Category: “Medical Device Manufactures”

Today, more than 70 million CT scans are done per year in the U.S. with tremendous clinical value. However, CT still has challenges with patients that have high heart rate, metallic implants, and non-compliant patients. The Revolution CT is able to address these challenging patients

"Now a new online direct contracting service called aptitude is attempting a similar coup, letting hospitals and other healthcare organizations negotiate with suppliers in an attempt to speed up the contracting process and reduce costs." The Irving, Texas-based company, which is owned by Novation, one of the nation’s largest group purchasing organizations, brings more transparency to both the buyer and seller, said Kirchenbauer. Aptitude has a database that covers about 40 percent of products bought and sold in U.S. healthcare, so “we are able to tell buyers whether their spend is contemporary with the market … And when they receive a bit back, we can tell them whether that offer is competitive with the kinds of prices that the supplier offers to other customers ….”

Looking at the financial data from another perspective, capital expenditure for medical equipment replacement overall – including non-IT technology and other equipment – dropped from 30.4 percent in 2009 to 27 percent in 2013 and new medical equipment costs went from 44.5 percent to 13.8 percent, according to Jim Adams, executive director, research and insights, at the Advisory Board Company. During the same period, IT purchases went from 21.8 percent to 24.2 percent.

Canon U.S.A., Inc. and Virtual Imaging, Inc. will serve as one of HealthTrust’s providers of digital radiographic solutions designed to assist its hospital providers in the management of their day-to-day operations of radiology departments, imaging centers, free standing clinics and physician’s offices. HealthTrust (legally known as HealthTrust Purchasing Group, L.P.) serves nearly 1,400 acute care facilities, 800 ambulatory surgery centers and members in more than 10,600 other locations, including physician practices, long-term care and alternate care sites.

Hospitals and insurers are partnering to reduce prices from manufacturers. This could be a sea change in the current supply change model where customers will dictate price and not suppliers. United Healthcare formed SharedClarity in 2012 with Dignity Health. SharedClarity has expanded to include such prominent IDNs as Advocate Health Care in Illinois and Baylor Scott & White Health in Texas.

“Radiology departments were considered a significant revenue stream; now they’re a cost center.” without a greater exploration of benchmarking data that can help identify broader trends among competing healthcare providers; without more longitudinal thinking from vendors on interoperability issues, the industry will continue to stagnate.

The survey also finds that because of the tax:

•   75% deferred, cancelled, or reduced investments and employee compensation.

•   Over 30% said they cut research and development.

•   Nearly 10% said they moved or expanded manufacturing outside the United States.

AuntMinnie.com presents the first in a series of columns on the practice of ultrasound from Dr. Jason Birnholz, an ultrasound veteran with more than 40 years of experience in this field.

So, some might contend that the medtech industry was, in fact, the biggest loser of 2013. Taking a closer look at the events of the past 12 months, however, MD+DI has selected seven medtech companies, groups, and trends that took a substantial hit in some fashion in 2013.

Prices paid in the U.S. for medical devices, including those that regulate the heart’s rhythm and replacements for hips and knees, have plunged as much as one-third since 2007 as hospitals clamped down on spending.