Cardiac-Ready Vascular Labs Optimize Room Utilization
As procedure mixes continue to shift in facilities nationwide, it’s increasingly important for capital investments in imaging technology to offer versatility, according to Allen Berthe, X-ray senior product manager for Toshiba America Medical Systems. That’s why the company’s vascular labs come automatically equipped with features for cardiovascular procedures.
“One of our philosophies is that customers’ needs are changing and it is very likely a system will be required to perform cardiac and vascular procedures, so we’ve tried to gear our systems to maximize room utilization,” Berthe says. “A hospital today may know exactly what it wants, but five years from now, its staffing may change, its requirements may change, and its clinicians may like to do different types of procedures—so we created a system that would give them flexibility.”
Features that are part of the company’s vascular labs include digital subtraction angiography provided, standard, irrespective of system type or panel size, and a stepping feature that allows more efficient and accurate lower-body exams. A third feature is what Berthe calls a “true multitasking digital processor,” which, he explains, “means that if a physician comes in and wants to look at the images taken yesterday on a particular patient, he or she can do that without affecting the procedure currently in progress.” This parallel-processing capability is also included, standard, in Toshiba’s vascular labs.
Berthe notes that all labs are 3D ready; if a facility chooses to upgrade to 3D, the base system is configured to accept it, “so if your practice changes in three years, you can add it.” Labs are also optimized for fingertip-to-fingertip, head-to-toe patient access and coverage. “Our systems are designed to give you unprecedented patient access,” Berthe says. “Sometimes, cases require on-the-fly changes, and our systems can adapt to that. If there’s a lot of additional equipment around, then having an easy-to-position C-arm is really helpful.” He adds that all Toshiba systems are configured using the same base platform, the same features, the same user interface, and the same consoles. “If you’re buying multiple systems from us, you can go from room to room with high confidence because everything’s going to perform virtually the same way,” he says.
Berthe emphasizes the importance of versatile, flexible purchases in an environment of fluctuating reimbursement and potential health care reform. “We’re just making sure we give you a room that can address your clinical needs,” he says. “If you don’t have a cardiovascular program and choose to start one, you can do that. You have a system that’s ready to do it.”
Click here to download a printer-friendly version.
Category: Medical Equipment —