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.

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Medical equipment manufacturers are not the only companies looking to capitalize on the latest technology. Whether a technology giant like Texas Instruments (TI) wants to compete with the latest industrial and commercial devices, or a telecommunications leader is creating the next generation of smart phones; there is one key development that will be a major interest. It is the embedded processor.

While the embedded processor is nothing new to the medical equipment industry, it has become more widely used and more powerful than ever before. And thanks to a recent grant, a University of Houston (UH) professor will work with TI to create new and innovative ways to utilize this technology.

For the past two years, design engineers from TI have partnered with UH Professor Barbara Chapman’s team of computer science researchers. For the second time, she has received a generous grant of $100,000 from TI to continue this important research.

In addition to discovering new ways to use embedded processors for commercial applications such as phones, cars, toys and power tools, the team expects to develop more advanced technology for medical imaging and medical electronic devices. However, in order to achieve the level of performance required for this new medical equipment, it will be necessary to build multicore processors. Essentially, this means the chips contain more than one central processing unit (CPU), but these heterogeneous multicore processors differ from the homogeneous PC-based systems, like those from Intel. Because of their complexity, it can be difficult to develop software for these systems, which is why TI and UH are collaborating.

Ultimately, the technology developed by this talented research team may be used across multiple industries, with portable medical equipment being just one of many innovations. The team’s research will make it easier for medical equipment suppliers to develop the advanced software necessary to include embedded multicore processors in their designs, resulting in medical applications that were not previously possible.

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Hospitals are under more pressure than ever to cut costs and pare down their operations, but only so many cuts can be made before it starts to affect the quality of care they provide. That’s why many healthcare operations specialists and financial analysts have started to investigate new revenue streams for their institutions.

Some hospitals have found that selling their used medical equipment is a great way to balance the budget. Until recently, selling large pieces of equipment was very difficult, but now several medical equipment dealers have started offering used medical equipment on their web sites. As smaller hospitals and clinics need to purchase equipment, they have learned to look for used medical equipment online.

This “exchange” of used equipment is a win-win situation for the healthcare industry because it allows cash-strapped hospitals to sell equipment at a profit, and other institutions to buy equipment at a much lower price.

How to Sell Your Used Medical Equipment:

* Start by making a detailed account of all the medical devices and equipment that can be sold. Be sure to include detailed notes on each piece of equipment, including the model number, specific software required, the date of purchase, its current condition, and any defects it may have.

* Then, take a few pictures of the machine and the individual parts that come with it. List any accessories that are included and which ones are required to operate the equipment.

* Start looking online for used medical equipment that is similar to what you plan to sell. This will give you a general idea of how much you can expect to get for each piece. An online medical equipment dealer can help determine the best selling price and post your used medical equipment on their web site.

* Be sure you are dealing with a reliable online retailer and be prepared to ask a lot of questions. Make sure you will be able to get a profit from the equipment you sell.

Before long, you will find a buyer for your used equipment and generate income for your institution. You may even find some used medical equipment that you need, and purchase it from the same dealer.

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It is not every day that a medical equipment supplier is recognized for superior innovation and foresight, particularly in an industry that is constantly buzzing with new advancements in technology. For this reason, the distinction of being singled out to receive the 2010 “Medical Imaging Product Innovation of the Year” for the Asia-Pacific region is such an honor for Time Medical.

Frost & Sullivan, a leading global consultancy in the field of market research, is known for honoring only the best and brightest companies in a given field, and in this case they have chosen Time’s HTS technology and their innovative MR imaging systems for their demonstrated excellence in the medical equipment industry. Within the imaging category, Frost & Sullivan’s team of professional analysts conduct extensive market research and interviews with key industry players before deciding upon a winner.

Interestingly, Time Medical is a relatively new player in the world of medical device manufacturing, but its introduction of HTS technology within the MRI market is a pioneering achievement that has shifted the paradigm for magnetic resonance imaging. By introducing a high performance, low-cost solution, Time has set new standards for their competitors and other medical equipment suppliers.

HTS stands for “High Temperature Superconducting” and refers to the RF coil that is used in MR technology. By introducing this new coil to the imaging industry, image quality has been improved by up to 500% and the cost of making an accurate diagnosis has been dramatically reduced. This achievement has made it possible for Time Medical to make diagnosis more accessible to underserved populations in developing countries, specifically in the Asian continent. By shifting the focus of healthcare in these countries from treatment to prevention, medical equipment suppliers like Time Medical hope to use more effective and affordable imaging systems to provide an accurate, low-cost diagnosis.

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As the debate over U.S. Healthcare Reform continues to simmer, other countries are transforming their healthcare systems through the introduction of micro health clinics. Thanks to several groups of socially conscious entrepreneurs and the innovation provided by telemedicine and portable medical equipment, these clinics are cropping up all over the globe. Perhaps healthcare providers in the U.S. could learn from this type of system, particularly in rural and low income areas.

For example, the group Sehat First in Pakistan is planning to set up 500 franchises of tele-health clinics by 2012. The centers will include a health center and pharmacy, as well as a general consumer goods store and a tele-center. Patients will have access to multiple services in one location, and using IP-based video phones, they will be able to consult with doctors and specialists without leaving their community.

In the Dominican Republic, a new clinic will be spearheaded that repurposes standard shipping containers and turns them into primary care health clinics. Containers2Clinics is based in Boston, MA and plans to expand this powerful concept in many other locations as well. The containers can be converted into stand-alone health centers or be used to complement existing facilities.

These examples are evidence that the future of global healthcare will focus on three key themes:

* High quality patient care
* Easy accessibility for patients
* Keeping prices affordable – through a combination of the latest technologies and the economies of scale

As these franchises continue to grow, medical equipment suppliers will be looking for ways to meet the growing need for compatible devices and remote connectivity.

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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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