News: Medical e-News Round-Up - Issue 40

This issue covers:

New advanced interface for device testing

A new approach to medical device testing in hospitals is available following the launch of an advanced interface developed by Rigel Medical and EQ2.

The move sees the Rigel Medical 288 electrical safety analyser integrated with EQ2’s clinical equipment management system HEMS to provide a fully automated, highly accurate and easily portable system for capturing and documenting medical device safety records.

A new module has been incorporated into EQ2’s HEMS Enterprise software to make it fully compatible with the automated Rigel analyser.

This module - the EQ2 Rigel SA Interface - enables the biomed engineer to harness the 288’s full capabilities to capture valuable information at the point of testing in a hospital or healthcare centre before sending the data automatically to the HEMS system to complete safety checks and link to the medical device’s inventory, test library and performance history.

John Backes, Associate Director at Rigel Medical, said the international and domestic hospital markets are key areas of growth and we have partnered with EQ2 to provide an advanced testing solution for this sector.

He added: “EQ2 has simplified the user interface experience while delivering accurate and robust interoperability with the Rigel 288 was a key to our interest in EQ2.

“EQ2 has delivered on their vision with the release of this simple, intuitive interface to our Rigel 288 - a perfect complement to our great safety analysers.”

India opens up investment opportunities

India’s Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) will allow 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in medical devices as part of a strategy to reduce imports and promote local manufacturing for global markets, which will be worth over $400 billion in 2015.

Over the past few months, the government has eased FDI rules in defence and construction to promote domestic manufacturing as PM Narendra Modi made a pitch for 'Make in India' and boost investment and economic activity.

The proposal on medical devices will be a carve-out of the FDI policy in pharmaceuticals, said an official, adding that there will be no need for government approval in this segment.

India currently imports over 70% of medical devices, these fall under the purview of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. FDI in the sector is governed by the same rules as that for pharmaceuticals or medicines. Though the government allows 100% FDI in pharmaceuticals, companies are required to comply with certain conditions.

Read more at timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Specialist electro medical equipment services from Calibrationhouse

The expanded Calibrationhouse now has the capability to provide full calibration, repair and service for all types of electro medical equipment including oscilloscopes, diathermy testers, defibrillator testers, infusion device analysers, occlusion testers, NIBP and other types of patient simulators.

In addition, in compliance with IEC 60318 and BS EN 60645, the company has the ability to undertake the specialist calibration and servicing of dedicated audiology equipment including audiometers, sound calibrators and acoustic ear instrumentation.

Calibrationhouse is accredited to ISO9001:2008 and ISO17025:2005 with service, calibration and repairs of all types of electronic equipment being undertaken with assured traceability to national UKAS standards.

This service is provided both at the company’s advanced technology workshops and also via a specialist on-site calibration service enabling work to be carried out on customer premises to minimise downtime for vital equipment.

Specialist calibration, service and repair expertise is provided by Calibrationhouse to a range of NHS trusts and private healthcare providers for medical test equipment manufactured by a wide range of suppliers including, Rigel, Fluke Biomedical, Bio Tek, DNI Nevada, Metrohm and others.

Further details on Calibrationhouse on 0191 587 8736, via info@calibrationhouse.com or at www.calibrationhouse.com

Eastern Europe restructures growth strategies to focus on medical devices sector

As governments in Eastern Europe restructure their growth strategies and focus on attracting investors outside of the European Union in response to the Eurozone crisis, the region presents ample opportunities for investors in high value-added industries such as the medical devices sector.

Many companies within the region are unable to fulfil the demand for more sophisticated equipment. The majority of new medical device equipment is therefore imported.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan,

Profiles of Key Eastern European Medical Device Manufacturers, finds that the market was worth $5.40 billion in 2013 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.1 percent between 2014 and 2018. Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary afford the highest scope for medical device investments.

"Easy access to a quality workforce as well as an uncomplicated registration process in comparison with other countries encourages manufacturers to invest in Eastern Europe," said Frost & Sullivan healthcare senior research analyst Parthasarathy Raghava. "The emergence of private healthcare facilities has created an added revenue stream for the medical device market."

More at www.news-medical.net

And finally...Arab Health 2015

Don’t forget you can see us at Arab Health (Z1B12), where the world’s smallest all-in-one vital signs solution will be the highlight of our display of medical device analysers, electrical safety testers and simulators.

Rigel’s hand-held vital signs simulator Uni-Sim - capable of undertaking six synchronised vital signs parameter tests simultaneously - has been linked with the new PULS-R SpO2 simulation finger to provide improved vital signs simulation and measurement.

Associate Director John Backes said: “Arab Health is a key show and this year we look forward to using it as the perfect platform to launch our world leading, all-in-one vital signs simulator solution to the important Middle East market.”

Further details on our events page, www.rigelmedical.com.