install and certify as meeting all code requirements. The manufacturer’s website and/or equipment manuals will have electrical specifications spelled out in detail. Share the specifications with your electrician and ensure that you and your electrician follow them to the letter. An incorrect power set up will ruin your investment in an instant, not to mention potentially causing harm to your office and/or staff.

If your purchased equipment can run off of standard current, there are still considerations which need to be made. The majority of instrumentation, especially medical equipment, has internal circuitry that is like a computer; in fact, some analyzers exceed the computing capacity of some home computers. So your equipment will need at least the same level of protection as a computer. Regular domestic current is anything but regular and steady. There are fluctuations and waves in the electricity, and too little current can be as troublesome and dangerous as too much.

The first and most basic of types of protection needed is a surge protector. If you think of the electric power as a wave, the surge protector will cut off the tops of a wave and let through electricity that falls under a certain level. Do not, however, fall into the trap of “one surge protector is as good as another.” Make sure you spend the money to buy a quality surge protector.

Even with a surge protector in place, you may not have enough protection. You see, waves that can go up (power surges), can go down (brown outs), and one can be as damaging as the other. If the electricity falls, the instrument, sensitive to changes in electricity, will “open itself,” if you will, to get as much of the electricity as it can. So, when the power comes back to normal levels, it can hit the medical supply almost as hard as a real power surge. This surge may be well below the absolute limit of the surge protector, but the circuitry in your piece of medical equipment will be fried all the same. Additionally, equipment that tries to run on inadequate current will burn itself out, much like a car that tries to drive 70 mph in first gear.

The device that can protect you from both surges and brown outs is called a power conditioner, or line conditioner. This cleans the highs and lows off of the electricity, “conditioning” the electrical power and keeping the level constant. This is the safest way to protect your new piece of medical equipment.

The other piece of equipment you may wish to consider is an un-interruptible power supply. This piece of equipment functions much like a combination surge protector and battery back-up, and can keep your equipment running for a period of time even in the event of a power failure. This can be especially important for equipment like office computers, where critical data can be lost during a power failure, or to keep medical equipment on which your patients depend running until it may be switched over to an alternative power source.

Twitter This

Usuario: Password: