I S S U E - DOTmed.com

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MRI 

I 

■ MRI 

■ Respiratory Therapy 

■ Infusion Pumps 

■ Mobile Trailer Transportation, 

Trailer Storage, MRI Keep Cold Service 

■ Chillers 

IDN Summit, September 23-25, Dallas, TX 

HCP Fall Radiology & Imaging Conference, September 23-25, Tampa, FL 

SEPTEMBER 2009 

S 

S 

U 

E 

SM

contents 

features 

46 Vetting Medical Equipment 

Sometimes, medical care goes to the dogs. Fortunately, 

there are professionals and machines to handle them. 

61 Workforce Overview 

There is a high percentage of unemployment – but is it 

plaguing the health care industry? 

64 Prosthetics 

We take a look at what science and medicine is doing in this 

fascinating field. 

20 MRI 

MRI continues to make advancements, both in equipment and applications. 

37 Respiratory 

DOTmed takes a look at what’s breathing life into this segment. 

41 Chillers 

The Chiller market is keeping its cool in the current economic climate. 

49 Infusion Pumps 

Get the latest market information on this equipment. 

54 Mobile Trailer Transportation, Trailer 

Storage, MRI Keep Cold Service 

There’s much more to this story than putting the pedal to the metal 

and hitting the open road. 

departments 

2 Letter from the Editor 

4 Feedback 

4 Upcoming Events Calendar 

6 Hospital & Health News 

10 Healthcare Chronicles 

12 What’s New 

16 In the Next Issue 

16 Focus on Performance 

18 People & Companies 

32 Product Showcase 

35 Money Health 

60 Shows & Conferences 

54 

20 

SEPTEMbER 2009 

68 This Month in Medical History 

69 Law & Order 

72 Old Into Gold 

74 Marketplace & Classifieds 

80 Blue Book Price Guide

letter from the editor 

The Give and Take of Health Care 

Recently, I’ve noticed an abundance of 

stories about particularly impressive steps 

forward in medical procedures and studies. 

At first, I felt like discounting them a little 

– since I’ve been more aware of a few big 

developments, maybe it just magnified others 

I wouldn’t normally notice… 

So, I began to review some of the big 

stories from recent months. Now, I no longer 

believe it was my imagination. Medical 

discoveries seem to be gathering steam. I 

find it amazing, after hearing months’ worth 

of doom and gloom about the economy, that 

science and medicine has made significant 

advances. There has been news on all fronts – pharmaceuticals, surgical procedures, 

even on food studies – both for general health and for medicinal 

purposes. 

Basically, it goes a long way to instill a sense of wonder in me about the 

work done by individuals. Especially when you must consider the fact that 

many of these individuals don’t just do lab work, or O/R work – they also get 

in front of boards and committees to get funding for the work. That has to be 

nearly as challenging during these times. 

Many of these stories can be found within the pages of this issue. They can 

also be found on our web site, www.DOTmed.com. I hope you enjoy them. 

2 

Please outline the content of the article 

and provide a brief description of your 

qualifications as an authority 

in your field. 

By email to: 

news@dotmed.com 

By mail to: 

The Editor, DOTmed Business News 

29 Broadway, Suite 2500 

New York, NY 10006 

DOTmedbusiness news I s e p t e m b e r 2009 

Until next issue! 

Sean Ruck 

Editor-in-Chief 

DOTmed Business News 

Call for 

Submissions and 

White Papers 

DOTmed Business News SM 

invites all medical industry 

professionals who have unique 

experience or knowledge in 

any clinical or business area of 

health care to submit an article 

for publication. 

DOTmed SM provides the DOTmed Business News SM to its registered users free of charge. DOTmed SM 

makes no warranty, representation or guarantee as to the accuracy or timeliness of its content. 

DOTmed SM may suspend or cancel this service at any time and for any reason without liability or 

obligation to any party. All trade names, trademarks and trade dress contained herein belong to 

their respective owners and are used herein with the intent to represent the goods and services 

of their respective owners. If you think your trade name, trademark or trade dress is not properly 

represented, please contact DOTmed.com, Inc. 

September 2009 

Publisher 

DOTmed.com, Inc. 

President 

Philip F. Jacobus 

Executive Editor 

Robert Garment 

212-742-1200 Ext. 243 

rgarment@dotmed.com 

Editor-in-Chief 

Sean Ruck 

212-742-1200 Ext. 218 

sruck@dotmed.com 

Associate Editor 

Barbara Kram 

Creative Editor 

Bradley Rose 

Editorial Coordinator 

Kathy Mahdoubi 

Design Director 

Stephanie Biddle 

Contributing Writers 

Ed Sloan, Wayne Webster, Keith Loria, 

Joan Trombetti, Regina Geok-Ling Tan, 

Paul Keough, Mary Kate Baumann, 

Astrid Fiano 

Advertising 

Sales Director: David Blumenthal 

212-742-1200 Ext. 224 

dblumenthal@dotmed.com 

National Account Manager: Don Hurtikant 

212-742-1200 Ext. 275 

dhurtikant@dotmed.com 

Account Executive: Sean Collins 

212-742-1200 Ext. 288 

scollins@dotmed.com 

Account Executive: Courtney Conway 

212-742-1200 Ext. 289 

cconway@dotmed.com 

Account Executive: Daniel Gaspar 

212-742-1200 Ext. 203 

dgaspar@dotmed.com 

Account Executive: Rigo Smith 

212-742-1200 Ext. 207 

rsmith@dotmed.com 

Press Releases 

If you have news regarding your company 

submit it to: pr@dotmed.com 

Article and Story Consideration 

If you have an article or feature story you 

would like the editors of DOTmed Business 

News to consider publishing, submit it to: 

news@dotmed.com 

Letters to the Editor 

Submit letters to the editors to: 

news-comments@dotmed.com 

Auctions 

If you want information about auctioning 

equipment on DOTmed.com, please call: 

212-742-1200 Ext. 296, or email us at 

auctions@dotmed.com 

DOTmed Business News is published by 

DOTmed.com Inc., 29 Broadway, Suite 2500, 


Copyright 2009 DOTmed.com, Inc. 

All rights reserved. 

www.dotmed.com

feedback 

It’s a Salary Shortage 

When you use the phrase “labor shortage” or “skills shortage” 

you’re speaking in a sentence fragment. What you actually 

mean to say is: “There is a labor shortage at the salary level 

I’m willing to pay.” That statement is the correct phrase; the 

complete sentence and the intellectually honest statement. 

If you start raising your wages and improving the working 

conditions and continue to do so, you’ll solve your shortage 

and will shortly have people lining up around the block 

to work. 

Employers speak of shortages as though they represent 

some absolute, readily identifiable lack of desirable services. 

Price is rarely accorded its proper importance in their rhetoric. 

Medical jobs require training and/or certification. Again, the 

solution is to raise your wages and improve benefits. People 

will self-fund their education so that they can enter the industry 

in a work-ready state. The attractive wages, working conditions 

and career prospects of technology during the 1980s 

and 1990s were a prime example of people’s willingness to 

self-fund their own career re-education. 

Bob Makarowski 

4 

�� 

The Unfors Xi, now in its Platinum Edition, is a complete 

system for diagnostic x-ray multi-parameter measurements 

on all modalities. This includes Radiography, Fluoroscopy, 

Mammography, Dental and CT. Added options include separate 

detectors for luminance and illuminance measurements and 

radiation scatter or leakage measurements, both of which can 

be quickly attached to the Unfors Xi. For reporting purposes, 

the new Unfors QA View software is now available. 

All designed to increase your 

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Further Investigation 

Is it possible to do research on why Hospitals and Insurance 

companies want to eliminate the LPN? 

The role/function of the LPN can always be expanded to 

fill the gaps and shortages of RN coverage so shouldn’t there 

be some focus there? 

Paula D. Malone RSA, SA-C, RST, CST, LPN II 

[Editor’s Note: see dm9889 for the original story] 

Events for September 2009 

ISUOG 19th World Congress on Ultrasound 

in Obstetrics and Gynecology 2009, Sept. 

13-17, Hamburg, Germany 

RAPS (Regulatory Affairs) Annual 

Conference & Exhibition 2009, Sept. 13-16, 

Philadelphia, PA 

Joint Commission Annual Conference on 

Quality and Patient Safety 2009, Sept. 14-16, 

Rosemont, IL 

HOSPIMedica Thailand 4th International 

Exhibition 2009, Sept. 16-18, Bangkok, 

Thailand 

VBA (Virginia Biomedical Association) Annual 

Meeting 2009, Sept. 17-18, Williamsburg, VA 

CIRSE (Cardiovascular & Interventional 

Radiology) Annual Scientific and 

Postgraduate Educational Meeting 2009, 

Sept. 19-23, Lisbon, Portugal 

MD&M (Medical Design & Manufacturing) 

Midwest Conference and Exhibition 2009, 

Sept. 21-24, Rosemont, Il 

IDN Summit & Expo Fall 2009, Sept. 23-25, 

Grapevine, TX 

World Molecular Imaging Congress 2009, 

Sept. 23-26, Montreal, Canada 

Health Connect Partners Fall Radiology 

and Imaging Conference 2009, Sept. 23-25, 

Tampa, FL 


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Influenza Pandemic Planning Needed for 

Pregnant Woman and Newborns 

The findings, published online in Emerging Health Threats 

Journal, raise concerns about the ability of hospitals to adequately 

treat this vulnerable population, particularly in light of 

the current H1N1 flu outbreak. 

“Although it is not clear how well modern medicine will 

be able to prevent devastation during a large-scale infectious 

disease outbreak, it is widely recognized that advance planning 

may lessen the negative impact,” said study author Richard 

Beigi, M.D., Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and 

Reproductive Sciences at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC. 

“This is especially important for pregnant women, fetuses and 

neonates, all of whom are often left out of national level consideration.” 

• Online: dotmed.com/dm9068 

6 

hospital & health news 

To view these articles in their entirety, visit www.DOTmed.com and enter the DM code 

(ex: dm1234) directly following the article in any search news/forum box on our web site. 


TOLL FREE 888-304-7859 

Dealers 

Wanted! 

Tangent Announces Energy Efficient 

All-In-One PC Designed As Notebook 

Replacement for Medical Carts 

Tangent Inc. (www.tangent.com), a leading provider of technology 

solutions for the medical market, today unveiled VITA 

LT, a space and energy saving All-in-One PC for the medical 

market that is perfect for mobile cart solutions. 

Ultra-light (10.5 lbs.) and ultra-thin (1.4”) and with an 

18.5 inch widescreen LCD, the VITA LT is designed as a notebook 

replacement for medical carts. 

As part of the new product launch, the company is offering 

the system at a reduced cost on selected carts. 


New Data Say Uninsured Account for Nearly 

One-Fifth of Emergency Room Visits 

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has released new data from 

the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample -- the largest, 

all-payer emergency department database in the United States. 

The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample is designed 

to help public health experts, policymakers, health care administrators, 

researchers, journalists and others find the data 

they need to answer questions about care that occurs in U.S. 

hospital emergency departments. 

The data indicates that uninsured persons accounted for 

nearly one-fifth of the 120 million hospital-based emergency 

department visits in 2006. 



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Low-Dose CT Method, Delivering 50% Less 

Radiation, Correctly Identifies Patients 

With Appendicitis 

Patients with possible appendicitis are typically evaluated using 

a standard-dose contrast enhanced CT, but a low-dose unenhanced 

CT that delivers approximately 50% less radiation is 

just as effective, according to a study performed at the Seoul 

National University College of Medicine in Seoul, Korea. The 

standard-dose enhanced CT scan delivers approximately 8.0 

millisieverts (mSv) of radiation; the low-dose unenhanced CT 

scan delivers approximately 4.2 mSv of radiation. 


Angio Procedures Growing at a Steady 

4%-5% Clip 

According to IMV’s recent census of angio labs in the U.S., 

an estimated 4.8 million procedures were performed at 1,720 

angio lab sites in 2008, including non-coronary vascular angiography 

and other procedures performed in the angio labs. 

From 2004 to 2008, total procedures performed in angio labs 

grew 20%, from 4.0 million in 2004 to 4.8 million procedures 

in 2008 for hospitals with 150+ beds, resulting in an average 

annual growth rate of 4%-5%. 


8 


Direct Capital Expands Medical Equipment 

Finance Division 

Direct Capital, a leading nationwide provider of equipment 

leasing and financing, has taken several key steps to expand 

its Medical Equipment Finance Division. 

The company has announced that it will allocate nearly 

$68 million in lending capacity to immediately provide more 

substantial financing programs to vendors that sell medical, 

dental, and veterinary equipment. The program allows financing 

from as low as $2,000 up to about $250,000, Paul 

Ringuette, Vice President of Sales for Direct Capital, told 

DOTmed News. 


ReMedPar Launches New Website 

ReMedPar has just launched its new website, www.ReMedPar. 

com. The updated look reflects some changes at the company 

and is part of a rebranding for the medical parts leader. 


Medicare Cuts Will Force Many Cancer 

Centers to Close 

A new proposal from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 

Services (CMS) to cut payments for radiation therapy treatments 

would cause many cancer centers to close, stop accepting 

Medicare patients, lay off support staff and reduce services 

to cancer patients, according to a survey conducted by AS- 

TRO, the American Society for Radiation Oncology. 


Sun Exposure May Trigger Certain Autoimmune 

Diseases in Women 

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight may be associated 

with the development of certain autoimmune diseases, particularly 

in women, according to a study by researchers at the 

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), 

part of the National Institutes of Health. 



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American Eurocopter 

Appoints 2009 Vision Zero 

Aviation Safety Award 

Blue Ribbon Committee 

American Eurocopter has appointed 

the 2009 Vision Zero Aviation Safety 

Award Blue Ribbon Committee. The 

members of this committee will be 

responsible for evaluating the applications 

and determining the winner of 

the prestigious Vision Zero Aviation 

Safety award, which was established 

by American Eurocopter with the purpose 

of promoting a higher level of 

safety within the air medical industry. 

As part of the award, American Eurocopter 

will contribute up to $10,000 to 

the winner of the award to further develop 

aviation safety initiatives within 

their organization. This is the third 

year for the award. 

The 2008 award was given to Dr. 

Ira Blumen and team from the University 

of Chicago Medical Center for 

their tireless work on the Opportunities 

for Safety Improvement in Helicopter 

EMS (OSI-HEMS) research project. 


PET Can Help Guide 

Treatment Decisions for a 

Common Pediatric Cancer 

A new study published in the August 

issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine 

shows that positron emission tomography 

(PET) is an important tool 

for depicting the extent of neuroblastoma 

in some patients, particularly for 

those in the early stages of the disease. 

Neuroblastoma accounts for six to ten 

percent of all childhood cancers in the 

United States and 15 percent of cancer 

deaths in children. Accurately identifying 

where in the body the disease is 

located and whether it is spreading is 

critical for choosing appropriate types 

of treatment, which can include surgery, 

chemotherapy, radiation and-in 

the most advanced cases-a combination 

of all of these treatments along 

with bone marrow transplant or investigational 

therapies. 


10 

DOTmedbusiness news 

Healthcare 

Chronicles 

Without Customer Service, 

You Won’t Have Customers By Ed Sloan 

There’s an old airline commercial I remember. Admittedly, I don’t remember 

it too well . . . I don’t remember exactly what airline it was advertising, but 

I remember the concept. In the commercial, a CEO was reviewing a list of 

tasks and farming them out to his employees. Finally, he came to one that 

was presenting a serious problem. He chose the difficult, time-consuming 

and probably slightly intimidating job to take care of personally. Of course he used the 

airline (whichever it was) to meet immediately face-to-face with the customer. My feeling 

is that the airline wasn’t too important, but the idea the commercial expressed was. 

At the heart of the matter, when things are not going well, you need to do whatever it 

takes to keep your customers happy and then you will keep your customers. 

Maybe the commercial has stuck with me for so long because I had a similar experience 

over 15 years ago. At that time, a customer we had for about a year was having 

problems with a CT scanner going down. It took a little time to track down the issue, 

but our lead engineer did get the problem identified. However, the customer’s C-level 

people were not happy about the situation. It’s understandable – departments are doing 

their best to develop revenue sources, so when equipment goes down, it gets attention. 

Unfortunately, all the attention they were focusing on this problem was only prolonging 

the problem. The engineer was answering questions and addressing concerns 

of those watching the bottom-line so much, that he couldn’t effectively get the things 

he needed to accomplish done. He called me for assistance late on a Thursday night and 

asked if I could take a flight in to help diffuse the situation. I told him I could probably 

get there before late afternoon the following day. He responded with an apologetic, 

“That’s not going to work.” 

Once I understood his situation, I caught the last flight that night from Nashville 

into Dallas and then caught the first available flight from Dallas at 5:30 am to Spokane, 

Washington, arriving early in the morning to meet with the clients. Just knowing the effort 

I went through to see them in person made a substantial impression. The fact that I, 

as the owner, was there to back my product meant the world to them. 

A lot of times that’s all it takes – show your customers you care enough to take control 

of the situation and to take responsibility for any problems. We did get the machine 

going again quickly. That, combined with the efforts made to show the customer how 

important they were, kept the relationship on track. The relationship actually continued 

for another eight to ten years, until they disbanded their in-house groups and moved 

over to working with OEMs. 

The moral here – when it comes to running a successful business, customer service 

is key. However big or small your business is, without good customer service, it’s nothing. 

Never be reluctant to be in front of the customer – sometimes, a customer just needs 

someone there to help them through a difficult time. 

I’ve been in the industry a long time and I’ve seen companies handle things the 

right and wrong ways. A common attitude with many younger companies is to avoid 

the problems – if they just get away from the situation and leave it alone, it’ll get better. 

But things rarely get better with inattention. I’ve seen companies avoid customers in 

troubling times, when really they should be there sweating with them. 

At the end of the day, people do business with people. 

Online: dotmed.com/dm10001 

• 

Ed Sloan is the founder of ReMedPar and has been in the industry for 23 years. He currently works in the diagnostic 

imaging aftermarket consulting business. Ed also serves on the Board of Directors at DOTmed.com. 


12 

what’s new 

To view these articles in their entirety, visit www.DOTmed.com and enter the DM code 

(ex: dm1234) directly following the article in any search news/forum box on our web site. 

MedicExchange Launches 

Customer Review Platform 

for Healthcare IT and Radiology 

Products 

MedicExchange has launched a comprehensive 

customer review platform 

for the healthcare IT and radiology 

products available through its website, 

www.medicexchange.com. 


Supplier Bidding Starts in 

October for DMEPOS 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services (CMS) have announced the 

60-day supplier bidding period will be- 


gin in late October for the Round One 

Rebid of the Medicare Competitive 

Bidding Program for durable medical 

equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, 

and supplies (DMEPOS). CMS is 

conducting an intensive supplier outreach 

and education effort to help suppliers 

prepare for bidding in each of 

the nine competitive bidding areas. 


Switch to Digital Mammography 

Leads to Increased 

Cancer Detection Rates 

The use of digital mammography 

equipment alone is responsible for an 

increased number of breast cancers de- 

tected at a community-based mammography 

facility, according to a study performed 

at San Luis Diagnostic Center in 

San Luis Obispo, CA. 

Researchers found that there was 

a significant increase in the number of 

breast cancers detected following the 

switch from film-screen to digital mammography. 

The number of cancers detected 

prior to the switch averaged between 

4.1-4.5 cancers per 1,000 women 

imaged. Following the switch, the cancer 

detection rate increased to 7.9 cancers 

per 1,000 women imaged and has 

remained high. Breast cancer detection 

rates were evaluated using an auditing 

system. 


Researchers 

Effectively Treat 

Tumors With Nanotubes 

By injecting man-made, microscopic 

tubes into tumors and heating them 

with a quick, 30-second zap of a laser, 

scientists have discovered a way to effectively 

kill kidney tumors in nearly 

80 percent of mice. Researchers say the 

finding suggests a potentially exciting 

cancer treatment for human beings. 


EarthMed Medical Mission 

to Mongolia a Success 

A team of ten earthMed medical volunteers 

just returned from their travel to 

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to train Mongolian 

medical staff and conduct evaluations 

for improving health care. The 

earthMed medical team was in Mongolia 

since last May performing several 

open heart and surgical lung procedures 

with Mongolian staff members in two 

hospitals. 

The medical team provided cardiovascular 

and valve replacement surgery 

and anesthesia training, lung biopsy and 

resection surgery training, orthopedic/ 


egional anesthesia training, operating room nursing training, 

pharmacy management and biomedical engineering support at 

the Shastin University Hospital and the Tuberculosis Hospital 

of the National Center of Communicable Diseases. 


Canon Introduces Industry’s Lightest 

DR Detector 

Canon has just released the thinnest and lightest flat panel 

digital radiography detectors yet. The CXDI-55G Multipurpose 

and Canon CXDI-55C Premium Flat Panel Detectors 

are 0.6 inches thick and weigh only 7.5 lbs. 


ER Docs Should Trust Their Gut Instincts, 

Study Finds 

Emergency physicians should trust their “gut instincts” when 

evaluating patients who report chest pain, says Abhinav Chandra, 

M.D., who is director of acute care research and clinical 

evaluation at Duke University Medical Center. 

Dr. Chandra told DOTmed News that an ER doctor’s gut 

instincts about a heart patient are usually accurate -- and that’s 

not just a gut feeling--he set up a study to prove his theory. 

The data was culled from an earlier trial conducted between 

1999 and 2001, “where we were trying to understand 

heart attacks,” Dr. Chandra says. “We enrolled patients from 

nine different hospitals. 

“During this trial, we had to record patients’ symptoms, 

EKG findings, lab tests, and doctors’ impressions. Their impressions 

were made after getting results from EKGs and other 

diagnostic tests. 


Nerve Blocks Superior to General 

Anesthesia for Breast Cancer Patients 

Nerve block trials are underway in several hospitals across the 

country as an alternative to general anesthesia for breast cancer 

patients needing mastectomies or lumpectomies. 

One such trial is being conducted by Dr. Tiffany Tedore, 

director of the division of Regional Anesthesia at New York- 

Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. She is 

comparing ultrasound-guided nerve blocks with general anesthesia 

for breast cancer surgery patients to see which approach 

results in better pain control, fewer side effects and quicker 

recovery time, Dr. Tedore tells DOTmed News. 

NewYork-Presbyterian currently offers nerve blocks for 

most orthopedic procedures, as well as breast cancer and 

vascular surgeries. Additional surgical procedures will be explored 

in the coming months, the hospital says. 


Electronic Nose Can Sniff Out Kidney 

Diseases and Lung Cancer 

A carbon nanosensor “electronic nose”, first developed by 

Technion-Israel Institute of Technology enabling researchers 

to detect cancer from breath samples, has been modified to 

identify chronic renal failure (CRF). 

The findings, reported in ACS Nano, could lead to a noninvasive 

and fairly inexpensive way to detect kidney diseases 

in their earliest and most treatable stages. 


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DOTmedbusiness news I s e p t e m b e r 2009 13

New Lung Cancer Vaccines 

May Lower Costs, Accelerate 

Treatment 

In one to three years, new therapeutic 

vaccines could change standard treatment 

regimens for the most commonly 

diagnosed lung cancer-non-small cell 

lung cancer. Therapeutic cancer vaccines 

(TCVs), currently in late-phase 

clinical trials, may be introduced as adjuvant 

therapy that reduces undesirable 

side effects caused by toxic radiation 

and chemotherapy, according to a recent 

Health Technology Forecast released by 

ECRI Institute. 


14 


Wasting Millions on Purchases 

Based on Physician 

Preference? 

Physician preference items (PPIs), a 

term used to describe a range of medical 

supplies, such as pricey orthopedic 

implants and cardiovascular devices, 

are estimated at 60% of a hospital’s total 

supply costs. With operating costs increasing 

and margins from both operations 

and pooled investments declining, 

many hospital executives-once willing 

to quietly overlook the inefficiencies 

and costs associated with allowing their 

medical staff to use whatever products 

they wanted-are forced to take corrective 

action. 


BranScope’s Portable EEG 

Wins FDA Clearance 

BrainScope ZOOM-100DC, a handheld 

device for people with possible traumatic 

brain injury, has received FDA 

clearance. 

The 8-channel product, capable of 

recording and displaying EEG waveforms 

and providing conventional EEG 

measures displayed in tables, is designed 

especially for those patients who don’t 

have access to a hospital, for example, 

soldiers on the battlefield, athletes, and 

accident victims. 


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Thomson Reuters Study 

Finds Impact of Recession 

Easing on U.S. Hospitals 

The median profit margin of U.S. hospitals 

increased from 0.17 percent in the 

third quarter of 2008 to 3.1 percent in 

the first quarter of 2009, according to an 

analysis of hospital finances published 

by Thomson Reuters. 


Kinetic Variable Helps Identify 

Malignant MRI-Detected 

Breast Lesions 

Breast MRI allows physicians to evaluate 

suspicious lesions using a variety of 

variables. Researchers have found that 

computer-aided kinetic information can 

help significantly in distinguishing benign 

from malignant suspicious breast 

lesions on MRI, according to a study 

published in the September issue of the 

American Journal of Roentgenology 

(AJR). 


Interventional Radiology 

Treatment for Uterine Fibroids: 

Safe, Nonsurgical 

Option 

Uterine fibroid embolization--a minimally 

invasive interventional radiology 

treatment for women that cuts off 

blood flow to painful fibroids to kill the 

tumors--is highlighted as an appropriate 

treatment for women in a Clinical Therapeutics 

article in the Aug. 13 issue of 

the New England Journal of Medicine. 


Pulmonary CT Angiography 

Can Effectively Identify 

Disease and Injury Beyond 

the Pulmonary Arteries and 

Throughout the Chest Area 

Computed tomography angiography 

(CTA) can identify abnormalities and 

injury beyond the pulmonary arteries, 

including broken bones and heart disease, 

according to a study published in 

the September issue of the American 

Journal of Roentgenology (AJR). 



Intelerad Receives FDA Clearance for its 

PET/CT Image Fusion Module 

Intelerad Medical Systems, a PACS solution vendor, has received 

510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 

(FDA) to market and distribute its PET/CT Image Fusion 

product. This 510(k) clearance ensures that the PET/CT 

Image Fusion functionality can now be sold as a fully integrated 

module within Intelerad’s signature IntelePACS solution. 


Radiation Therapy Use Rates Far Lower 

Than 90 Percent 

Actual utilization rates for radiation therapy equipment used 

in freestanding cancer treatment centers are closer to the current 

assumed rate of 50 percent, not 90 percent as proposed 

by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in 

the Medicare physician fee schedule proposed rule for 2010. 

The actual rates were revealed in a new survey commissioned 

by the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). 


Medicare Demonstrates That Paying for 

Quality Pays Off 

Demonstrations being conducted by the Centers for Medicare 

& Medicaid Services (CMS) continue to provide strong evidence 

that offering financial incentives for improving or de- 

livering high quality care increases quality and can reduce the 

growth in Medicare expenditures. 

CMS announced new results from three of these demonstrations, 

one for large physician practices, one for small and 

solo physician practices, and one for hospitals. CMS is also 

announcing the start of three additional value based purchasing 

demonstrations. 


Life Expectancy at All Time High 

U.S. life expectancy reached nearly 78 years (77.9), and the 

age-adjusted death rate dropped to 760.3 deaths per 100,000 

population, both records, according to the latest mortality 

statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

(CDC). 


Aspirin Use After Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis 

Associated With Improved Survival 

Men and women who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer 

and began regular use of aspirin had a lower risk of overall 

and colorectal cancer death compared to patients not using aspirin, 

according to a study in the August 12 issue of JAMA. 


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16 

Coming in 

October 

Industry Sector 

Reports: 

Medical 

Equipment Parts 

Providers 

Find out why these businesses are 

a huge part of the industry. 

Linear 

Accelerator, 

Simulator 

Our report will take you straight to 

the latest news on this sector. 

Anesthesia 

Find out what’s sensational in 

anesthesia. 

Injectors 

DOTmed injects the October issue 

with the latest news about this 

segment. 


MOVIng UP In A dOWn 

ECOnOMy 

Sorting through mail upon returning from vacation, 

I found a letter from a friend in real estate - these 

are usually mass mailings. Still, I admired her 

willingness to persevere in a difficult market. 

Imagine my surprise upon opening her letter to 

discover it was not about buying or selling my 

property. It was about expanding her business in 

a down market. She offered an open house for 

those interested in a career in real estate with 

her agency. In a market that is at its lowest point 

in almost 40 years she’s bucking the trend and 

Wayne 

Webster 

expanding — attacking the market! Are you proceeding in the same 

way in your imaging business? 

When the economy was good, imaging facilities were adding 

equipment and approaching higher risk markets with little analysis 

or future growth projections. They just knew it would work if they 

worked hard. In a down economy and a fear of business expansion, 

I find the same people with the same opportunity level hesitant to 

move forward. When I ask why the uncertainty, they ask questions 

in turn, such as: “What about ‘Obama Care?’” “What about 

reimbursement?” “What about changes in the Stark Law?” 

These are unresolved issues and mostly ones over which we have 

no control. I say, if you can’t control the outcomes, move on and 

focus on something you can control. Many imaging centers need 

to upgrade one or more of their devices. But with the very same 

market information they had when the economy was better, today 

they’re afraid to take advantage of opportunities to increase their 

clinical capabilities, referrals and profit. 

If you’ve conducted a careful analysis and it’s obvious you need 

to upgrade or add imaging capability and the clinical and financial 

payback projections are acceptable, go for it. But, let your new 

cautious attitude lead you. Make a specification for what you need. 

Don’t just seek out the latest, greatest and usually most costly. 

Consider new and pre-owned equipment. More than half the time, 

I find my clients get more performance than they’ve specified 

with pre-owned and frequently at less than half the price of new 

equipment. Reimbursement isn’t any higher when the equipment is 

new or costs more. 

If buying used equipment, even if it meets or exceeds your needs 

frightens you, then hire someone who can help you through the 

process. The few dollars spent to learn about the evaluation of 

buyer need and seller capability may save you as much as 80% on 

your purchase when compared to new. 

There will always be diagnostic imaging demand. The question is, 

can your imaging business meet the demand clinically and profitably? 

Pre-owned equipment can be a major part of the solution. 


Wayne Webster is a consultant in Medical Imaging Business 

Development. You can send your comments or questions to 

W.Webster@Proactics.net. 

FOCUS ON PERFORMANCE 


Watch This Space 

For the Biggest News in 

Sourcing Parts. 

Ever. 

The DOTmed Certified Parts Vendor Program. 

Coming in October.

CareFusion Prepares for 

Spin-Off 

CareFusion Corporation, the company 

that will become public following the 

planned spinoff of Cardinal Health’s 

clinical and medical products businesses, 

recently launched its new brand 

and logo. CareFusion’s planned spinoff 

from Cardinal Health is expected to be 

completed this summer. 


Philips and Glygenix 

Therapeutics Partner on 

Ultrasound Research 

Royal Philips Electronics and GlyGenix 

Therapeutics, Inc. have announced a 

joint research agreement to explore the 

feasibility of using ultrasound technologies 

for gene therapy. 

In particular, the collaboration will 

research the treatment of Glycogen 

Storage Disease Type 1a (GSD-1a) in 

pre-clinical studies. The collaboration 

unites Philips’ expertise in medical imaging 

technologies for diagnosis and 

minimally-invasive medical procedures 

with GlyGenix’s expertise in correcting 

the genetic defect in GSD-1a. 


18 

people & companies 


Abbott Will Receive $400 

Million Settlement from 

Medtronic 

Abbott has announced a settlement with 

Medtronic resolving all outstanding intellectual 

property litigation between 

the two parties. The terms of the settlement 

include a payment of $400 million 

to Abbott by Medtronic and a mutual 

agreement not to pursue additional litigation 

on current and future vascular 

products, subject to specific conditions 

and time limits. 

Additional terms of the agreement 

were not disclosed. 


Cambridge Consultant 

Names Mark Manasas Manager 

of Surgical & Interventional 

Products Group 

Cambridge Consultants recently announced 

that Mark Manasas has been 

appointed Manager of the Surgical & 

Interventional Products Group out of the 

company’s Cambridge, MA office. He has 

held other positions at Cambridge Consultants, 

and worked at leading MedTech 

companies including Johnson & Johnson 

to startups like Fossa Medical, Inc. 


Dr. Francis Collins Confirmed 

as Director of the 

National Institutes of Health 

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced 

today that the United States 

Senate unanimously confirmed Dr. 

Francis Collins as the next Director of 

the National Institutes of Health. 

Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., a 

physician-geneticist noted for his landmark 

discoveries of disease genes and 

his leadership of the Human Genome 

Project, served as Director of the National 

Human Genome Research Institute 

(NHGRI) at the National Institutes 

of Health from 1993-2008. 

Dr. Collins received a B.S. in 

Chemistry from the University of Vir- 

ginia, a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry 

from Yale University, and an M.D. with 

Honors from the University of North 

Carolina. Prior to coming to NIH in 

1993, he spent nine years on the faculty 

of the University of Michigan, where 

he was an investigator at the Howard 

Hughes Medical Institute. He has been 

elected to the Institute of Medicine and 

the National Academy of Sciences and 

was awarded the Presidential Medal of 

Freedom in November 2007. 


AGA Medical Holdings, 

Inc. Patent for Atrial Septal 

Defects (ASD) and Patent 

Foramen Ovale (PFO) Valid 

AGA Medical Holdings, Inc. (AGA) 

has announced a U.K. court determined 

that an AGA-held patent for its Atrial 

Septal Defects (ASD) and Patent Foramen 

Ovale (PFO) devices is valid. The 

U.K. court however did determine that 

Occlutech GmbH’s (Occlutech) products 

do not infringe on AGA’s patent, as 

AGA has contended. 


CDRH Director Steps Down 

Stephen J. Ubl, president and CEO of 

the Advanced Medical Technology Association 

(AdvaMed), issued the following 

statement after the announcement 

that Daniel Schultz is resigning 

as director of FDA’s Center for Devices 

and Radiological Health: 


“Dan Schultz served the nation for 

more than 30 years promoting and protecting 

the public health as a member of 

the U.S. Public Health Service. Dan supervised 

FDA’s device center at time of 

unprecedented scientific advancement 

and helped continue U.S. leadership in 

the development of safe and effective 

medical treatments. 


Digisonics Announces Record 

Revenues for FY ‘09. 

Digisonics, provider of image management 

& reporting solutions, has announced 

that revenue grew 21% for FY 

‘09 ending July 31, 2009. 


DMS Health Technologies 

Signs Three-Year Agreement 

With Amerinet 

DMS Health Technologies, a national 

mobile diagnostic imaging service provider, 

announces that it has signed a 

three-year agreement with Amerinet, 

a national group purchasing organization. 

DMS Health Technologies will 

provide Amerinet members with mobile 

diagnostic imaging shared services and 

interim rentals of mobile imaging products. 

The three-year agreement, effective 

August 1, 2009, includes MRI, CT, 

PET/CT, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, 

cardiac/angio, bone densitometry and 

digital mammography services. 


Piedmont Physicians 

Group at Cascade Welcomes 

New Physician 

Piedmont Physicians at Cascade welcomed 

Signe H. O’Neale, M.D., to its 

health care team on Aug. 3. She joins 

Marc J. Harrigan, M.D. 

Dr. O’Neale received her bachelor’s 

degree in accounting from the University 

of Washington and practiced as a 

certified public accountant for 12 years. 

She earned her medical degree from 

Morehouse School of Medicine here in 

Atlanta. Dr. O’Neale then completed 

her internship and family medicine residency 

at Morehouse School of Medicine, 

where she also served as chief resident. 


AHRA and Toshiba Partner 

Patient safety and quality care continue 

to be important issues for hospitals and 

imaging centers. To help these facilities 

start new or build upon existing programs, 

AHRA: The Association for Medical Imaging 

Management announces the second 

year of its Putting Patients First grant program. 

Putting Patients First grants will 

further efforts by healthcare facilities to 

improve imaging quality and safety for 

patients. This year the program has been 

expanded to include imaging centers and 

will award three additional grants specifically 

for pediatric programs. Putting Patients 

First is funded by an unrestricted 

educational grant from Toshiba America 

Medical Systems, Inc. 


NMPI Launches Fifth 

Portable Cardiology Unit 

Nuclear Medicine Professionals, Inc. 

(NMPI) announces the acquisition and 

launch of its fifth portable nuclear camera. 

This means the size of NMPI’s fleet 

of mobile cardiac imaging units has increased 

40 percent in 2009 alone. 


UCLA Opens Lab Space to 

Startup MediSens Wireless 

The UCLA on-campus technology 

incubator program at the California 

NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) is providing 

laboratory space to MediSens 

Wireless, a new company that makes 

personal body-monitoring systems for 

health care. 


DMS Health Technologies 

Appoints Simer as Account 

Executive 

DMS Health Technologies, a diagnostic 

imaging services provider, is pleased to announce 

the addition of a Jeffrey Simer as 

account executive. As an account executive, 

Simer is responsible to direct all sales 

efforts for DMS Health Technologies’ diagnostic 

imaging services, including mobile, 

interim and fixed-site solutions within 

his assigned territory of Texas, Oklahoma, 

Arkansas, and Louisiana. 


NovaRad Nets PACS Contract 

With Utah Hospital 

Blue Mountain Hospital a community 

hospital in Blanding, Utah, recently 

selected NovaRad’s web-based PACS, 

NovaPACS, for its radiology department. 

This latest contract brings NovaRad’s 

installations in Utah to 18. 


Mammography Sales Put a 

Dent in Hologic’s Earnings 

Hologic Inc., maker of diagnostics, 

medical imaging systems and surgical 

products for women, announced its fiscal 

third-quarter results on Monday for 

the quarter ending June 27. 

The company said profits fell 3 

percent as cutbacks in purchases at hospitals 

hurt sales of its Selenia digital 

mammography systems. The company 

regards its performance as “solid” in 

a challenging market characterized by 

reduced capital spending by health care 

organizations. 


MedPro Imaging Scores 

87 Percent Sales Revenue 

Increase in Second Quarter 

MedPro Imaging, a premium provider 

of new and refurbished ultrasound solutions, 

reported an 87 percent increase in 

sales revenues for the second quarter of 

2009 compared to Q2 2008. The growth 

was supported by the sale of more than 90 

new and used systems to a wide variety of 

clinical settings, including the Lung and 

Asthma Center of Central Washington. 



20 

Light at the 

end of the 

tunnel: 

MRI 

PULLS 

ThROUgh 

By Kathy F. Mahdoubi 



Many manufacturers 

and end users of MRIs 

have been on a conveyer 

belt of reduced 

profitability for a few 

years now as a result of the Deficit Reduction 

Act (DRA) and ongoing economic 

instability. National MRI sales have plummeted 

this year and more reimbursement 

cuts could be in store, keeping widespread 

capital budgets on ice, but not all is doom 

and gloom. MRI is still a leading source 

of revenue in hospitals and imaging centers 

across the country, advanced 3T systems 

and niche technologies like open 

and upright MRI scanners are continuing 

to sell and the independent service business 

is holding strong. Growing trends 

like non-contrast imaging, MR scanning 

for dementia, and intraoperative and interventional 

MRI are emerging applications 

worth getting excited about. 

Stark statistics for 

manufacturers 

NEMA, the association for electrical 

and medical imaging manufacturers, 

reports periodic sales statistics to its 

members. The association reported that 

the MRI market as a whole declined by 

9% last year, says Joel Urick, MR product 

manager for Toshiba. 

That statistic is mild compared to 

year-to-date market numbers. NEMA 

reported that through the second quarter 

2009, the overall MRI market was down 

40%, says Stephen Mitchell, senior director 

of Philips’ MR Imaging Systems. 

“The biggest factor has been the 

economic crash of late 2008,” says 

Mitchell. “That has basically put a lot of 

imaging projects on hold.” 

“In 2003, MRI sales were approaching 

1,200 units a year,” says Hitachi Medical 

Systems’ vice president and general 

manager of MR and CT, Sheldon Schaffer. 

“In 2009, the best estimate in annual 

sales from a unit volume perspective will 

probably be around 700 MRI units. There 

has been a significant decline.” 

In addition to the economy, the 

DRA’s impact on the imaging industry 

has been far and wide, but the freestanding 

MRI industry has been hit especially 

hard. The intent of the DRA imaging cuts 

were to slow the rapid growth of Centers 

for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) bill- 

ing for imaging services coming from 

practicing physicians and freestanding 

imaging in the early 2000s. 

“You saw a great increase in billing 

in the years 2000 to 2006,” says Cynthia 

Moran, assistant executive director 

for the American College of Radiology 

(ACR) Government Relations and Economic 

Policy Department. “Imaging 

services were the fastest growing component 

of Medicare spending at that 

time, but since the DRA, this growth 

rate has flattened out.” 

The DRA led to cuts in the Medicare 

Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) 

and Hospital Outpatient Prospective 

Payment System (HOPPS), which had 

the effect of slashing reimbursement for 

MRI procedures anywhere from 20% to 

30%, and perhaps even 40%, some analysts 

say. “That is not an unreasonable 

estimate,” says Moran. 

The Medicare Payment Advisory 

Commission (MedPAC) has now advised 

CMS to increase the imaging 

industry’s utilization rate from 50% to 

90%. If passed, the new relative value 

formula would effectively act as an additional 

cut in reimbursement, but some 

think that this modality may be spared, 

because “the DRA has already taken 

such a bite out of MRI,” says Moran. 

Established in 1981, the Center for 

Diagnostic Imaging (CDI) was one of the 

first freestanding imaging centers in the 

country and is now a network of providers 

practicing in 50 imaging centers nationwide. 

CEO, Bob Baumgartner, says 

that MRI is still the primary revenue provider 

for the network. Not only have the 

economy and reimbursement cuts had an 

impact, but the credit crisis has affected 

the viability of the MRI industry. 

“The credit crisis has made it difficult 

for imaging providers to sell their 

practices or finance acquisitions,” says 

Baumgartner. From the patient perspective, 

Baumgartner is also seeing higher 

deductible co-pays and more patients 

delaying services, especially for discretionary 

musculoskeletal imaging, such as 

MRI scans for generalized back pain. 

Optimism prevails for some 

hospitals 

Clinical Radiologists, S.C., is a large radiology 

group headquartered in Spring- 

field, Ill. Dr. Craig Russo is vice chairman 

of radiology at Memorial Medical 

Center, the largest hospital within the 

group, which includes more than 50 radiologists 

and operates in 20 hospitals and 

over 30 outpatient and stand-alone clinics 

throughout the Midwest. The group 

interprets exams from over 30 MRI scanners, 

with the majority of them being GE 

and Siemens 1.5T systems. 

Unlike some other communities, 

Springfield has a thriving medical community 

and the economic downturn 

and threat of health care reform have 

not dampened their technological investment. 

“The hospitals here have 

been investing quite vigorously in MRI 

lately,” says Dr. Russo. “This is a fairly 

small community, maybe about 120,000 

people - and in the last year we’ve gone 

from one 3T magnet to three…This hospital 

and this administration in particular, 

have looked at it from the standpoint 

that now is the time to make the investment 

in order to be very well equipped 

in the near term as well as long-term.” 

One service location recently invested 

in the Siemens MAGNETOM Verio 

3T. “Clearly, the patient experiences less 

claustrophobia and technologically, it’s a 

very advanced system,” says Dr. Russo. 

“We don’t have to make any sacrifices in 

terms of image quality.” 

Fonar Upright ® Multi-Position MRI 


Independents large and small are enjoying 

an edge over OEMs 

MagnaServ, Inc., a leading national parts, service, refurbishing 

and mobile MRI organization, and exclusive GE house, 

is not experiencing any of the decline that is daunting some 

manufacturers. 

“Our percent of increase over the last three or four years 

has been about 12% to 15% a year and that’s going to continue,” 

says MagnaServ executive vice president, Bernie Bartoszek. 

OEM service contracts can be anywhere from 20% to 

30% higher than MagnaServ’s, says Bartoszek. On the refurbishing 

front, the GE Excite series is the biggest seller. One of 

these systems would cost from $1.2 to $1.4 million new, but 

MagnaServ can offer a reconditioned Excite for half that. 

Pricing is not the only reason why the business is growing. 

Following the DRA, the company started changing its customer 

base and began positioning itself in order to fare better when 

the freestanding imaging sector really took a beating. 

“We made a determination three years ago to go from 

70% imaging centers and 30% hospitals to 30% imaging centers 

and 70% hospitals,” says Bartoszek. 

Inside the company’s reconditioning headquarters in Stuart, 

Fla., all engineers have at least 10 years GE field experience 

and take command of MagnaServ’s on-site coil repair depot and 

shielded testing bay, which is hooked-up with a working MRI. 

A“We’ve got the ability to have nine MRIs hooked up and 

running cold and we can have anywhere from five to eight 

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22 DOTmedbusiness news I s e p t e m b e r 2009 

Atlas qtr page 2008.indd 1 7/24/08 8:50:50 AM 

Toshiba Vantage Titan 1.5T 

MRI mobiles that we keep cold for various companies,” says 

Bartoszek. 

Another repositioning tactic has been to become a Siemens 

multi-vendor partner for GE equipment. Bartoszek explains 

that other OEMs can bid for service contracts on not 

just their equipment, but all the imaging equipment on site, no 

matter the manufacturer. Once they get a contract, OEMs like 

Siemens can subcontract GE service out to independents like 

MagnaServ. 

New service on the block 

Thomas Hineman is president of Ohio Valley Medical Systems, 

LLC, an exclusive Hitachi service organization working mostly 

with outpatient imaging centers nationwide. MRI represents 

about 95% of business for the company, which just reached its 

one-year anniversary in August. Outpatient imaging centers may 

be suffering, but Ohio Valley has experienced a banner year. 

“The state of the economy is helping us tremendously,” 

says Hineman. “Customers are unable to afford manufacturer 

service contracts and in the last three months we’ve grown dramatically 

-- I’ve tripled what I estimated when I started the business. 

We’re probably going to expand and hire at least two more 

people this year. We couldn’t be happier about our growth.” 

The Hitachi Airis and Altair families have been among 

the best selling units, and up until now, 1.5 Tesla systems were 

the ceiling, but Ohio Valley may be expanding into Siemens 

territory soon with a contract on a 3T system, a sector of the 

market that not many servicers have penetrated yet. 

These success stories stand out against the majority of ISOs 

surveyed. Most reported steady business with no significant 

growth, but also no real decline. 

“It’s been slower than normal and we’re working twice as 

hard to get the same results, but by the same token – customers 


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see you’re working that much harder for them and 

they’ll stay with you when times are tough,” says 

Leon Gugel, president of Metropolis International, 

a stocking dealer of Hitachi, GE and Toshiba used 

and refurbished MRI systems. 

Jesse Roche, director of BioMagnetics, Ltd., 

a northeastern regional MRI service and refurbishing 

organization for GE and Siemens MR 

systems, is concerned that the proposed MedPAC 

changes could lead to a lot more than just a cut in 

reimbursement, including fewer operating imaging 

centers, longer scanning hours, more demand 

for after-hours services, and not just competitive, 

but aggressive pricing of service contracts. 

“When the market contracts, OEMs become 

revenue-pressed and much more competitive,” 

says Roche. “When that occurs, their pricing latitude 

expands.” 

Bartoszek says that GE has indeed lowered the 

company’s service contract price points by double 

digits, but they still do not come near ISO prices. Still, OEMs are 

developing their refurbish and service sectors and are keeping a 

sharp eye on opportunities. 

“As soon as contracts are about to expire, OEMs are keenly 

aware and a salesperson is immediately at the door trying to 

capture that contract,” says Roche. 

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selling 

“The high field Titan is our newest product with a large bore 

technology. With the Titan, we also offer the Pianissimo quiet 

vacuum-packed gradients and Atlas integrated coil technology,” 

says Toshiba’s Urick. 

The Titan is a high field 1.5 Tesla system, with the largest 

bore on the market, with a 71-cm aperture opening and a 

current list price of $1.7 million. Pianissimo gradients reduce 

acoustic noise by 90% and the Atlas integrated coil technology 

allows multiple coils to be used simultaneously. You can do a 

head scan, a cervical scan and an angio scan all at once. Toshiba 

also offers upgrades from their Vantage line up through the 

Titan. Customers can purchase used systems and enjoy significant 

cost savings in construction. 

No one is talking, but Toshiba is purportedly working on 

a 3T system for release in the not too distant future, a sign of 

financial health for the company’s MRI business, which grew 

by 12% in 2008. 

“Even in a down market, we’re finding ways to make 

sales and sustain growth,” says Urick. 

Like many other companies, Toshiba started out with a 

customer base that was largely comprised of outpatient and 

independent imaging centers, but in recent years, the company 

has been moving more into hospitals and now considers hospitals 

the company’s primary customer base. 

For Hitachi Medical Systems, the breadwinning products 

include the Oasis open high-field 1.2T system and the Echelon, 

which is a traditional high-field 1.5T system. 

“The Oasis has higher sales volume than the Echelon, but 

both sell very strongly,” says Schaffer. 

The Oasis’ open design is more comfortable for geriatric patients 

and the obese, as well as children, and they are comparable 

in image quality to traditional 1.5T systems. Oasis was introduced 

in 2008 and over the past few months, Hitachi has been in discussions 

with a number of pediatric hospitals. Currently, 35 Oasis 

systems are in operation and Schaffer estimates that open systems 

represent about 30% of the overall MRI install base. 


Philips Panorama High 

Field Open (HFO) 1.5T 

Hitachi offers Phased Array technology 

and additional RF channels to 

improve signal-to-noise ratio. Currently, 

the Oasis has an 8-channel system 

and the Echelon is available in both an 

8 and 16 channel configuration. 

“We’ve added additional coils for 

specific applications such as breast im- 

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aging and cardiac imaging as well as orthopedic 

applications,” says Schaffer. 

Philips Healthcare introduced the 

company's state-of-the-art Achieva TX 

3T system at RSNA last year. “What the 

3T TX compact short-bore system does 

is it brings multi-channel transmit coil 

technology to the commercial market- 

place,” says Mitchell. The key benefit 

of having MultiTransmit is it reduces 

the imaging artifacts that are often seen 

in high-field 3T images, most notably in 

breast, liver and pelvic imaging. 

Philips offers optimized software 

packages for a wide range of procedures, 

including neuro, vascular, musculoskeletal 

and other imaging. The 

company also offers the Panorama High 

Field Open MR scanner. 

“With an open system, you can get 

the specific anatomy that you want to 

scan in to the sweet spot of the magnet— 

the isocenter, which is something you 

can’t do on very large patients with traditional 

closed systems,” says Mitchell. 

Philips’ Achieva XR can be installed 

as a 1.5T system and upgraded 

to a 3T system easily and cost effectively. 

“We’re the only company that has 

a rampable 1.5T system,” says Mitchell. 

“With the Achieva XR we simply 

ramp the magnet from 1.5T to 3T field 

strength and replace the surface coils 

with 3T surface coils and the whole 

process takes about a week. In terms of 

cost savings, you would save between 

$750,000 and $1 million dollars in the 

process compared to a deinstall and reinstall 

project.” 

Philips is currently involved in 

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound 

clinical trials for uterine fibroid ablations 

guided by MRI and both Philips 

and Siemens are in the research and development 

phase of 7 Tesla systems. 

GE Healthcare’s Discovery MR 

750 3T system was launched almost a 

year ago, and is the highest performing 

system in the industry in terms of magnet 

homogeneity as well as gradient and 

receive chain performance, says Jim 

Davis, vice president and general manager 

of the MR business. 

GE also recently launched the MR 

450, a brand new 1.5T system sharing 

common architecture with the 3T. Davis 

says it features the highest fidelity gradient 

amplifier in the industry and the 

system offers an expansive field of view 

and a 32-channel receive chain configuration 

with Optic RX -- a way to digitize 

the signal in the scan room that significantly 

increases SNR. GE has also developed 

Cube sequences that allow users 

to scan in 3-D. Advanced software 


applications include SWAN, designed 

for stroke and perfusion imaging. 

Dynamic MRI 

Since the 2001 introduction of the Fonar 

UPRIGHT Multi-Position MRI, 

several studies have concluded that a 

variety of pathologies, especially those 

pertaining to the spine, are better visualized 

when patients are scanned in 

dynamic weight-bearing positions and 

not just lying flat. The Fonar Upright 

MRI allows patients to be scanned in a 

number of positions, including recumbent, 

bending, sitting, and standing. 

It has been shown to provide unique 

views of not just the spine, but also the 

pelvic floor, hernias and the prostate, 

or any part of the anatomy that can be 

influenced by weight or position. 

“The Upright MRI is a paradigm 

shift in scanning patients,” notes Art 

Brady, Fonar’s account manager. “It sees 

the complete picture, for example, of the 

spine’s pathology in all positions it occupies, 

not just a ‘snapshot’ in one position. 

The conventional MRI visualizes the 

spine in only one position, lying down 

with the patient’s body weight removed. 

That is the least informative position. It 

is essential that doctors see the spine in 

the upright weight-bearing positions, including 

flexion (bending forward), and 

extension (bending backward).” 

Fonar has an illustrious history in 

the MRI industry. The company founder, 

Dr. Raymond Damadian, introduced the 

concept of the whole-body MRI scanner 

in the late 1960s, back when it was 

dubbed Nuclear Magnetic Resonance 

(NMR). He discovered the abnormal 

MRI signal produced by cancer tissue 

and the signal differences among normal 

tissues in 1970, and filed the first 

patent in 1972. The first scan of a live 

human being was achieved in 1977, and 

in 1980 Fonar installed the first commercial 

MRI scanner. 

The Upright MRI is proving beneficial 

in visualizing a plethora of pathologies. 

A study of 553 patients by UCLA, 

and published in the March 2008 Spine 

Journal, concluded that a significant increase 

in the degree of lumbar disc herniation 

was found by examining flexion 

and extension views, when compared 

with neutral views alone. 

The Upright MRI system features a 

magnetic field strength of 0.6 Tesla, but 

the images are on par with those made 

at 1.5 Tesla, due in part to the use of its 

coil technology which includes both 

planar and solenoidal coils. 

The Upright could be especially 

beneficial for scoliosis patients and allows 

them to avoid harmful X-ray radiation. 

Fonar’s specialized scoliosis 

software and coils are currently being 

field-tested and may provide a costcompetitive 

and radiation-free imaging 

alternative to X-ray. Upright scoliosis 

exams take about 10 minutes and provide 

coronal, sagittal and axial views 

of the spine with 3-D acquisition and 

curved multi-planar reconstruction. 

“Having the most comprehensive 

imaging can improve diagnosis and surgical 

outcomes, which can reduce medical 

costs dramatically,” says Daniel Culver, 

Fonar director of communications. 

“We have customers who have 1.5T 

and 3T MRIs and the Fonar Upright MRI, 

and we are told that it is much easier to 

What’s The Right Price For This Imaging Equipment? 

Call Your Bay Shore Specialist – And Know For Sure. 

JOHN KOLLEGGER: MRI Sales 

(800) 471- 1189 EXT. 120 

LISA MURPHY: PET/Nuclear Medicine Sales 

(Except Adac, Siemens, Digirad) 

(800) 471- 1189 EXT. 110 

GARY MIDGEN: PET/Nuclear Medicine Sales 

(Nuc Med: Adac, Siemens, Digirad, 

Bone Densitometers, Treadmills) 

(800) 471- 1189 EXT. 160 

DON TIEDEMANN: MRI Sales 

(800) 471- 1189 EXT. 250 

PHIL EBEL: X-Ray Sales: C-Arms, Rad & R/F, 

Mammo, Cath & Angio Labs, CR, Portable X-Rays 

(800) 471- 1189 EXT. 310 

1-800-471-1189 

www.bayshore-medical.com 

CARL WALDHEIM: CT Sales (GE & Elscint) 

(800) 471- 1189 EXT. 320 

COLLEEN RHATIGAN: CT Sales 

(Siemens, Marconi, Picker, Toshiba, etc) 

(800) 471- 1189 EXT. 260 

SUSAN BOZINOS: Ultrasound Sales, 

Laser Cameras, Processors 

(800) 471- 1189 EXT. 360 

YOLANDA PENA: South America Sales 

(800) 471- 1189 EXT. 300 

INDU CHAUHAN: Asia Sales 

(800) 471- 1189 EXT. 140 

VIVIANE HELLEBUYCK : Europe/Africa Sales 

(800) 471-1189 EXT. 390 

We are the largest buyers & sellers of 

Pre-Owned Imaging Equipment in the U.S. 


grow the business of the Upright MRI,” says Culver. “We simply 

image the spine better. We can also image patients who can’t 

lie down because of COPD or a spine dysfunction. We also image 

claustrophobic and obese patients with unparalleled ease.” 

Fonar currently has 134 Upright MRI scanners operating 

internationally and just recently sold units in Libya, Canada 

and Australia. 

Non-contrast Imaging 

A wave of non-contrast imaging is picking up speed across all the 

major manufacturers. New sequences are especially designed to 

capture signal without agents, which a significant number of patients 

cannot tolerate. Fonar, Toshiba, GE and others offer some 

form of non-contrast imaging for select procedures. 

“The development of non-contrast imaging has really 

been one of the key successes with selling in the U.S. market,” 

says Urick. 

“Everybody is being responsive to the marketplace demand 

for newer non-contrast imaging techniques,” says Davis, 

who points out that there is also a cost driver behind the 

development. “With or without contrast, your reimbursement 

is the same, so it is an added cost.” 

MRI on the brain 

Dr. Russo is the section head of neuroradiology at the Memorial 

Medical Center. He is a proponent of 3T high field strength 

28 


Siemens Magnetom ® Verio 3T 

systems for brain imaging. “These 3 Tesla systems are not necessarily 

the best for everything, but there are clear advantages, 

especially for brain imaging applications.” 

MR is an excellent modality for neurosurgery due to the high 

sensitivity and soft-tissue contrast of its images. Some of the most 

striking applications in neurological MRI procedures include diffusion 

tensor imaging (DTI), a method of MRI that provides clear 

images of neural tracts, and functional MRI, which clearly maps 

important regions of the brain by their function. 

Superior detection of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease 

may be possible with specialized MRI software, like the software 

that helped researchers detect Alzheimer’s disease with 

100% accuracy in a recent cohort study conducted by Massachusetts 

General Hospital. In two separate cohorts, patients 

with mild cognitive impairment were also distinguished from 

controls with 91% and 95% accuracy. The study, published 

in the May 2009 edition of Brain, demonstrated that with the 

help of specialized software, MR could be a powerful diagnostic 

tool in the accurate detection of Alzheimer’s disease. 

“I think it will be huge when it is shown to be very consistent 

and reliable,” says Dr. Russo. “I think it will be gigantic. Dementia 

imaging is going to be very important in the future and I will 

certainly be watching the literature to look for ways to borrow 

those ideas and bring that to the community level.” 

MRI in the O/R 

MRI’s foray into the brain continues with intraoperative and interventional 

MR. IMRIS, a Manitoba, Canada-based manufacturer, 

is a leading provider of intraoperative MR systems for neurosurgery. 

The IMRISneuro, available in both 1.5T and 3T high 

field strengths, is a movable, ceiling-mounted system that can be 

brought into the operating room during surgery to map the progress 

of procedures including craniotomies — open-skull surgeries 

most commonly performed for the removal of brain tumors. By 

providing up-to-the-minute imaging of targeted areas, intraoperative 

MR can help surgeons accurately excise tumors with the least 

possible damage to vital surrounding tissues. 

“IMRIS is the only company that provides a solution focusing 

solely on optimization of the workflow that surgeons, 

nurses and anesthesiologists are familiar with today. We are 


not changing the standard operating 

procedures of neurosurgery,” says Rami 

Liebenthal, IMRIS executive vice president 

of marketing and sales. 

A recent study concluded that tumor 

resection is extended in surgery for about 

40% of patients as a result of new information 

gleaned from intraoperative MR 

images, says Liebenthal. This could be 

due in part to brain tissue shifting during 

surgery. MR is an excellent modality for 

neurosurgery due to the high sensitivity 

and soft-tissue contrast of its images. By 

introducing MR into the O/R, neurosurgeons 

are able to more accurately map 

not only a potentially more effective or 

safer approach to the tumor using DTI, 

they can also use functional MRI to steer 

clear of critical centers of the brain that, 

if damaged, could cause post-surgery 

impairments like speech impediments or 

abnormal vision or motor sensation. 

“Surgeons benefit tremendously 

by having the ability to get a fresh set 

of images when they need them most 

-- prior to the conclusion of surgery. It 

gives surgeons a high level of confi- 

dence that the work is complete and of 

the highest possible quality.” 

The IMRISneuro has been installed 

or selected for 30 locations internationally, 

including top clinics like Massachusetts 

General Hospital, Johns Hopkins 

and the Mayo Clinic, and can be 

custom-configured for the O/R. 

“The movable magnet can be configured 

to suit the specific needs of the surgical 

team in the hospital in either a two 

or three room setup,” says Jeanne Elliott, 

IMRIS’ director of global sales programs. 

IMRIS also manufactures fully 

functional surgical tables that double as 

MRI tables. Most critical devices, like 

patient monitoring systems and anesthesiology 

accessories are MR compatible 

up to 3T, says Liebenthal. Devices like 

microscopes and navigation systems 

are often not compatible and must be 

moved outside the magnetic field during 

imaging. The IMRISneuro has been 

used safely in the treatment of about 

2,400 patients globally. 

Brain tumor surgery is just the 

beginning. Pending FDA clearance, 

IMRIS is planning to introduce IM- 

RIScardio and IMRISnv, which could 

help optimize the workflow of cardiac 

intervention and stroke management. 

“The volume of [stroke] cases is 

significantly higher than in brain tumor 

cases,” says Liebenthal. “We can see 

how the use of MR-guided intervention 

is going to expand dramatically in the 

next few years.” 

Time is Brain 

According to the CDC, stroke is the 

third leading cause of death and approximately 

795,000 strokes occur in the 

U.S. each year. MR may represent a key 

time-saving tool in interventional stroke 

imaging. IMRISnv, if cleared, could 

significantly decrease critical minutes 

wasted transporting patients from one 

department of the hospital to another. 

“The idea is to provide a diagnosis 

and treatment environment in the angio 

room that will allow a very quick 

diagnosis of the stroke by using MR imaging 

and a technique called diffusionperfusion 

mismatch imaging,” says Lie- 


enthal. “Once it is diagnosed, you can see exactly where the 

stroke occurred in the brain while the patient remains on the 

treatment bed and the angio system is then used to guide the 

treatment procedure. The results can be seen immediately.” 

IMRIS holds global patents and just released this year’s 

second quarter figures, which show a 20% increase from last 

year with $9.8 million in total sales. 

“We are showing a very interesting growth trend even in 

times of stress with capital budgets being cut or put on hold,” 

says Liebenthal. “Even in that environment we are able to grow, 

which is a terrific indication of the awareness in the market.” 

The number one priority, above all else, is the patient, 

says Elliott. The most important driver behind the implementation 

of this technology is that it can help provide a high level 

of care for patients when they need it most. 

MRI moves ahead 

No matter how bleak the economic outlook may be, the need 

for advanced MRI persists. 

“MR has an incredible amount of clinical runway left,” 

says Davis. “We’ve untapped at most 30% of what MR can 

really do.” 

That is the echo from all sectors of the MRI industry, from 

manufacturers and service organizations to radiology groups 

and hospitals. This nearly 30-year-old modality is seems to 

just be getting warmed up. 


30 


Philips Achieva 3.0T TX 


DOTmed Registered MRI Equipment Sales & Service Companies 

For convenient links to these companies’ DOTmed Services Directory listings, go to www.dotmed.com and enter [DM 10004] 

Names in boldface are Premium Listings. 

Name Company - Domestic City State Certified DM100 

Butch Holliday DR Medical Little Rock AZ 

Dick Slade BIS Technologies Scottsdale AZ • • 

Donald Creedon Global Medical Solutions Scottsdale AZ 

George Fower Altair Imaging, LLC Anaheim CA • 

James Fower Calscan Medical Enterprises, Inc. Anaheim CA • 

Paul DeWinter AEA Technology, Inc. Carlsbad CA 

Mazin Faour Variware, Inc. Chino CA 

Rick Stockton Atlas Medical Technologies Ontario CA • 

Terry Andrues Mobile Interm Solutions Orange CA 

Robert Graham Sound Imaging, Inc. San Diego CA • 

R.C. Kapoor A & R Investments International San Jose CA 

Dan McGuan Viable Med Services, Inc. Santa Clarita CA • • 

Sammy Ciling Barrington United, Corp. Temecula CA 

Troy Kamphuis Blue Sky Exchange Boulder CO 

Chris Ash Scanworks Centennial CO 

Bruce Smith Sonora Medical Systems, Inc. Longmont CO • 

Bernie Bartoszek MagnaServ, Inc. Parker CO 

Brett Chandler Accuro Imaging Ellenton FL 

David Denholtz Integrity Medical Systems, Inc. Fort Myers FL • • 

Olga De La Paz Puma Export, Inc. Hialeah FL 

David Stuart AEL Financial Lake Mary FL 

Marlene Alencar FVP Medical Miami FL • 

Daniel Pereira Hospital Planet, Inc. Miami FL 

Miguel Machuca Diagnostic Medical Equipment Solutions Corp. Miami FL 

German Filgueira PODER, Inc. Miami Beach FL • 

Dennis Giuzio Mobile Radiology, Inc. New Port Richey FL 

Robert Serros, Jr. Amber Diagnostics Orlando FL 

Betsy Gordon E.L.V.S. - Equipment Locator Vendor Services Orlando FL • • 

Anwar Mithavayani Reliant Medical Pompano Beach FL • 

Ray McClellan MRI Technical Services, Inc. Marietta GA 

Michael Glynn Mylin Medical Systems, Inc. Burr Ridge IL • 

John Pemberton Barrington Medical Imaging, LLC Cary IL 

James Gallagher LG Medical Technologies, Inc. East Dundee IL 

Dave Johnson Genesis Mobile Partners Huntley IL 

Mike Ghazal Zetta Medical Technologies, LLC Lake Zurich IL 

Craig Russo Clinical Radiologists, S.C. Springfield IL 

Gary Knirr Basic MRI Medical Systems Waterloo IL 

William King KING Equipment Services, Inc. Waukegan IL • 

Wes Solmos Creative Foam Medical Systems Bremen IN • 

Davyn McGuire Med Exchange International, Inc. Agawam MA • • 

Jeff Rogers Medical Imaging Resources, Inc. Ann Arbor MI • 

Zeina Karaky Cedars Medical Equipment Co. Dearborn MI 

Steve Rentz Block Imaging International, Inc. Lansing MI 

Christi Kukes DMS Health Technologies Fargo ND 

Alison Fortin Global Inventory Management, LLC Dover NH 

Robert Manetta Nationwide Imaging Services Brick NJ • • 

Joseph Jenkins International Imaging Ltd. Las Vegas NV 

Leon Gugel Metropolis International Long Island City NY • • 

Dan Culver Fonar Melville NY 

John Kollegger Bay Shore Medical, LLC Ronkonkoma NY • 

Jeff Weiss Atlantis Worldwide, LLC Yonkers NY 

Thomas Hineman Ohio Valley Medical Systems, LLC North Canton OH 

Sheldon Schaffer Hitachi Medical Systems America Twinsburg OH 

Don Salyer InSight Health Corp. Utica OH • 

Michael Profeta Magnetic Resonance Technologies Willoughby OH • 

Adam Brazeal Imaging 100 Tulsa OK 

Jesse Roche BioMagnetics, Ltd. Exton PA • 

Vincent Tecce National MRI Parts & Service Morrisville PA 

Trey McIntyre International Medical Equipment and Service, Inc. Fort Mill SC • • 

Debbie van der Touw Radiology OneSource Franklin TN • • 

Gary Casey A.C.M.I. Goodlettsville TN 

Lee Kelly AAN Radiology Systems, Inc. Canyon Lake TX • 

Marshall Shannon Image Technology Consulting, LLC DeSoto TX • • 

John Bolte MEDFAB MRI Services, LLC San Antonio TX 

Larry Knight Sunrise Medical Technology, Inc. Waxahachie TX • 

Cliff Hess Texas Medical Mobile Services Waxahachie TX 

Curtis Hagg Vivid Imaging Yorktown VA 

Paul Zahn Shared Medical Equipment Group, LLC Cottage Grove WI • • 

LeRoy Blawat Resonant Diagnostics, LLC Milwaukee WI • 

Name Company – International City Country Certified DM100 

Gustavo Juarez Macor Insumos Hospitalarios Capital Federal Argentina 

Himanshu Gupta EverX Pty Ltd Sydney Australia • • 

David Lapenat ANDA Medical, Inc. Ottawa Canada • • 

Rami Liebenthal IMRIS Winnipeg Canada 

Song Wang Shen Zhen Allright Medical Co., Ltd. Shen Zhen China 

Cesar Raul Cuervo Medica Y Computadores Bogota Columbia 

Abdelrahim Khalil Besisc Cairo Egypt 

Florian Dickopp Medicopex GmbH Oberasbach Germany • 

Paranjothi Arumugam Garudon Medical System Coimbatore India 

Deepak Arora Advanced Scan Support Technologies Faridabad India 

Bippon Gupta Masters Medical Equipments Pvt Ltd New Delhi India 

Rami Marom ElsMed Ltd & Relaxation, Inc. Holon Israel • • 

Borhan Kalash Memco Damascus Syria 

Frank Noyen Global MRI Support Sariyer Istanbul Turkey 


NEW 

PRODUCT 

SHOWCASE 

Philips Introduces FullLife 

Royal Philips Electronics recently announced 

the introduction of the Full- 

Life full-face mask for the treatment 

of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This 

revolutionary mask covers both the 

nose and mouth, while being compact 

and offering a clear line of sight for 

patients. The mask is being launched 

first in the U.S., followed by Canada; a 

global launch is planned for this month. 

“The FullLife mask is built on 

the same platform as our successful 

OptiLife mask, which was introduced 

in 2007,” said Gretchen Jezerc, director, 

U.S. Marketing, Sleep Disordered 

Breathing, Philips Home Healthcare 

Solutions. “With a minimalist design 

and lightweight, durable materials, Full- 

Life provides comfort and convenience 

for patients. Among its features, a clear 

line of sight benefits patients who feel 

claustrophobic, and an integrated exhalation 

port makes it exceptionally quiet 

for patients and their bed partners.” 

With one faceplate for all three sizes 

(small, medium, and large)-as well as 

FitPack and DuoPack fitting and supply 

replacement options-FullLife also is a 

good choice for clinicians and homecare 

providers. 


32 


FujiFilm’s New Digital 

X-Ray System Designed to 

Eliminate Barriers to Digital 

Adoption 

Designed to eliminate any existing barriers 

to the adoption of digital X-ray, the 

FCR Prima digital X-ray system from 

FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA Inc. 

is now available. Created specifically to 

meet the X-ray needs of low volume private 

practices, the Fuji Computed Radiography 

(FCR) Prima comes complete 

with a compact CR reader, an electronic 

viewing workstation, and an archiving 

system, enabling facilities to quickly 

and easily transition to a softcopy imaging 

environment. 

“We recognize that the majority of 

private practice facilities have workflow 

and budgetary needs that are very different 

from our hospital-based customers,” 

said Eddie Massetti, Fujifilm’s marketing 

manager for specialty markets. “So 

Fujifilm designed the FCR Prima to accommodate 

these needs for lower volume 

private practices while still delivering 

the exceptional image quality that 

we are known for and that physicians 

and their patients expect. Over the next 

twelve months we anticipate seeing a 

rapid increase in the adoption of digital 

X-ray in practices specifically where 

digital was never before an option as 

a result of this product introduction,” 

continued Massetti. 

The FCR Prima is a complete image 

acquisition-to-archive solution that 

provides private practices with the image 

quality they need in a compact size 

ideal for their office space, and all delivered 

at an economical price point that 

many practices have been waiting for. It 

is packaged with the FCRView, which 

combines an innovative softcopy viewing 

system and comprehensive digital 

To see more 

products, visit 

www.DOTmed.com. 

Have a new product? 

Send your press 

release to 

pr@dotmed.com. 

archive system so facilities can initiate 

and preview exposures, process and 

print studies, and back up patient data 

all from one workstation. And with the 

new FCRView Client Workstation software, 

image viewing is enabled on up to 

four additional workstations within the 

practice. All the functionality comes in a 

compact size of just 23.6 W x 15.7 D x 

30.7 H, making it the smallest footprint 

of any available competitive system. 

Easy to fit in any office space, including 

exams rooms, the FCR Prima is also remarkably 

lighter than Fujifilm’s current 

system, weighing nearly 30 percent less. 


Carestream Health Now 

Shipping Its New DRX-1 

System 

Shipments of the industry’s first wireless, 

cassette-size digital radiography 

(DR) detector are now underway as 

planned and on schedule. 

Health care organizations around 

the world began placing orders several 

months ago for the innovative CARE- 

STREAM DRX-1 System, which is de- 


signed for general radiology, trauma, orthopedic 

and many other X-ray exams. 

“Customer response to our innovative 

wireless detector has been outstanding-and 

our manufacturing, distribution 

and support teams are in full swing,” 

said Diana L. Nole, President, Digital 

Medical Solutions, Carestream Health. 

“Health care providers are very interested 

in this system as it offers an extremely 

attractive option for facilities that want to 

improve productivity and image quality 

in existing film or CR rooms, but may 

not have funds available for larger scale 

equipment replacement.” 

The DRX-1 system incorporates a 

console and a wireless, cassette-sized 

DR detector that provides a rapid, affordable 

conversion for users of radiographic 

film or computed radiography 

systems. It requires no modifications 

to existing analog equipment-which results 

in very low installation costs-and a 

healthcare facility can utilize one detector 

for many types of exams. 

The DRX-1 system incorporates 

the same innovative software and image 

processing capability as Carestream 

Health’s CR and DR systems, and delivers 

the same excellent image quality and 

productivity as these proven platforms. 


Stryker introduces the 

Crossfire Integrated Arthroscopy 

Resection System 

Stryker Endoscopy introduces the first 

and only integrated arthroscopy resec- 

tion system, Crossfire. This hybrid 

platform has the ability to operate both 

motor and RF functionality in one 

console. The Crossfire console and 

footswitch control SERFAS Energy 

probes and the Formula® Shaver System, 

eliminating the need for multiple 

consoles. Crossfire offers revolutionary 

resection capability in one complete 

arthroscopy solution. 


PDS NeuroPET Introduced 

at SNM Annual Meeting 

PhotoDetection Systems (PDS) has introduced 

its high-sensitivity NeuroPET 

scanner, which was featured in an oral 

presentation to the SNM molecular imaging 

community. 

The NeuroPET has been designed 

to serve the clinical and research needs 

of the molecular neuro-imaging community, 

and it has recently received 

FDA 510(k) clearance. NeuroPET’s 

state-of-the-art, patented wavelengthshifting 

fiber technology enables ultra 

high-sensitivity and excellent spatial 

resolution. Its compact/portable design 

requires no special site preparation and 

allows for significantly reduced cost of 

ownership compared to general-purpose 

PET scanners. NeuroPET uses very low 

doses of 18F and 11C tracers to image 

metabolism, amyloid, and dopaminergic 

binding in neurological diseases. 

These tracers are known to be helpful 

in imaging challenging and costly 

diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Neurooncology, 

Epilepsy, Parkinson’s and 

Neuro-psychiatric disorders. NeuroPET 

can complement existing clinical and 

research efforts with high quality, low 

cost neuro-imaging capacity and its ul- 

tra high-sensitivity performance can allow 

for more frequent repeat low dose 

scanning of the same subject to monitor 

response to therapy. 

“Our strong development team is 

fortunate to be working with excellent 

collaborators and we are very enthusiastic 

about the NeuroPET’s measured capabilities, 

its accessible utility, and the 

positive reception we have received at 

the SNM meeting,” stated Bill Worstell, 

PhD, PDS Chief Technology Officer. 


SpectraSan 24 - 24 Hour 

Disinfectant that kills 

influenza A (H1N1) 

SpectraSan 24 is a hard-surface, fastacting 

disinfectant highly effective in 

killing the various types of Influenza A. 

It is 100% biodegradable, safe, and is the 

only registered disinfectant assigned the 

lowest toxicity rating (IV) by the EPA. 

SpectraSan 24 is strong enough for use 

in medical facilities, restaurants, health 

clubs, and because it is safe, is ideal 

for use in areas frequented by children, 

such as daycare centers and schools. 

SpectaSan 24 represents the first 

truly new and groundbreaking approach 

to microbial control in nearly 40 years. 

It’s based on a new patented molecule 

called Silver Dihydrogen Citrate, or 

SDC. SDC is an electrolitically generated 

source of stabilized ionic silver 

that, when formulated as a disinfectant, 

is powerful yet safe, colorless, odorless 

and non-staining. 



Could a Foreign Currency Replace the US 

dollar as the World Reserve? 

The American dollar could 

be replaced as the World 

Reserve currency by a combined 

currency from Brazil, 

Russia, India or China, collectively 

as the BRICs. These countries 

have large economies and are outgrowing 

their emerging-market status. So 

will they replace the American dollar, 

and if so, when does this happen? 

There are four currencies involved 

in BRIC - the Chinese Yuan, the Brazilian 

Real, the Russian Ruble and the 

Indian Rupee. Though these countries 

could possibly create a common currency, 

similar to the Euro, this would be 

difficult to accomplish. If you doubt this, 

try to imagine how an authoritarian Russia 

will work with a doctrinarian Communist 

China, a Democratic India, and 

an unstructured Brazil. The combination 

would be hard to see emerging with any 

clear Asian-European-Latin American 

consensus. Even if the dollar were not replaced 

by a BRIC currency, it could still 

be swapped out for another currency. 

The current advantage to having the 

American dollar as the world reserve is 

that we have the luxury of borrowing in 

our own currency. We can always print 

more money, while other countries do 

not have the option of influencing the 

money supply. But, by having the world 

reserve’s currency, our monetary policy 

is also compromised by other countries 

trying to pull the dollar toward their 

own currencies. 

Overall, BRICs lack the economic 

fitness to handle the responsibility of the 

world reserve; however, if BRICs start 

to talk about replacing the dollar, there 

could be a major re-pricing of commodities 

as investors lose confidence. The 

buzz and fear around a possible BRIC 

replacement for the dollar has more to 

do with a political and economic power 

struggle than with getting a stronger 

currency as the world reserve. The 

BRICs have to threaten the possibility 

if they want to be taken more seriously 

and seen as real economic powerhouses 

on the world’s economic stage. 

The BRIC countries will likely pursue 

the replacement of the dollar as the 

reserve currency. However, this is not 

the same as saying they will achieve it. 

The likelihood is that they will not. This 

is largely because of economic and political 

limits to the BRIC countries. 

The challenge for BRIC is to reproduce 

the once solid stability of the 

American dollar and not to emulate the 

relatively tarnished Euro. More challenging 

is how BRIC will replace the 

dollar without debasing the significant 

dollar reserves and dollar-denominated 

investments of those countries, and 

without harming the still delicate U.S. 

economy, and without hammering the 

many futures markets that are based 

upon common U.S. pricing. 

Of the four BRIC currencies, perhaps 

China’s Yuan is a logical replacement 

for the dollar at some point, since 

China has been lending the US money. 

China is better placed than the U.S. to 

provide a reserve currency for the 21st 

century because it has a large current account 

surplus, focused government, and 

few of the economic worries the U.S. 

money 

health 

By Paul Keough, Ph.D., MBA 

faces. While such a major change is 

some way off, the Chinese government 

is laying the ground for the Yuan’s positioning. 

China will soon want to see the 

Yuan included in the International Monetary 

Fund’s special drawing rights basket, 

as well as seeing the Yuan used as a 

means of payment in bilateral trade. 

China’s currency is a long way 

from overtaking the dollar as the world 

currency, and even if that occurred, 

there likely would be some intermediate 

steps. At the present time, China 

manages its currency too closely to be 

a world currency. The good thing about 

China’s currency right now is that its 

management techniques keep the currency 

undervalued and its purchasing 

power much higher than other countries 

that are more freely traded. With 

China’s Yuan pegged to the dollar, an 

emerging conflicted country’s currency 

is unlikely to replace America’s monetary 

unit anytime soon. 

In conclusion, a possible BRICs 

takeover of the world reserve is unlikely 

to happen soon, if at all, with China’s 

Yuan as the most likely single currency 

to eventually become the next world 

reserve. At the end of the day, whether 

or not people agree with U.S. economic 

policy, the dollar is still currently the 

best selection for the world reserve on 

a relative basis. 

Paul Keough, PhD, MBA is the 

President at Turnkeough Corporation 

(www.turnkeough.com). You can reach 

him at paul.keough@turnkeough.com. 



Gaylord Texan Resort - Dallas, Texas 

September 23-25, 2009 

859-523-5701 / www.idnsummit.com 

Jason Hwang, M.D. 

Co-Director of the Innosight Institute 

Co-Author of The Innovator’s Prescription 

Chuck Lauer 

Noted Healthcare Leader 

Former Publisher, Modern Healthcare 

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Senior Director of Business 

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1

Respiratory therapy is one of the most widely 

used medical practices in the health care industry. 

Widespread use can translate to big 

money. So, naturally, advances in respiratory 

equipment occur regularly in respirators, oximeters, 

airway pressure monitors, ventilators and other such 

equipment. One recent trend finds its influence in mobility 

and ease of transport. Manufacturers are creating more 

compact machines in order to take up less room in already 

crowded operating rooms and other places where space is 

at a premium. 

One of the leading global providers of health care products, 

CareFusion, is coming out with two brand new ventila- 

Respiratory 

Equipment 

Still a Breath of 

Fresh Air During 

Troubled Times 

By Mary Kate Baumann 

tors unlike any others currently on the market. As of right 

now, the most compact ventilator is their LTV 1200, which 

weighs about 14 pounds. Soon, they will be unveiling their 

Palm Top Ventilators (PTVs). 

The first PTV, the ENVE ventilator, is made and used for 

critical care. It is about the size of a tissue box and weighs 

approximately eight pounds. According to Kim Zipse of 

CareFusion, “the new PTVs have four-hour swappable batteries 

where, if a change of battery is needed, an internal one 

takes over so that respiratory therapy can continue without 

disruption.” Providing an uninterrupted service is especially 

important given that respiratory ventilation is key in life or 

death situations. 


38 

Refurbished patient-ready, Puritan 

Bennett C41A Liquid Oxygen 

Reservoirs at Frontier Medical 

The second series of PTVs that 

CareFusion is introducing is called the 

Revel. The Revel is a ventilator system 

designed for long-term care, ambulatory 

and airlift use. Also weighing about 

eight pounds, it is small and lightweight 

while maintaining a high level of functionality. 

For the most part, the Revel’s 

production is geared towards transport, 

making it useful for a number of situations 

such as military field use. 

In the past, patients needing oxygen 

at home have used a machine called 


a concentrator that relies on an electric 

power source and is about the size of 

a mini-fridge. Ken Johnston of Delta 

Technology, Inc., a provider of portable 

travel oxygen systems and accessories, 

says that under the current Medicaid reimbursement 

policies, “Durable Medical 

Equipment Companies (DMEs) are 

required to supply eighteen months 

worth of concentrated oxygen.” After 

that time, it’s up to the DMEs to determine 

if they will continue to provide the 

services and at what costs. The DMEs 

provide an oxygen-concentrator “that 

weighs upwards of forty-five pounds 

which they consider portable,” says 

Johnston. In order to leave home, patients 

would need to carry the system 

requiring an amount of effort difficult 

even for healthy individuals. Since patients 

will naturally find this inconvenient, 

they will look for more viable options, 

like Delta Technology’s portable 

travel oxygen systems or CareFusion’s 

PTVs. These concentrators are less than 

ten pounds and can run on batteries or 

house current. 

Respiratory therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation 

(PR) in particular, available 

to those suffering from Chronic Respiratory 

Disease, is currently provided in 

outpatient facilities. At the facility, the 

patient is provided with appropriate 

training, as well as a much clearer understanding 

of, and the ability to cope 

with their lung disease. Pulmonary rehabilitation 

also provides personalized 

advice that sets the patient up with a 

life-long exercise routine. Additionally, 

if something were to go wrong – a ventilator 

malfunction, for example – the 

patient would have ready access to a 

health care provider. 

Because respiratory therapy equipment 

is not only used in hospitals and 

ambulances but also in homes, preventative 

and precautionary measures must 

be taken in order to ensure patient safety 

and comfort. Like any piece of technology, 

things can go wrong. Technological 

advancements are being made every 

day in order to help patients in need of 

immediate assistance. In fact, the development 

and integration of remote care 

telemedicine, to help those patients who 

live far from any health care facility, is 

underway. 

Telemedicine, according to the 

American Telemedicine Association 

(ATA), is the “use of medical information 

exchanged from one site to another 

via electronic communications to improve 

patients’ health status.” The electronic 

communication being used is a 

telemonitoring system and most recently, 

a live feed between patient homes 

and health care facilities in the event of 

a malfunction. According to the ATA, 

“Closely associated with telemedicine 

is the term ‘telehealth,’ which is often 


used to encompass a broader definition of remote healthcare 

that does not always involve clinical services. Videoconferencing, 

transmission of still images, e-health including patient 

portals, remote monitoring of vital signs, continuing medical 

education and nursing call centers are all considered part of 

telemedicine and telehealth.” 

Remote care and telemedicine provide care in cases where 

a patient is miles away from a health care facility. In many 

instances, patients don’t have a way of getting to the facility 

for immediate help. Instead of a nurse traveling the distance 

to help the patient when they are in need, telemedicine and 

Delta Technology Res-Q-Air Waterproof 

Sports/Emergency Oxygen System 

remote care can enable the patient to get the help they need 

through the use of monitors and step-by-step direction. Telemedicine 

and telehealth allow health care providers to, on a 

daily basis, monitor the patient and make real-time decisions 

with regards to the care of their patient. Remote monitoring of 

ventilators, for instance, can lead to stable symptom management, 

improved healthy behaviors, and follow-through with 

treatments. 

By providing telemedicine, more respiratory patients will 

be able to receive the help and education they need in order to 

maintain healthier lifestyles while dealing with their disease. 

A more thorough integration of telemedicine and remote 

patient care for the future is not far on the horizon. In terms of 

the future of respiratory therapy, many companies are striving 

to create closed-loop ventilators – ventilators that will monitor 

breathing and will respond automatically if a problem occurs. 

It is believed that new developments will be made in the future 

for long-term respiratory patients. “There is a greater demand 

for products and people to continue to improve the quality of 

life for long term ventilator patients in the home,” says Bill 

Rosas of Midwest Biomedical Recourses. 

Currently, the biggest challenges facing the respiratory industry 

are finance and economic recovery. The demand for respiratory 

products is very strong, yet the industry faces the issue 

of how customers are going to pay for equipment. The economic 

downturn has “made refurbished products more attractive to 

buyers both in the domestic and international markets,” says 

John Wittenberg of Inventory Solutions, Inc. He adds, “Buyers 

are seeing that they can get excellent quality and warranties as 

well as discounted prices from reputable resellers.” 

Judy Engle, RRT/RCPT and owner of Frontier Medical 

adds, “Every market is different, but the economy has slowed 

down and put a hold on purchasing new equipment due mostly 

to lack of budget.” 

With advancements constantly being made in respiratory 

technology, today’s new respiratory equipment can run anywhere 

from $10,000 to $14,000. In the refurbished market, 

equipment can be as much as 50% less expensive. John Wittenberg 

says, “The main thing is that the refurbished equipment 

industry is becoming more mature; people know they can 

get really high quality equipment that comes with paperwork 

indicating it will last. It changes the face of the industry.” 

Inventory Solutions, Inc. specializes in the sale of refurbished 

respiratory equipment like ventilators, Pulse Oximeters, 

Sleep Products, Concentrators, Patient Monitors, Phototherapy, 

Apnea Monitors and Liquid Oxygen. He adds, “We 

don’t look at one particular product selling. If someone needs 

something, we want to have it patient-ready and on the shelf in 

order to get our product to them quickly.” 

It seems that despite the downward turn of the economy, 

the respiratory equipment sector is doing well. However, as a 

result of Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement cutbacks and adjustments, 

changes will occur. Ken Johnston told DOTmed, 

“Right now, in home oxygen delivery, reimbursement systems 

in Medicare/Medicaid are about $140 plus per month and $70 

per month for portable oxygen.” 

The LTV 1200 from CareFusion; 

critical care anywhere 


According to Carl Willoughby, 

Pulmonary Rehabilitation Director 

of Mad River Community Hospital, 

“CMS (Medicare) has been reducing 

the reimbursement to Durable Medical 

Equipment providers over the past 

40 


The LTV 

1200 from 

CareFusion; 

portable 

high utility 

ventilation 

decade.” As a result, reimbursement 

levels may not allow DMEs to provide 

the new technology to the very patients 

who need it, which Willoughby says is 

“an unintended result of the government 

trying to save money.” 

In addition, competitive bidding 

for providing outpatient oxygen services 

has been legislated into place. 

Willoughby says, “This will drive all 

the small and medium companies out 

of business leaving only one or two 

mega oxygen companies standing.” 

Some believe this competitive bidding 

will ultimately result in no competition 

and more incentive to provide only the 

cheapest, low-tech equipment, again a 

disservice to the patients who need upto-date 

care. 

The respiratory industry, large as it 

is, seems to be focusing most of its improvements 

in downsizing their equipment. 

The current state of the economy 

hasn’t affected the industry much because 

there will always be a need for respiratory 

machinery. With the daunting 

health care reforms on the horizon, the 

state of independent supplier organizations 

comes into question. However, 

for the time being, even though the 

health care providers’ demand for new 

equipment may not be high at this time, 

refurbished respiratory equipment can 

offer ‘good-as-new’ stock at affordable 

prices, giving facilities and patients a 

reason to breathe easy. 


DOTmed Registered Respiratory Equipment Sales & Service Companies 




Susan Nelson Air Lift & CareFore Medical Evergreen CO 

Judy Engle Frontier Medical, Inc. Wheat Ridge CO • 

Del Tillman American Telemedicine Association Washington DC 

Ken Johnston Delta Technology, Inc. Gainesville GA 

Chris Bridges Colossus Medical Grayson GA 

Bill Rosas Midwest Biomedical Resources, Inc. Mokena IL 

Jerry Riley DRE, Inc. Louisville KY 

Ana Ortega General Biomedical Service, Inc. Kenner LA 

Asif Bhinder tekyard Burnsville MN 

Kim Zipse CareFusion Minneapolis MN 

Don Grimm Bemes, Inc. Fenton MO • • 

Paul Fau First American Medical Equipment Mount Laurel NJ 

Ray Carter Hospital Equipment 4U Salisbury NC • 

John Wittenberg Inventory Solutions, Inc. New York NY • 

George Rebitski Predictable Surgical Cincinnati OH 

Mark Brinkerhoff Marco Systems Stow OH 

David Zobeck Lancaster General College of Lancaster PA 

Nursing and Health Sciences 

Nelson Shertzer Medical Support Products, Inc. Lancaster PA • 

Chad Looney Canyon Drive Sales Amarillo TX • 

Rick Weekley US Med-Equip Houston TX • 

Juan Sandoval Monterrey Medical Equipment, Inc. San Antonio TX 

Jake Mathews Impact Biomedical The Woodlands TX 

Bill Murdock VIP Medical, Inc. Alexandria VA 


Argie Valenzuela Mideast Medical Equipment Manila Philippines 


Medical 

Chillers By 

The chiller industry as a 

whole has been floundering 

for a while now, but that’s 

mainly because the demand 

for industrial chillers and 

those used for the computer tech and automobile 

sectors has dropped along with 

their industries. However, there is one 

area where chiller sales are still doing 

well - the medical chiller sector. 

“For us, from September last year 

we just had a steep drop-off in sales [as a 

company] and then in January we started 

seeing sales return. We’re not where 

we were last year, but we have orders on 

the book,” says Chris King, Vice Presi- 

dent for KR Products Inc. “With all the 

baby boomers coming along, we need 

more and more medical equipment so it 

has stayed steady for us.” 

Although they may not be the first 

thing that hospitals think about when 

setting up shop, hospital equipment 

such as MRIs, CT Scans and X-rays 

won’t function unless they have a chiller. 

So as long as OEMs continue to turn 

out equipment, there will be a market 

for chillers. 

“The medical chiller market tends 

to mirror the major diagnostic equipment 

market, so right now, business is 

fairly steady,” says Bob Freudenberger, 

Keith Loria 

VP of Ellis & Watts. 

Basically, a chiller is like an air 

conditioner. Since most major medical 

devices generate heat while in operation, 

the chilled water generated by the 

chillers is the solution to dissipate the 

heat that is produced. The difference is 

you are removing heat from the fluid 

and not the air. 

“Each chiller provides a defined 

flow rate and temperature drop specification,” 

says Freudenberger. “Some 

have optional city water bypass valve 

systems to allow operation of the medical 

equipment, even during a time of 

service or failure of the chiller system.” 


42 

Dimplex Thermal 

Solutions custom, 

automatic switch-over 

panel, designed to 

allow for back-up fluid 

supplies, extra filtering 

and flow measurement 

Industry experts estimate a price range for new chillers to be 

in the $8,000 to $50,000 range, and the pricing depends on the 

size, modality and the assortment of add-ons a chiller can have. 

Challenges Abound 

Despite a steady market in medical chillers, there are still difficult 

circumstances the industry has been dealing with over 

the past year. 

Martin King, President of Legacy Chillers, calls a recent 

phenomenon, “the new normal.” “A lot of decision makers 

can’t see what business will be like in six to eight months,” 

King says. “And we are finding out about projects very close 

to when they are needed, instead of a year ahead of time.” 

Freudenberger has seen lesser chillers brought to market, 


which he feels is hurting the industry. 

“The influx of lower priced, foreign built chillers has 

eroded the overall reliability of chillers, as a whole,” he says. 

“With today’s tighter budgets, it is more difficult to sell quality-built 

products.” 

Working with the OEMs 

Regardless of the OEM, they each have special applications for 

the large-scale image equipment that needs to be kept cool. 

“We have gone through working with major manufacturers, 

taking care of their specific needs for temperature flows, 

and customizing a market just for them,” says Kim Bernard, 

Sales Application Engineer for Dimplex Thermal Solutions 

(DTS), which manufactures chillers under the Koolant Koolers 

and Schreiber Chillers brands. “As long-time suppliers for 

medical OEMs such as GE, Philips and Siemens, our experience 

provides deep insight into medical OEM requirements.” 

For every brand of medical equipment, a specific chiller 

is needed as they all have their own thermal profile and accessories 

that can impact the amount of heat that needs to be dealt 

with. Chiller manufacturers therefore must have the proper 

specs for each. 

“With most of the major MRI OEMs—Philips, GE, Hitachi—we 

already have pre-designed for those applications so 

we can move pretty quickly when we need to,” Legacy’s King 

says. “For manufacturers, being very nimble in this market is 

the only way to survive.” 

It was only about one year ago that Toshiba would package 

chillers in with their sales, but they decided to get out of 

the chiller business. A company like GE is still packaging a 

chiller for their MRI as part of the sale, but savvy customers 

are starting to price shop. 

“They are buying the equipment but 

are shopping around for the chiller applications, 

because they realize they can get 

a better deal,” says King. “It’s a trend we 

are seeing in the market because money is 

tight out there.” 

Bells and Whistles 

While almost all chillers have a condensing 

unit, recirculation pump, reservoir, temperature 

controller and pressure gauge as standard 

features, add-ons can include things 

such as a remote temperature sensor or remote 

start/stop and temperature alarm. 

“Our philosophy is to keep as many 

bells and whistles off as we can,” says Chris 

King. “Take a doctor’s office. You can give 

him a chiller that shows him all the fault 

lights—no water flow, high pressure limit 

switches, over temperature—and it’s fine if 

he sees a blinking light, but what’s he going 

to do about it? They can make it more difficult 

to work on because you may know what 

the problem is but then you have to work on 

the electrical level or get special parts.” 


Problem Solving 

Chillers are not immune to problems, although a great number 

can be prevented with a proper preventative maintenance 

program. 

“The chiller has motors in it and every motor no matter 

what it’s on has a given life expectancy and the pumps, 

compressors and fans can wear out after a specified amount 

of time. You need to be aware of those expectancies and offer 

maintenance programs letting them know they are approaching 

that time,” Bernard says. “So before the breakdown, we 

will schedule a replacement so there are no emergencies.” 

One of the most common problems is customers who 

are not using the proper freeze protection, as the chillers will 

freeze up from ambient temperature. 

“What most people don’t understand about chillers is that 

they can freeze water on themselves,” Chris King says. “A lot 

of people ignore that freeze protection –something malfunctions 

or water goes off—and they can be ruined.” 

Another problem associated with chillers is contamination 

of the heat transfer solution with tap water, which can cause 

internal choking of the heat exchanger coils. Other problems 

include refrigerants running low, filters getting clogged, dust 

and dirt build-up and pumps breaking down. 

“If you have no water treatment you can get bacteria and 

it can clog the MRI’s heat exchanger system,” Bernard says. 

“You need proper filtering and water treatment. We recommend 

a twice a year plan where one of our techs comes out 

and goes through from top to bottom all the parameters, checking 

that all electrical fittings are still tight. Those are key and 

critical to ensure top performance.” 

Legacy’s King adds that upwards of 90% of the problems 

you will have with a chiller has to do with the commissioning. 

Legacy Chillers Systems Package chiller. Designed for Mission 

Critical low temp process cooling applications 

“What we see is that a chiller will get installed but the installer 

doesn’t properly commission it to meet a customer’s requirements,” 

he says. “An example would be adding freeze protection. 

A lot of chillers have to have glycol. It requires a specific set-up 

and for those contractors that don’t know, it can be problematic.” 

DTS ensures that a medical facility will never be at risk of 

extended shutdown or equipment damage as their chillers are 

fail-safe for continuous use. 

“We have custom designed redundancies in the system 

where there are two independent refrigeration systems so if 

there is one in need of repair, the other is still operating,” Bernard 

says. “The same thing happens with the fluid delivery and 

the pumps. If one goes out, the other immediately takes over.” 

But customers don’t need to rely exclusively on a company’s 

PM program. They can personally do a number of things 

to help ensure the life of a chiller. Preventative maintenance 

starts with becoming educated about the equipment and its immediate 

surroundings. 

For example, in areas with a high pollen count, it’s important 

to clean out the air filters in the machine and vacuum 

or wash them and make sure airflow isn’t being impeded. 

If you are not able to draw air across your condenser coil, 

pressure in your refrigerator system will go up and trip the 

system. This will cause the fan to work harder causing it to 

most likely burn out. 

Standardized lines designed for 

use with all brands of medical 

imaging equipment. 

Custom Options Available 

By Dimplex Thermal Solutions 


Refurbishments offer 

Economic Solutions 

While the equipment the chillers are attached 

to may be refurbished, the market 

for refurbished chillers has not been 

a huge business in years past. That is 

changing though, as more companies 

are trying to help the customer who is 

looking to save some money. 

“It is possible to use refurbished 

chillers,” offers Tommy Geske, CEO/ 

Owner of SMTI. “You need to have the 

correct specs for the system. If you don’t 

match the chiller correctly, the MRI will 

not function properly.” 

“A true refurbishment should replace 

all coils, compressors, valves 

and any corroded wiring and electrical 

controls,” Freudenberger says. “The refurbished 

chiller should be tested to its 

original specifications.” 

Although Tek-Temp doesn’t sell refurbished 

systems per se, they have been 

making greater efforts to take those they 

have sold to inspect and repair them before 

sending them back to the customers 

44 


who own them. 

“It goes through a full evaluation 

and test in our test bay to find out 

what needs to be replaced,” says David 

Greenplate, Sales Manager for the company. 

“Is it a whole condensing unit? Or 

maybe smaller components like a pump 

or temperature control? Things like that 

we look for when we inspect. We’ll take 

care of any problem.” 

Because of the economy, the company 

has seen more people interested in 

repairing and refurbishing their chillers, 

rather than going out to buy new. 

Richard Lee of Total Imaging Concepts 

also realized that people were interested 

in cheaper chiller solutions and 

started selling pre-owned chillers after 

cleaning them up and making sure they 

worked. 

“We are finding that chillers have 

long life in them. We don’t do any refurbishing, 

we find those in good shape 

and put them back on the market,” Lee 

says. “We have seen a lot of chillers on 

sites for 10 to 12 years and when hos- 

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pitals upgrade, we find we can still use 

them. I would say 40% of the chillers 

we come across are in good shape.” 

When dealing with any used or refurbished 

chiller company, customers 

should be smart enough to ask if the 

chiller was refurbished by its original 

manufacturer, what components were 

replaced with new and who stands behind 

the refurbishment warranty. 

Environmental Impact 

The average MRI unit requires a 30-gallon 

per minute flow of water, 24 hours 

a day, 365 days a year, all of which 

translates to a total of 15.7 million gallons 

used per year. The same flow rate 

is required even when the unit is at rest, 

between patient scans. That’s why a 

chiller solution is so valuable. 

“Not only is this a large use of natural 

resources, but at an average of $5 

per 1,000 gallon water and sewer fee, 

the operating costs to the facility would 

be $75,000 a year,” says Bernard. “We 

call attention to this because in most in- 

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Tek-Temp Instruments 

Family of 

Recirculating 

Chillers, Heaters, 

and Heat 

Exchangers 

stances this cost is accounted for as simply 

overhead—a cost of doing business, 

much like a light bill or waste removal 

fee. However, it’s powerful information 

for the department manager that needs 

to justify a capital expenditure, since the 

customer can see a return on their investment 

in approximately four months, 

saving the facility upwards of $50,000 a 

year, while helping the environment.” 

Using a dedicated chiller also saves 

on a facility’s investment in the piece 

of medical equipment by eliminating 

the scale build-up that occurs with the 

mineral deposits and impurities found 

within city-water supplies. 

“It is also advantageous over a 

central fluid cooling system in that the 

fluid is dedicated only to that piece of 

equipment, thus its temperature and 

flow settings are never ruled by other 

equipment’s combined needs, allowing 

the medical equipment to be used full 

time without the concern that over-temp 

alarms or low flow faults shutdowns of 

that machine, if the full cooling needs 

are not always available,” Bernard says. 

“This too ensures that fluid impurities 

are not carried between multiple pieces 

of hospital equipment, which may have 

negligible affect on some pieces, while 

deeply impacting the operation of another.” 

Medical chillers can be nearly as 

important as the equipment they are 

cooling and when taken care of properly, 

can help a medical facility keep 

its financial cool through revenue from 

machines running at top capacity for a 

long period of time. 


DOTmed Registered Chillers Equipment Sales & Service Companies 




Richard Lee Total Imaging Concepts, Inc. Shreveport LA 

Kim Bernard Dimplex Thermal Solutions Kalamazoo MI 

Chris King KR Products, Inc. St. Louis MO 

Dan Rogowski Parker Domnick Hunter Charlotte NC 

Akram Abdelaal Express Systems & Parts Network Aurora OH • 

Bob Freudenberger Ellis & Watts Batavia OH 

David Greenplate Tek-Temp Instruments, Inc. Croydon PA 

Lenny Place Aramark/CTS Bryan TX 

John Crownover Laser Scientific Round Rock TX • 

Tommy Geske Sunrise Medical Technology, Inc. Waxahachie TX • 


Whether new or used, veterinary equipment 

purchases follow the basic economic 

principle of supply and demand, 

where producer supply matches consumer 

demand. 

However, it may be that the primary 

source of the supply and demand 

match point lies with the trained staff 

pool itself - namely, in the proportions 

of generalist vs. specialist veterinarians 

in the U.S. each year. Those in need of 

highly-specialized veterinary equipment 

are small in number in comparison to the 

veterinary equipment industry at large. 

“[It is] not like there is a large supply 

of specialist veterinarians that have 

a need for highly specialized equipment. 

This is a wide-ranging, but limited mar- 

46 

Vetting Medical 

Equipment 


ket,” said Dr. Stephen Fisher, DVM, 

vice-president of business development 

at Veterinary Centers of America (VCA) 

Antech, with headquarters in Los Angeles, 

CA. VCA is a provider of veterinary 

services via VCA animal hospitals 

throughout the U.S. 

Dr. Fisher works off-site and negotiates 

with major veterinary equipment 

dealers for VCA Antech. He practiced 

as a small animal veterinarian for twenty 

years in the mid-70’s to early 90’s, and 

eventually owned 10 practices. He sold 

these practices to VCA and is currently an 

editor of a veterinary business magazine. 

“The type of equipment that the veterinary 

specialists want is based on the 

type of equipment they did their training 

on,” Dr. Fisher said. “This is similar to 

the demand for medical equipment that 

medical specialists have after they’ve 

completed their residencies and opened 

or joined a practice. 

“If somebody decides, in this economy, 

to open a vet specialty practice, they 

need to have certain equipment to get 

referrals. If they open one now, they’re 

going to have to find that equipment to 

use. [For example], every year, there are 

specialists that graduate who will find a 

job within a hospital which is adding a 

board-certified surgeon — if that hospital 

has the equipment [they need], then 

they’re fine. If the venue doesn’t have 

the equipment, e.g., ultrasound, those 

veterinarians cannot be utilized to per- 


A Look at Usage for Pets 

form services they have the knowledge 

to do,” explained Dr. Fisher. 

According to Dr. Fisher, the particular 

skill sets of each veterinary school 

graduating class impacts the supply and 

demand of vet equipment sales. “Ultrasound 

requires advanced training — it is 

very sophisticated equipment that needs 

to be in the hands of well-trained and 

board-certified doctors,” he noted. 

“Independent veterinarians who 

work outside of the VCA hospital network 

are looking for equipment they 

[already] know how to use or is easy to 

be trained on, performs well and is easy 

to care for,” he observed. In terms of 

usage, “a CT is a CT and a MRI is a 

MRI,” and such pieces easily adapt to 

both human and animal medical diagnostic 

needs. In ultrasound, for example, 

there are “plenty of pediatric probes 

that work really well on animals.” 

But there are certain equipment 

parts not so easily transferrable from 

human to animal applications. “One 

company created a waterproof PET 

transmitter for vet use because they saw 

the need for it,” said Dr. Fisher, explaining 

that in human PET scanners, the 

transmitters are not waterproof. 

“If there is a real need for vet equipment, 

it will be produced. If there’s a 

market for it, it gets developed,” Dr. 

Fisher noted. 

“When veterinarians choose a piece 

of equipment, they’ll want to find the best 

equipment for that indication: sometimes 

it’s used or new. Sometimes, a new treatment 

may not be as good as the old one 

— and many times the used [equipment] 

better fits our needs,” he said. 

As for future veterinary equipment 

sales, Dr. Fisher sees the market in “imaging 

of all kinds — including ultrasound, 

digital X-ray, CT, and MRI, for 

both new and used equipment.” 

OEMs, such as Universal Ultrasound 

in Bedford Hills, NY, and Wolf 

X-Ray Corporation in Deer Park, NY, 

believe that this will be part of the vet 

market trend. 

“Digital radiography, PACS systems 

and teleradiography” are among 

the sellers in new vet equipment sales, 

wrote Rebecca Owens, RTR, a digital 

radiology sales specialist at Universal 

Ultrasound. 

“In used vet equipment sales, ultrasound 

equipment is a popular seller,” 

Ms. Owens noted. The company sells 

new ultrasound equipment from $4,000 

to $125,000 and digital radiography 

equipment from $40,000 to $100,000. 

Universal Ultrasounds markets to small 

and large animal practices. 

“In the vet market, I see diagnostic 

imaging as a growth segment,” said 

Howard Wolf, president of Wolf X-Ray 

Corporation, an 80-year-old family-run 

veterinary radiography firm. “Considering 

the current malaise of the country, 

it will take 12 to 18 months for [this 

market] to grow,” he said. His firm is 

best known for selling vet radiography, 

lead protection and film viewing equipment 

— about 80% of his business is 

currently in analog form. 

There will be “an increase in [demand] 

for digital and ultrasound equipment 

as they become more popular,” 

Mr. Wolf said. Wolf X-Ray Corp. has 

its own R & D unit, which has “developed 

a line of conductivity gels, e.g., 

one that can be used on animals to obtain 

images through the fur” — this will 

be presented at the North American Veterinary 

Conference (NAVC) in January. 

Wolf X-Ray Corp. sells to university 

medical hospitals, private vet practices 

and veterinary schools. “On the 

East and West coasts, they are far more 

progressive in the medical fields,” Mr. 

By Regina Geok-Ling Tan 

Wolf observed. “A lot of the coastalbased 

veterinarians are [converting] to 

electronic health records (EHR). The 

Midwest is probably 25% less active in 

digital [recording].” 

On a cost-comparison basis for using 

EHR, Mr. Wolf said, “[for] a 5-practitioner 

facility, it would cost $180,000 

to initially set up a digital X-ray system… 

if you’re 35 and just starting a 

practice and you want to do it right, it’s 

probably okay to do it, but, if you’re in 

your 50’s and planning on retiring in 

five years, you’re better off buying another 

machine for five grand.” 

“If I was going to give a doctor 

advice, I would say, ‘Find a local, fullservice 

distributor who is familiar with 

a top brand.’ A good, local distributor 

gives you assurance of having a good 

service contract and maintenance. I’m 

a big believer in having a local guy take 

care of you,” emphasized Mr. Wolf. 

“Diagnostic manufacturers seem to 

be doing well,” said Mark Ziller, president 

of TW Medical, an ISO in Lago 

Vista, TX. And, “Digital X-ray is just 

on the upswing, with dental diagnostics 

also being a growing segment.” 

“Frequently, we deal with veterinarians 

that are opening a new 

business,” said Mr. Ziller. “On-going 

customers will need upgrades and replacements. 

We can completely outfit 

a new practice, e.g., autoclaves, surgery 

lights, exam and surgery tables, cages, 

anesthesia machines, surgical monitoring 

equipment, lab equipment, digital 

X-rays, CT’s, and MRI’s.” 

Among the OEM’s used for TM 

Medical’s offerings are Abaxis, Heska, 

and Midmark — “representative companies 

that cover an important market 

segment,” according to Miller. 

Mr. Ziller has been in the animal 

health industry for 15 years. TW Medi- 


cal sells exclusively to the vet market, with a customer base of 

solo practitioners, multi-vet specialty clinics, private practice 

groups, and corporate-owned chain practices. 

“Different things drive human and animal medical equipment 

purchasing [decisions]; [for one], there are no health 

care reimbursement issues,” Mr. Ziller said. 

“They are pretty discreet markets. If you go back 10 or 12 

years, the animal equipment industry was kind of a stepchild 

-- human equipment was used to suit animal needs. Now there 

is vet-specific equipment that has been adapted and designed 

especially for veterinarians, which is sold by OEMs who recognize 

animal health as a billion-dollar industry. Not only do pharmaceutical 

companies have divisions for animal health, they’re 

building products from the ground-up for this industry.” 

“Once an office has the core pieces it needs to operate, we 

can sit down with them and furnish a ‘wish list’ so they can plan 

and upgrade the office on sound financial footing,” noted Mr. 

Ziller. “We want to find equipment that has wide applications, 

while improving the standard of care. It is not good to put equipment 

there that will sit and gather dust. The desire is to have the 

equipment generate revenue to pay for itself and more.” 

Veterinarians want equipment that is easy to use, carries 

warranties, and has portability, he said. Two-thirds of the vet 

industry business is in urban areas, where there are high concentrations 

of companion animals. As a region, according to Mr. 

Ziller, the “strongest base is in the western and southern U.S.” 

Software choices play a role in how well digital radiography 

systems run. OEMs believe that customers are expecting “more 

for less money,” wrote Michael Andrews, vice-president of Hudson 

Digital Systems, a West Paterson, NJ, company. “This market 

has cost-conscious buyers, which is driving vendors to increase 

the value [of their products]. [Features] such as faster throughput, 

[increased number of software user] licenses, better financing 

rates, better warranties . . . all are on the upward trend.” 

The company sells the HDR series of veterinary CCD 

digital radiography systems in addition to Fuji medical and 

veterinary CR equipment, ranging in price from $15,000 to 

$100,000. Their customer base includes small and large veterinary 

hospitals, emergency clinics, and specialty centers. 

“The very best X-ray equipment is only as good as the 

image enhancement software used to display images for diag- 

48 

Veterinary CT scanner 

(Image courtesy of TW 

Medical Veterinary Supply) 


nosis,” wrote Tom Dziubeck, director of OEM sales at ContextVision, 

in an e-mail interview. The Newton, MA-based 

company sells software used for medical imaging enhancements 

for MRI’s, X-ray, ultrasound, and CT image data. 

“The vet digital X-ray market is an upgrade market -- 

[people] generally have older X-ray equipment [and most] are 

leaving X-ray film and [converting] to digital equipment,” said 

Mr. Dziubeck. “In order to generate a digital X-ray image, you 

need the software.” 

“You can spend a whole lot of money for new equipment,” 

Mr. Dziubeck observed. “But if the software is not really good, 

it’s pointless.” 

Overall, there seems to be growing demand in digital Xray, 

ultrasound, and diagnostic vet equipment sales. Often, 

other complementary goods, such as software sales, go handin-hand 

with these vet equipment sales. 

However, it is difficult to provide an accurate picture of 

what is happening in the used and new vet equipment market 

since some major OEMs and other representative ISOs declined 

interviews. 

Perhaps this is an indication of how competitive the vet 

equipment market is, with companies viewing certain lines 

of questioning as competitive intelligence. Profits in the vet 

industry are large, since there are no federal regulations or insurance 

companies steering reimbursements, making secrecy 

necessary to protect a company’s competitive edge. 


To read more on veterinary medicine, visit us online and 

search dm10011. 

HemaTrue ® Veterinary Hematology Analyzer 

(Image courtesy of TW Medical Veterinary Supply) 


InfUSIOn PUMPS 

New Developments 

Lead to New Opportunities By Mary Kate Baumann 


50 

The Alaris ® System utilizes smart infusion 

technology to help reduce medication errors, 

one of healthcare's biggest concerns. 

Recently, new preventive 

software has been developed 

for smart pumps, 

which is great news for 

health care facilities worried 

about lawsuits involving human error, 

but will facilities be able to infuse 

their practices with these new technologies, 

or will budgetary concerns prevent 

implementation from going more than 

skin deep? 

Manual administration of medication 

can be impractical, expensive and 

sometimes unreliable due to human error. 

Thus, improvements for infusion 

pumps and new lines of smart pumps are 

popular for manufacturers to roll out to 

customers. There will always be a need 

for fluid administration in patient care 

(due to chronic conditions such as cancer, 

diabetes, neurological conditions, 

etc.), so the future development of new 

innovations for infusion and intravenous 

pumps appears to be a healthy one. 

According to Jason Hess of KLAS 

Enterprises, a company that offers im- 


partial vendor performance information, 

the most recent advancement in smart 

infusion pump technology has been the 

shift to wireless technology. He stated, 

“Patient safety is the overarching reason 

for the existence of smart pump technology, 

and the most important driver for 

patient safety is the functionality of the 

pump itself.” Wireless technology and 

remote access are key players in functionality 

and ease of use in the pump. 

The company Micrel recently introduced 

a wireless offering called Rhythmic 

Connect. It uses a General Packet Radio 

Service (GPRS) mobile phone integrated 

with an infusion device and allows the 

pump to communicate with a web server. 

This server provides access at any time 

through the web, sends warnings regarding 

the status of the infusion and can be 

remotely adjusted and controlled. This 

offers a higher level of convenience to 

staff and more mobility for patients as 

well as the ability to provide faster immediate 

care. Wireless pumps also contain 

dose calculations, error reduction soft- 

ware technology and drug libraries. This 

software monitors drug administration 

and initiates alerts to warn nurses of infusion 

issues and overdosing. 

Because something as simple as a 

decimal point error can cause a potentially 

life-threatening discrepancy between 

a safe and unsafe dosage, infusion 

pumps must be designed to defend 

against medical errors, ensuring the correct 

medication gets to the right patient 

in the right amount every time. 

The smart infusion pumps on the 

market right now deliver controlled 

rates of medication in addition to having 

the capacity to store entire lists of 

medications that a hospital contains. 

Pumps also store information on concentration 

and dose limits of each medication 

in the hospital’s library. There 

are different dose limits based on different 

care units (i.e. operating rooms, 

intensive care units, etc) and the smart 

pumps can tell the nurse when a dose 

limit is exceeded. 

Dose limits and concentration levels 


aren’t the only technological software 

programs that smart pumps contain; 

they now boast error reduction software 

like NHS’s Dose Error Reduction Systems 

for infusion pumps (DERS) and 

Computerized Providers Order Entry 

System (CPOE). 

The main function of DERS is to 

decrease pump programming errors 

and injuries related to such errors. According 

to the National Patient Safety 

Agency (NPSA), adverse drug events 

(ADEs) are the cause of about 24% of 

the total number of medication incidents. 

It also turns out that 61% of the 

most serious ADEs are IV-drug related. 

The DERS intercepts medication errors, 

displays alerts and even prevents delivery 

of medication if the infused dosages 

exceed hospital-defined ranges. 

Computerized prescriber order entry 

(CPOE) allows clinicians to directly enter 

a medical order from a computer or 

mobile device. CPOE systems allocate 

access to patient records and offers clinical 

support with drug administration – in 

terms of what drugs are safe to administer 

based on a patient’s records. Software 

like CPOE eliminates medical error 

which is often caused by sloppy, illegible 

handwriting and transcription errors all 

while improving precision, thoroughness, 

and continuity of care. CPOE also 

helps clinicians avoid ADEs by alerting 

them about improper doses, allergies, 

existing conditions, drug-to-drug interactions 

and other key factors in the occurrence 

of an adverse drug event. 

Due to recent recalls and device 

alerts, concerns over errors in pump 

malfunctions are increasing. Roger Strachota 

of BMX Medical says, “The most 

common problem with infusion pumps 

is with preventive maintenance which 

counters calibration of the pump. Preventative 

maintenance is necessary to 

make sure the pump has an accurate 

flow and infusion rate as determined by 

the manufacturer.” This concern is thus 

pushing manufacturers to design improved 

pumps with new safety features to 

meet high demand. For instance, Smith- 

Medical’s CADD ambulatory infusion 

pump has gained recognition for not only 

being easy to read, and having occlusion 

sensors (designed to alert clinicians and 

patients if interruptions of fluid delivery 

occurs) containing an “air-in-line” detection 

system, but also for having an event 

memory of over 1000 events. 

Though the United States economy 

has seen a downturn, the infusion pump 

market has not been significantly impacted. 

Although the current economic climate 

has slowed demand for new equipment, 

hospitals with smaller budgets 

have contributed to an increased demand 

for rental/lease and refurbished pumps. 

Julie Gutterman of Pulse Consultants, 

an infusion pump repair and refurbishing 

company, says, “A lot of hospitals 

that usually go for new equipment 

are now starting to look for refurbished 

equipment because there is just no longer 

room in their budget for new equipment. 

There is a major many benefit to 

buying refurbished - it is much less expensive.” 

Even though it’s less expensive, 

buyers can still feel comfortable with 

their purchases. “All the equipment we 

sell has a warrantee, and people realize 

that it’s a good way to spend their 

money. It saves them more money for 

other equipment they might need,” says 

Gutterman. 

Strachota adds, “They are using 

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efurbished pumps to save up for the 

software driven pumps because pump 

expenditure can be in the millions.” 

As a final note, Gutterman tells 

DOTmed that, “A lot of infusion pumps 

facilities might have purchased new a 

long time ago aren’t being manufactured 

anymore. Since people need to 

stay consistent with their technology, 

they need to go for used, refurbished 

pumps.” 

Business in the refurbished and 

used market is booming, and the original 

equipment manufacturers and suppliers 

also seem to be doing well. Recently 

the Global Industry Analysts (GIA) announced 

that the infusion pump market 

is projected to reach $6.8 billion by 

2015. This statistic is a function of increased 

disease incidence, new technology 

and mobility. 

Currently, the United States and 

Europe dominate the global infusion 

pump market. However, there has been 

a trend of emerging markets in South 

America and China – particularly with 

a strong budding interest in used and refurbished 

pumps. According to analysts 

from Marketstrat Inc, a research company 

that publishes reports on medical 

devices, “Diabetes and pain control are 

areas of potential high growth in countries 

outside the US. These markets are 

still under-penetrated and growth of disease 

rates, improved diagnosis and demand 

for better management will create 

immense market opportunities. Most 

notable will be the pain control market 

in Europe and diabetes market in Asia.” 

In the United States, one of the stronger 

sectors of the market is the homecare 

sector – infusion pumps that are 

patient controlled systems and ambulatory 

pumps. Also a leader in the infusion 

pump industry is the implantable infusion 

pump. This demand is due to rising incidences 

of diabetes and cancer. There is 

a shift towards this alternate care because 

most of the pumps are cost effective and 

emulate normal pancreatic functions. 

The most influential leaders in 

the infusion pump market are Baxter 

Healthcare Corporation, B. Braun Melsungen 

AG, and CareFusion Corporation. 

In fact, the leading infusion pump 

supplier, B. Braun Melsungen AG, has 

received many awards for their part in 

making great advances in the medical 

infusion world. And, according to Caroll 

H. Neubauer, Chairman and CEO of 

B. Braun Medical, “Despite the down 

economy, B. Braun grew 7.37% in the 

Parenteral category in 2008 while the 

overall market segment grew 7.45%, 

and 22.17% in the Solutions/Nutritional 

category in 2008, while the overall market 

segment grew 16.4%.” 

In general, market trends may be 

shifting due to “higher expectations 

from hospitals, specifically pertaining 

to wireless capabilities and interoperability 

with the hospital Clinical Information 

System,” according to KLAS 

Enterprises. As KLAS says in its report 

on smart pumps, 29% of health care 

facilities report that integration with 

the hospital Electronic Medical Record 

(EMR) is the number one priority when 

considering the purchase of new infusion 

pump technologies. 

The shift of focus on the market 

from new pumps to used pumps may 

delay new technological innovations 

for now, but a lot has to be done. Roger 

Strachota says, “IV pumps evolve and 

will be available forever due to hydration 

therapy. It is a mature market, and 

every health care facility will have one 

for every patient that shows up at the 

door.” Because of this, it’s not surprising 

that the success of business in this 

sector will continue to flow. 


DOTmed Registered Infusion Pumps Equipment Sales & Service Companies 




Glenn Herskowitz Universal Medical Technologies Scottsdale AZ 

Anwar Abdelqader CBE Medical, Inc. Anaheim CA • 

Sauda Yerabati Marketstrat, Inc. Dublin CA 

Michael Kilcran Medtec Medical, Inc. Buffalo Grove IL 

Richard Fosco HealthWare, Inc. Oak Brook IL • 

Alda Clemmey STAT Bio-Medical Sales & Service East Freetown MA • • 

Kevin Blaser Coast To Coast Medical Fall River MA 

Bob Gaw Physicians Resource Network, Inc. Fall River MA • • 

Rick Frazier MedEquip Services, Inc. Woburn MA 

John Gladstein Medical Device Depot Ellicott City MD • 

Asif Bhinder tekyard Burnsville MN 

Roger Strachota BMX Medical, Inc. Minneapolis MN • • 

Bob Caples Med-E-Quip Locators, Inc. Maryland Heights MO • • 

Jason Eden Bio Basics Global Park Hills MO • 

Michael Callaghan ISIS Medical Solutions, LLC Tabernacle NJ • • 

John Carrubba A-1 Ultrasound Services West Paterson NJ 

Julie Gutterman Pulse Consultants Mason OH 

Ron Smith Lifeline Biomedical Nashville TN 

Stephen Rousset Medical Equipment Solutions Beaumont TX • 

Charles Tucker MedSurg Equipment, LLC Beaumont TX • 

Andrea Morrill KLAS Enterprises Orem UT 

Joseph Cramer IV Technologies, Inc. Upperville VA • • 


Kevin Ming Healthpower Technology Ltd. Shenzhen China 

Tosif Jamal Al Asasyah Riyadh Saudi Arabia 


54 


By Keith Loria 

Transporting and 

Storing Mobile Trailers 

The high gas prices that plagued the mobile transportation industry last year seem to 

have leveled off, but a number of transportation companies have seen the downward 

economy wreak havoc during the past 12 months. 

“I think just like every other industry influenced by the economy, the transportation 

industry has been very slow over the last year,” says Cliff Hess, owner of 

Texas Medical Mobile Services. “We have seen things start to ramp up over the last few weeks, 

but I don’t know if that is a trend that will continue.” 

Some feel a down economy can actually be a good thing for the mobile industry, as hospitals 

and clinics may look to rent mobile equipment, rather than spend money on upgrading and 

buying new systems. 

“Stuff still needs to be moved, so business has been steady,” says Paul Zahn, Director of 

Sales and Marketing at Mobile MedTech. “Gas prices are not the concern that they were and 

customers are still utilizing us to bring their trailers where needed.” 

Considering mobile medical trailers are utilized for transporting equipment that can be valued 

in the millions - some holding a ten-ton superconducting MRI magnet with over 240,000 

miles of coiled wire bathed in a thousand liters of liquid helium at -452.1 degrees Fahrenheit 

below zero - obviously they’re not dealing with run-of-the-mill freight. 


The Open Road 

Mobile trailers and their cargo are sensitive 

machines that require specialized 

care and a host of exacting procedures 

to get from point A to point B safely and 

securely. Once there, the job still isn’t 

done. There’s still the task of setting up 

the trailer. 

“This is not something that just any 

truck driver can do and our customers really 

depend on us to represent them when 

we set up a trailer at a hospital,” says 

Hess. “The drivers need to be able to deal 

with any problems on the road and once 

they get to their destination, they need to 

get everything situated so the equipment 

is ready to be used by the technician or 

doctor when they are ready to scan.” 

Before hitting the open highways, 

drivers have to make sure the gantry is 

locked in the correct position for transport, 

check suspensions for leveling, 

make sure the load won’t shift and double-check 

that paperwork and instructions 

have been documented properly. 

“A company will call or e-mail us to 

arrange for us to pick up the trailer and 

move it somewhere,” says Lee Bernier, 

General Manager and CEO of Sage Point 

Transportation, LLC, with headquarters 

in Upland, CA, and terminals in Texas, 

New York, and Washington. “We provide 

a tractor equipped with air-ride and 

we have experienced drivers who will go 

and check the trailer to make sure everything 

is stored, put away and tied down, 

dismantle the stairs and railings, hook it 

up and drive to wherever they want it. 

Then, set the trailer up, level and don’t 

leave until someone from the hospital 

comes out and approves that everything 

is set the way they want it.” 

Experienced Drivers Wanted 

Driver responsibilities include being 

able to restart the chiller, making sure 

the air conditioning is connected, knowing 

how to restart the cold head or compressor 

if necessary, and knowing how 

to plug and unplug the unit into a Russelstoll 

480-volt power source in exactly 

the right sequence, or else potentially 

catastrophic problems could arise. 

That’s why transportation companies 

are so stringent when hiring new drivers. 

“We have our drivers spend two 

weeks of training prior to ever getting out 

on the mobile road, learning how to set 

up and tear down the trailers,” says Zahn. 

“We only use experienced drivers who are 

responsible for getting everything ready, 

from top to bottom, on delivery.” 

Hess concurs that his company will 

not let anyone on a medical trailer who 

has not gone through extensive training. 

“We bring them to our facility and 

they learn all about what a medical trailer 

is and the logistics of everything,” he 

says. “They learn what an MRI looks 

like, what to do with a cold head, what 

needs to be done when they pick a trailer 

up and when they drop one off. When 

they are ready, they are equipped with all 

the knowledge they need.” 

Money Issues 

Gas fees aren’t the only wavering issue 

that transportation companies are faced 

with. Insurance is a must (umbrella 

policies of $1 million or more) and special 

permits for oversized or overweight 

trailers need to be obtained. 

“It depends on how new they are, 

but we’ve picked trailers up that have 


een as much as $2.4 million over the years,” says Bernier. 

“You need to carry a lot of insurance, so we cover even more 

than that. That’s one of the reasons why hauling is expensive, 

because you need to have that insurance in case something 

ever did go wrong.” 

Bernier also stresses the importance of understanding it’s 

a “portal to portal business,” and that to maximize profits, you 

should do whatever you can to keep a tractor from returning 

empty, resulting in what is known as bobtail miles. 

Storage Solutions 

Mobiles aren’t usually rented out every day of the year. During 

the days when they are not in demand, they need to be properly 

stored. Once a trailer comes in, it is plugged into power 

(although a CT trailer doesn’t need to be on power, in most 

cases it still is) and then closely monitored. 

“We have to rig it in, connect it to power, run the gas compressor 

and cold head, check the chilled water connection and 

monitor daily. We look at helium levels and check compressors,” 

says Clark Wilkins, President of JDI Solutions. “We’ll 

look to see if any maintenance needs to be done and usually 

we do some special work on the trailers.” 

Because of the trailers being used so regularly, they often 

need some maintenance to get them looking top-notch. 

For this, most storage companies also offer a full selection of 

maintenance and refurbishing services that a trailer can under- 

56 

When You Need to Move Your 

Mobile Imaging Units 

Call Sage Point Transport. 

Experienced. Fully-trained. Insured. 

Sage Point is one of the largest and most experienced 

medical trailer carriers in the nation. 

Our drivers are fully-trained to transport PET/CTs and 

all imaging equipment. We provide comprehensive 

transport, maintenance and storage. 

www.sage-point.com 

POWER UP TO EXCELLENCE 

Call 888-466-SAGE (7243) 


go while awaiting its next run. The mobiles can get trailer repair 

and reconditioning, PMs, deinstallations, reinstallations, 

cold head and compressor maintenance, helium and internal 

magnet pressure monitoring, and A/C service. 

“A storage yard needs to be able to give the trailer a 

planned maintenance,” says Michael Profeta of Magnetic Resonance 

Technologies. “One trailer we just had in, we ended 

up re-servicing the generator, replacing the batteries, adjusting 

the brakes, changing all the bulbs and running lights, cleaning 

the air filters in the A/C unit—all the service related issues not 

part of the equipment, but part of the trailer.” 

Once a transport-heavy company, Texas Medical Mobile 

Solutions has seen its storage business increase to the point 

that they are now doing more storage than transport, tripling 

its customer base in the past six months. They now can accommodate 

30 trailers on power. 

“Any trailer that’s stored here gets checked every single 

day and we can work on every single part of the trailer except 

the medical equipment inside,” says Hess. “From a flat tire to 

brake lights, from painting to reconditioning; we are checking 

all the assembly that goes into a medical trailer.” 

The company also does something unique in that they 

publish a report about each stored trailer on a web site, so their 

customers can check on how their trailer is doing every day. 

“We want to take care of our customers and like them to 

think of us as their service station,” Hess says. 

Mobile MedTech has storage and power available at facilities 

in Council Bluffs, IA and Cottage Grove, WI. 

“Our guys walk the yard every morning and we monitor 

and report the cryogen levels and make sure the air conditioning 

is working, Zahn says. “Ideally, you want to make sure the 

environmentals are working; they are there for a reason.” 

Industry experts estimate the cost of running a chiller on 

an MRI anywhere from $50-$150 a day. 

Bernie Bartoszek, Executive Vice President for MagnaServ 

Inc., says that business is profitable in this sector of 

the company. 

“We have OEMs who pick up units and instead of hauling 

them back to their corporate locations, they pay rent to us and 

we store them for them,” says Bartoszek about the company, 

which can store up to nine MRIs in its Stuart, Fla. location. 

“We have customers bring in the mobiles and they need to be 

refurbished back to their original specs, and we can do all that. 

It’s a good business.” 

When it comes to MRI mobiles, a bit more is required 

than storing a CT or PET mobile. Helium levels need to be 

checked every morning. Magnet pressure needs to be kept 

track of constantly. Chillers need to be attended to and each 

unit has to be kept permanently plugged into a 480-volt Russellstoll 

outlet for the duration of its storage. 

Mobile MRI units are often subjected to more vibration 

than a fixed site unit, so it is very important that the integrity 

of the helium venting system not be compromised. 

“Our team of field-service technicians are trained to inspect 

all seals and perform lead detection on the systems to ensure that 

they have not be compromised,” says Thomas Freund, Director 

of MRI Services for Oxford Superconducting Technology, a divi- 


sion of Oxford Instruments. “In the event 

that the system is exposed to atmosphere, 

[our] technicians are trained to clear any 

visible ice and restore the system back 

into normal operation. In extreme cases 

of helium vessel icing, there may be a 

requirement to warm the system to room 

temperature and then re-cool it to liquid 

helium temperature.” 

Power Down? 

Mobiles were not meant to be stored, as 

they can’t make money if they are sitting 

on a lot. Still, some of the mobiles 

sit for weeks or even months at a time. 

“From a cost perspective, if it’s stored 

too long, it can become problematic,” says 

Chris Eaton, sales and service manager 

for Polaris Medical Imaging. “You’re basically 

using cryogens and power and not 

using your machine. You have to calculate 

if it’s worth keeping it on power.” 

If someone has a magnet and puts 

it in warehouse without power and it 

goes warm after a few weeks, the cost 

to cool it down again with new helium 

would be more expensive than it would 

be to keep it cold during that time as a 

cool down would cost from $30,000 to 

$40,000. However, Profeta says at some 

point, it does make sense to pull the 

plug if they are not getting used. 

“There is a break-even point, usually 

after six months, so if you know it will 

be sitting that long, let it warm up and 

58 


cool it down again,” he says. “Sometimes 

people get stuck hanging on to something 

for a year and don’t need to be paying 

$36,000-plus to let it sit for that long.” 

Problem Solving 

The two critical elements in keeping a 

magnet cold involve ensuring that the 

helium level is monitored and topped 

off as required, and making sure that the 

refrigeration system is operating within 

specification. 

Poor maintenance and servicing 

procedures can often lead to a quench, 

and recovering from a quench will be 

costly and time consuming. 

“Magnet technology has gotten better 

and with experienced engineers, quenches 

don’t happen near as often as they used 

to,” says Michael Webster of Legacy 

Medical Imaging. “A black quench means 

the magnet shorted or burned up and is 

not repairable (in the field). A soft quench 

you can replace the baffle, check magnet 

resistance, check for signs of ice, fill it up 

with cryogens and try to ramp it.” 

Freund offers that the most important 

aspect is addressing the problem 

as quickly as possible, minimizing any 

air ingress and ensuring that the system 

does not go warm. 

“As soon as the quench subsides, the 

venting needs to be inspected to ensure 

that all valves have closed, bursting discs 

are inspected to ensure that they have not 

been compromised,” he says. “O-rings 

are often overlooked and also need to be 

inspected. Once the venting integrity has 

been established, the system needs to be 

checked for any air/ice ingress. If clear, 

the system can be re-filled with liquid helium 

and re-ramped to field. A frequency 

check and shim check should be included 

with this part of the service to ensure the 

system is within specification.” 

Helium Costs Rising 

The worldwide consumption of helium 

has increased by between 5% and 10% a 

year in the past decade, with the biggest 

growth in its use as a coolant for the superconducting 

magnets in MRIs. Present 

helium consumption is estimated 

to be about 100 million cubic meters a 

year, and is predicted to continue rising 

by 4% to 5% a year. 

“Helium costs have doubled all at 

once for a lot of people. Some people still 

have good numbers because their contracts 

aren’t up, but eventually they will 

all be paying that much,” Profeta says, 

pointing to the shortage of helium as the 

reason. “Our price almost doubled.” 

According to those doing the renting, 

the medical mobile industry continues 

to do well, and the transportation, 

storage and keep-cold businesses concentrate 

on providing top customer service 

to keep the overall industry strong. 


DOTmed Registered Mobile Trailer Transportation, Trailer Storage, MRI Keep Cold Service 

Equipment Sales & Service Companies 




Steve Gregson Sage Point Transport, LLC Upland CA 

Bernie Bartoszek MagnaServ, Inc. Parker CO 

Gene Miller MobileMed Support Services Stafford Springs CT 

Dennis Giuzio Mobile Radiology, Inc. New Port Richey FL 

Jack Stoner Medical Transit Services, Inc. Cartersville GA 

Darlene Bishop Global Transportation, Inc. Newnan GA • 

Dan Feeley National Mobile Medical Transport Homer Glen IL 

Jennifer VanDerMolen Powersource Transportation, Inc. Griffith IN 

Clark Wilkins JDI Solutions, Inc. Brevard NC • • 

Christi Kukes DMS Health Technologies Fargo ND 

Thomas Freund Oxford Instruments Carteret NJ • • 

Michael Profeta Magnetic Resonance Technologies Willoughby OH • 

Jack Barker Rowe Transfer, Inc. Knoxville TN 

Michael Webster Legacy Medical Imaging Fort Worth TX 

Chris Eaton Polaris Medical Imaging Houston TX 

Cliff Hess Texas Medical Mobile Services Waxahachie TX 

Paul Zahn Mobile MedTech Cottage Grove WI • 


Adam Kubisch Inmed Medizintechnik Offenbach Germany 


Medical Coaches Drives New Auto Leveling Technology 

Leveling PET/CT coaches is a precision game and 

the quality of patient imaging depends on it. The 

future of mobile biomedical unit leveling appears 

to be just pulling in with the Automatic Leveling 

System, a new technology developed jointly by 

Medical Coaches and Siemens in partnership with Power- 

Packer, a hydraulic motion control engineering company. 

DOTmed caught up with one of the first mobile biomedical 

professionals to use the system. Ken Hyatt, Transportation 

Director for the PET/CT Center of North Florida, a part of the 

Florida Radiation Oncology Group (FROG) and the Oncure 

Medical network, works with five biomedical trailers, three of 

which are outfitted with the Automatic Leveling System. 

“It works great -- you just walk up to it and push a button 

and watch it work. It saves a lot of time for our drivers,” 

says Hyatt. “I wish I had it on all my trailers.” 

Hyatt says more than 10,000 scans are conducted in his 

coaches every year. The Automatic Leveling System slices 

several minutes off the typical leveling time and could 

potentially improve patient throughput. 

“It takes about two and a half to three minutes now where 

it used to take 15 to 20 minutes to set up,” says Hyatt. 

Medical Coaches Marketing Director Chad Smith explained 

the functionality of the system, which is currently 

used by about five customers on Siemens-exclusive medical 

trailers. 

“The reason we came up with the Automatic Leveling System 

was to ensure the most accurate stability levelness of 

the PET/CT equipment on site,” says Smith. “No matter 

where they pulled up they could hit a button and it would 

level from side to side, front to back, to exactly zero, so 

By Kathy F. Mahdoubi 

that when they went to scan patients they know they are 

getting the most accurate feedback from the scanner.” 

Scanning patients in improperly leveled trailers could lead 

to inaccurate patient imaging. 

“If your coaches aren’t level, you’re going to throw your scans 

off, which throws your treatment planning off,” Hyatt says. 

Tim Seksinsky, On-Highway Market Leader for Power-Packer, 

spoke with DOTmed about the nuts and bolts of product 

development, which began in 2006 when Medical Coaches 

and Siemens found that the leveling of the longer, more 

heavy-duty PET/CT coaches needed to be more exact. 

“The goal set in 2006 was for Power Packer to create a system 

to reduce the time to level the Medical Coaches PET/CT 

mobile unit from 15 minutes with the two-point landing gear 

system to five minutes or less with an extremely accurate 

four-point hydraulic leveling system,” notes Seksinsky. 

All parties worked on prototypes throughout 2007 and arrived 

at the finished product last year. The hydraulic system employs 

four-inch diameter jack legs and is controlled by a keypad 

controller, or “black box,’ which is wired and mounted in 

a compartment on the exterior of the trailer. An indicator light 

on the control panel confirms when the trailer is level. The 

Automatic Leveling System has been built according to Mobile 

Coaches’ and Siemens PET/CT system specifications 

and is currently installed on 48-foot long, 102-inch wide and 

13-foot, 5-inch tall trailers weighing about 57,000 lbs. 

Some of the environments these coaches settle into may 

have as much as a 10-degree pitch or down slope, all of 

which are manageable with the auto leveler. Hyatt says 

the system is especially helpful for night drivers. 

The system is showing a tremendous amount of room for 

growth and can be both retrofitted or modified for use with 

other trailers including MRI and mammography units and 

even biomedical RVs. 

“We are thinking of adding an MRI trailer by the end of the 

year,” says Hyatt. 

The Automatic Leveling System is just getting started in 

the U.S., but Medical Coaches and Power-Packer are already 

thinking not only creatively, but globally. 

“The Power Packer Key pad controller has the capability to 

drive other motion control devices on the coach and can be 

configured to display instructions in different languages, as 

well, if required in the future,” explains Seksinsky. 



The European Society for 

Magnetic Resonance in 

Medicine and Biology 

The European Society of Magnetic Resonance in 

Medicine and Biology (ESMRMB) Congress 

2009 will be held on October 1 to 3, 2009, in 

Belek/Antalya, Turkey, at the Maritim Beach Hotel. 

Professor A. Muhtesem Agildere, as Chair of 

the Local Organizing Committee, will host the event. 

ESMRMB president, Professor Isabelle Berry says, “This 

year, ESMRMB holds its 26 th Congress in the very same spirit that 

founded our society in 1984, as a platform for clinicians, physicists 

and basic scientists with an interest in the field of MR.’’ 

The Scientific Programme Committee is chaired by Professor 

Bernard Van Beers, who has prepared a very attractive 

lineup. The plenary, scientific and clinical focus sessions as 

well as the mini categorical courses will offer a wide range of 

novelties in the various aspects of magnetic resonance. 

“The scientific meeting will start with the Sir Peter Mansfield 

Lecture given by Professor Kamil Ugurbil on ultrahigh 

field MRI,” states, Professor Van Beers. “Other meeting highlights 

include the popular, hot-topic debate about quantitative 

MRI, the roundtable discussion on clinical spectroscopy, the 

young investigator award finals, plenary sessions devoted to 

ageing and neurodegenerative diseases, novel endogenous 

contrast phenomena, and post parallel imaging.” 

Meeting Highlights Include the Following: 

• 31 scientific sessions, 8 teaching sessions, 7 clinical focus 

sessions, 62 invited talks 

• 3 Industry Symposia: 

• Thursday, October 1 - GE Healthcare 

• Friday, October 2 - Siemens Healthcare 

• Saturday, October 3 - Philips Healthcare 

• Paper Poster and EPOS exhibition 

• Technical exhibition from Thursday to Saturday 

• Sir Peter Mansfield Lecture on Very high field MRI 

• ESMRMB/EFOMP Joint Session 

• Hot Topic Debate: What is the point of quantitative MRI? 

• Round Table Discussion on Clinical Spectroscopy 

• Young Investigator Award Finals 

• Info-RESO demonstration exhibition 

• Teaching Quiz throughout the congress – the winner will be 

announced during the Award Ceremony on Saturday, October 

3rd. 

For more information about the ESMRMB Conference go to 

http://www.esmrmb.org/. 

Breast Online: Ultrasound dotmed.com/dm10015 

Digital Mammo Breast MR 

• 

60 

shows & conferences 


The Tennessee Hospital 

Association 

The Tennessee Hospital Association (THA) will 

host its 44th Annual Technical and Education 

Exposition & 71st Annual Meeting, October 28th 

through the 29th at the Nashville Convention 

Center in Nashville, TN. The theme of this year’s 

meeting is “Defining the New Normal.” 

The schedule of the THA Annual Meeting is Wednesday, 

October 28, through the afternoon of Friday, October 30. 

Meetings of the various groups are scheduled for Wednesday, 

Thursday and Friday at the Renaissance Hotel and Nashville 

Convention Center. 

Craig A. Becker THA president said, “Each year, the 

THA Technical and Educational Exposition includes over 

200 booths featuring more than 180 health care companies 

and consultants, which will be open Wednesday evening, 

during the THA Ice Breaker Social and continues Thursday. 

The products and services will include the most advanced 

technology and equipment available for patient care and hospital 

operations.” 

THA’s 44-year-old exposition is one of the largest trade 

shows sponsored by a state hospital association in the nation. 

“We strongly encourage all THA members and annual meeting 

registrants to attend the exhibit show. It is a win-win situation 

for health care professionals and the vendors who participate, 

because they have an opportunity to see the latest state-of-the 

art health care technology, products and services. The exhibitors 

are very supportive of THA and we thank them for participating 

in the show,” Becker said. 

DOTmed plans on attending this year’s show, and 

Mark Colavecchio, Online Auction Specialist for DOTmed. 

com said of last year’s show, “The THA Annual Technical 

and Education Exposition presented DOTmed with the opportunity 

to speak with the decision makers of facilities, 

large and small.” 

THA is the premiere organization in Tennessee that promotes 

and represents the interests of all health careers, hospitals 

and health systems. 

Those wishing to participate may go to the THA web 

site at www.tha.com or email scrutchfield@tha.com, for 

more information about registration and Exhibit Booth 

Contract. 



Healthcare Workforce Trends: 

An Unabated Need for Clinicians, Engineers and Techs 

By Barbara Kram 

Health 

care in 

the U.S. 

represents 

about onesixth 

of the 

economy and a 

strong source of job 

growth in a tight labor market. 

But it’s a “careful-whatyou-wish-for” 

bright spot in a 

slow economy. By all indications, 

filling tomorrow’s needs for health 

care professionals will be a great 

challenge for the nation’s hospitals and 

other health care providers. 

The clarion example is the anticipated 

shortage of primary care physicians. It is accepted 

wisdom that to rein in health care costs 

patients need a “quarterback” to coordinate their 

care, particularly in chronic disease prevention and 

management. Chronic diseases account for 70% of 

all deaths in the United States and the care costs for 

people with chronic diseases account for more than 75% 

of the nation’s $2 trillion medical care costs, according to 

the Center for Disease Control (CDC). 

The American College of Physicians warned in 2006 that primary 

care was on the verge of collapse and more recently reported on 


how little has been done 

about it. “The United 

States has yet to 

implement comprehensive 

strategies to 

recognize, support 

and enhance primary 

care to the degree necessary 

to reverse a worsening 

primary care shortage,” 

states the ACP in a recent white paper: 

How Is a Shortage of Primary Care Physicians 

Affecting the Quality and Cost of 

Medical Care? 

Today, physicians represent about a 

60/40 split between specialists and primary 

care doctors, an imbalance brought 

about by higher pay incentives to enter 

specialties. Specialists earn about twice 

the pay of general practitioners according 

to the Bureau of Labor 

Statistics (BLS.gov). Heavy 

medical school debt causes 

a disproportionate number 

of M.D.s to pursue 

specialties. 

Why should hospitals 

or medical facility administrators 

care about this? After 

all, they aren’t in the business 

of providing primary care. Yet, 

the burden of the uninsured, combined 

with America’s primary care crisis has 

transplanted primary care to tertiary 

care facilities. As the ACP white paper 

documents, patients living in areas with 

primary care shortages are at higher risk 

for preventable hospitalizations. 

Meanwhile, we can’t lose sight of 

shortages in medical specialties. 

“Physician shortages extend far 

beyond primary care and have already 

been reported in 19 specialties as varied 

as emergency care, general surgery 

and child and adolescent psychiatry,” 

J. James Rohack, M.D., President, American 

Medical Association, indicates in a 

recent letter to the Dallas Morning News. 

Dr. Rohack recommends increased funding 

for the National Health Service Corps 

to address the primary care problem. He 

also wants to lift the cap on governmentfunded 

medical residency slots. “We 

must seize this opportunity for comprehensive 

health reform to ensure there 

are enough physicians to care for all of 

America’s patients,” he notes. 

62 


Great Jobs Outlook 

The primary care crisis is the elephant 

in the room when discussing health care 

staffing. However, other clinical and 

technical professionals are also vital 

to operational success at hospitals and 

other facilities. 

According to the recent report by 

the president’s Council of Economic 

Advisors, the long-term trend shows 

increasing prospects in the health care 

field, including the occupations of 

medical records and health information 

technicians, registered nurses, clinical 

laboratory technicians and physical 

therapists. The subsectors of nursing 

homes, physician offices and hospitals 

should also continue to grow. Home 

health care, outpatient care and medical 

and diagnostic laboratories are 

some of the subsectors expected 

to add the most jobs. (See 

DM9635.) 

The health care field 

is a great place to be employed. 

Education and 

health services, taken together 

in government data, 

is an industry supersector 

projected to grow 18.8% by 

2016, and add more jobs, nearly 5.5 

million, than any other industry supersector. 

More than three out of every ten 

new jobs created in the U.S. economy 

will be in either the health care and social 

assistance, or public and private 

educational services sectors. 

Health care and social assistance— 

including public and private hospitals, 

nursing and residential care facilities, 

and individual and family services— 

will grow by 25.4% and add 4 million 

new jobs, according to the Department 

of Labor’s Tomorrow’s 

Jobs report. Employment 

growth will be driven by 

increasing demand for 

health care because of 

an aging population and 

longer life expectancies. 

Nursing Shortage 

Eases, Temporarily 

Nursing remains at the center of health 

care provision in many settings and the 

shortage persists. While the economic 

downturn has motivated many retired 

nurses to return to the field, as reported 

in Health Affairs in June, the problem 

is not over. In 2007 and 2008 

the ranks of America’s nurses 

grew by about a quarter million. 

That’s a relief, but this 

injection of talent won’t be 

enough to address a longterm 

nursing deficit that 

will be caused by retiring 

baby boomers, according to 

the study’s authors. 

While the seminal BLS data was 

compiled before the recent recession, it 

reflects the intractability of the nursing 

shortage well into the future. We will 

need 587,000 more nurses by 2016, a 

23.5% increase in a decade. That is not 

counting those positions that need replacing 

due to retirement. So while the recent 

swelling of the nursing ranks from a poor 

economy has slowed the demand a bit, 

overall, the nursing crisis continues not 

only because the professionals are aging, 

but because the patient base is also aging 

and will demand more care. 

The American Association of Colleges 

of Nursing has neatly summarized 

the ongoing trouble that is the cause 

and effect of the nursing shortage. For 

instance, insufficient staffing makes 

the job more stressful for nurses in the 

workplace and drives many out of the 

profession. The AACN also documents 

that a high nurse turnover and vacancy 

rates are affecting access and quality of 

health care for patients. Nursing school 

enrollment is not growing fast enough 

to meet the demand for RNs and lack of 

faculty is part of the vicious cycle. 

On a positive note for nurses and 

other practitioners, the federal economic 

stimulus package earmarks 

$200 million to support 

training programs for 

health care professionals, 

including $80.2 million 

for scholarships and 

loans; $39 million will be 

earmarked for nurses and 

nurse faculty, and $47.6 for 

primary care, among many other 

endowments. Also, the American 

Nurses Association is re-launching its 

Nurses Career Center, now a part of the 

National Healthcare Career Network 


(NHCN), a health care association job 

board network. (See DM 9873.) 

Biomedical Engineering 

Moving In-House 

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau 

of Labor Statistics projects a 21% 

increase in biomedical engineer employment 

through 2016, which is much 

faster than average growth compared to 

other occupations. More anecdotally, 

DOTmed’s community of biomedical 

service and support companies 

reports an overall trend 

toward bringing medical 

equipment service in 

house at U.S. hospitals. 

“There is no question 

that hospital systems are 

taking on more accountability 

for managing equipment 

and resources,” said 

Rob Piconi, President and Chief 

Executive Officer, ReMedpar. “The 

pendulum is swinging toward an inhouse 

trend. People are saying we can 

do equipment maintenance and repair 

more cheaply by bringing this in-house 

and getting off some of the expensive 

service agreements.” 

The trend suggests that biomedical 

engineers will be highly sought by hospitals 

in the near future. Apart from reducing 

costs, another objective for in-sourcing 

is to improve repair service response. 

Conversely, challenges to in-sourcing 

include technical staff and education, 

managing and monitoring equipment 

performance, and finding parts. 

“As administrators look to effect 

these strategies toward moving service 

in-house, they have to be cognizant of 

the skill-base within the hospital to do 

maintenance service agreements on machines, 

which requires ongoing capabilities 

training,” Piconi said. 

According to the Department of 

Labor, as biomedical engineering grows 

as a field, the education requirements 

are also increasing. Because of the intensifying 

interest in this field, the number 

of degrees granted in biomedical 

engineering has increased greatly. Biomedical 

engineers, particularly those 

with only a bachelor’s degree, may face 

competition for their jobs. Unlike many 

other engineering specialties, a gradu- 

ate degree is recommended, or required, 

for many entry-level jobs in this field, 

according to the Occupational Outlook 

Handbook. 

Interestingly, the states with the 

highest concentration of biomedical engineers 

are California, Massachusetts, 

Minnesota, Maryland and Utah. 

Help Wanted: Technologists, 

Technicians and 

Therapists 

A heartbeat away from the essential 

care of clinicians is 

the contribution of medical 

technologists, technicians 

and therapists. Specialists 

in a number of job categories 

are experiencing 

increased demand for their 

services (see chart). 

As a snapshot of the demand/supply 

balance, it’s helpful to 

look at results from a 2009 survey of 

U.S. radiology facilities. Results from 

a Nationwide Survey of Radiation 

Therapy Facility Managers and Directors 

conducted by the American Society 

of Radiologic Technologists show that 

respondents estimate 7.6% of all FTEs 

(full-time equivalent positions) budgeted 

for radiation therapists are currently 

vacant and recruiting, 8.2% of 

dosimetrist positions, 12.1% of medical 

physicist positions, 9.2% of radiation 

oncologist positions, 7.1% of nursing 

positions, 6.1% of ancillary staff positions, 

as well as 10.2% of administrative 

staff. Note that only 18% of respondents 

indicated they have experienced consequences 

of a workforce shortage at their 

facility. However, an overall greater difficulty 

was reported in recruiting radiation 

therapists since last year. 

In addition to techs, medical assistants’ 

ranks will grow. For instance, 

the broad category of medical assistants 

(35.4% job growth) was the fastestgrowing 

occupation in DOTmed’s BLS 

data dip of selected jobs. Other future 

needs will be great for physical therapist 

assistants (32.4%) and physician 

assistants (27%). 

In another trend, as the needs of researchers 

and patients increase, additional 

professional certifications are being 

created helping variety of health occupations 

to grow. For example, a comprehensive 

education and training program 

has been introduced by RadMD, LLC 

for professionals in medical imaging for 

pharmaceutical, medical device and biotech 

clinical trials (DM 9868). 

For ongoing coverage of trends and 

opportunities in the health professions, 

visit www.dotmed.com/careers. 


Selected Health Occupations Percent Change in Total 

Employment 2006-2016 

Medical assistants 35.4 

Physical therapist assistants 32.4 

Physical therapists 27.1 

Physician assistants 27.0 

Cardiovascular technologists and technicians 25.5 

Occupational therapist assistants 25.4 

Radiation therapists 24.8 

Surgical technologists 24.5 

Registered nurses 23.5 

Occupational therapists 23.1 

Respiratory therapists 22.6 

Medical equipment repairers 21.7 

Biomedical engineers 21.1 

Emergency medical technicians and paramedics 19.2 

Diagnostic medical sonographers 19.1 

Medical records and health information technicians 17.8 

Medical and clinical laboratory technicians 15.0 

Nuclear medicine technologists 14.8 

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 


DEGREES OF 

fREEdOM: 

Redefining 

the Field of 

PROSThETICS 

By Joan Trombetti 

64 


Modern technology has greatly 

advanced the manufacturing 

and usefulness of prosthetics. 

Researchers and inventors 

are designing prosthetics that 

closely mimic natural joints and 

limbs. Even though there have 

been substantial strides made in 

the field, the improvements are 

still significant year after year. 

With prosthetics more lifelike than ever, individuals fitted for them 

are more willing to accept them; because what can be done with a prosthetic 

arm, leg, knee, hip, finger or eye could never be done before. 

What makes this possible is the research and inventions from great 

minds working independently or for research institutions, hospitals, 

companies and government agencies with the main purpose of creating 

prosthetic applications for virtually every part of the human body. 

Over the past five to ten years, by far the greatest advancement in 

the field of prosthetics has been the use of microprocessor technology 

to operate the major joints of the prosthesis (knees, hands and elbows). 

These days, it is not uncommon for a prosthetic component to require 

a laptop computer for programming the device to the wearer’s needs. 

Nor is it uncommon for a user to have to plug-in their prosthesis at 

night so that an internal battery can charge while they sleep. 

“Microprocessor technology provides a more sophisticated means 

of prosthetics operation and allows wearers to achieve better function, 

mobility and confidence,” says Mark Maguire, CPO Clinical Director, 

Advanced Prosthetics Center, LLC, Omaha, NE. 


Maguire says that the terms “bionics” or 

“robotics”, have not been widely accepted 

within the prosthetic industry, instead, “we typically 

use the term microprocessor technology”. 

This terminology indicates that the prosthesis 

has a computer processor on board, similar to 

a personal computer, that reads inputs from 

sensors and then calculates adjustments to the 

prosthesis to accommodate the wearer’s activities. 

The Advanced Prosthetics Center has a 

unique business model in which the company 

utilizes the latest in both prosthetic technology 

and fitting techniques and places a strong 

emphasis on specialized physical therapy. “We 

have learned that it is more difficult for a patient 

to benefit from advanced technology until 

they receive physical therapy from a gait and 

mobility specialist,” says Maguire. 

Ohio Willow Wood Fusion Foot 

Advanced Prosthetics recently integrated the 

Ohio Willow Wood OMEGA Tracer CAD- 

CAM system. The system features a one-of-akind 

“Alpha Design Liner” program. The new 

imaging system is more accurate than traditional 

plaster impression techniques and simplifies 

the initial process of prosthetic fabrication. It 

allows the company to capture a digital image 

of the limb, and manipulate the model as a 3-D 

image on a computer screen. 

Most prosthetic feet are designed to provide 

specific characteristics, like vertical shock 

or inversion and eversion, but few prosthetic 

feet actually provide several characteristics in 

one package. Ohio Willow Wood has broken the 

mold with the development of their Fusion Foot, 

a prosthetic foot which provides a spectrum of 

key traits for maximum user comfort and performance. 

The Fusion Foot’s design allows the 

carbon fiber shank, heel and foot plate to work 

together through each step rather than independently, 

as is the case with traditional designs. 

Bob Arbogast, Ohio Willow Wood’s, president 

says, “Our thrust of new product development 

is to create products that improve the 

Fusion Foot by 

Ohio Willow Wood 

functionality and quality of life for amputees. 

Our research and development team studied the 

top-selling prosthetic feet to identify the core 

characteristics clinicians and amputees want 

in a prosthetic foot. Our team then designed 

a foot that delivers several of those core characteristics 

such as inversion/eversion, smooth 

heel-to-toe transition, and vertical shock absorption, 

rather than only one or two.” 

“While there are many other feet available 

on the market that provide multi-axial articulation 

and shock absorption, some are bulky, 

heavy and expensive,” said Jim Colvin, Ohio 

Willow Wood’s director of engineering. “It was 

our goal to develop a prosthetic foot that featured 

multi-axial articulation and shock absorption 

in a lightweight, compact, customizable 

and affordable design. Clinical and laboratory 

results have shown that we were able to achieve 

this goal with our unique carbon composite 

and bumper design. Key elements of the patent 

pending design are the toe and heel bumper assemblies, 

which suspend the carbon composite 

foot shank above the foot plate, allowing for 

controlled articulation and shock absorption of 

the foot shank and a very natural gait.” 

X-System – Finger Device 

The X-System is a series of stainless steel 

components that can be assembled into several 

hundred configurations of artificial hands. 

“When I first started this project, I developed 

a single finger device, which I called the 

X-Finger,” said Daniel Dean Didrick, Inventor 

and Designer, Didrick Medical Inc., Naples, 

FL. Each X-Finger is comprised of several 

components that are fastened together. Each 

component is attached to its corresponding 

components, creating a reciprocally and transversely 

interconnected configuration of parts 

when complete. This crisscross pattern of parts 

resembles Xs repeating; thereby, receiving the 

name X-Finger. 


Didrick then went on to develop a 

series of components that can be assembled 

to stabilize from one to ten fingers 

depending on the user’s needs. 

Whether someone is missing one 

finger or all ten fingers, an assembly can 

be created to accommodate their needs. 

“What makes the configurations of parts 

unique is that when applied, the user is 

able to control the movement of each 

replaced finger by simply moving their 

remnant finger,” said Didrick. “If an entire 

finger is missing, an opposing finger 

is able to control the device’s movement. 

If all of the fingers are missing the 

replaced digits can be connected to the 

palm. In these cases the movement of 

the palm in relation to the wrist controls 

66 


Microprocessor Knee & key fob used to 

adjust prosthesis to an activity specific 

setting. (Image courtesy of Advanced 

Prosthetics Center, LLC) 

the flexion and extension movements of 

each replaced finger.” 

Because there are no expensive 

electronics, the devices can be produced 

in mass quantity at a low cost. This 

will allow individuals from any economic 

background to benefit from the 

advancement. “Many of us have seen 

robot-like fingers moving on prosthetic 

hands. However, these devices were 

only available when someone had lost 

their entire hand,” said Didrick. There 

are many robotic prosthetic hands and 

arms available, but finger amputees had 

no functional prosthetic options available 

to them. When someone lost one 

through ten fingers, the only prosthetic 

option was to wear a silicone, non-bend- 

ing glove that resembles the appearance 

of the prior hand. These gloves or finger 

covers do not restore function, but 

rather mask the condition from others. 

While masking the condition may be a 

benefit offering an aesthetic gain, the X- 

System offers what the prosthetic industry 

terms active-function. 

Didrick Medical Inc. was contracted 

by the United States Department of 

Defense to develop the X-Thumb to 

complement the company’s other devices. 

Today, every major insurance carrier 

in the U.S. has approved Didrick’s devices 

for their patients. For the past several 

years, he has been developing this 

technology to help a variety of patients. 

Now, the company is shifting gears and 

moving into mass-production enabling 

a larger patient body to use them. The 

X-Finger has been showcased in numerous 

museums including the United 

States Patent and Trademark Museum. 

SynTouch Technology 

Gerald E. Loeb, M.D., Professor of 

Biomedical Engineering, University of 

Southern California and Chief Executive 

Officer, SynTouch, LCC, is head of 

a research team at USC that has developed 

a mechatronic fingertip that provides 

a sense of touch similar to that of a 

human fingertip. It employs novel “biomimetic” 

design principles to achieve 

robustness, as well as high-sensitivity 

and dynamic range. The technology is 

being developed by a spin-off company, 

SynTouch LCC, for a wide range of 

applications, including, in addition to 

prosthetic hands, industrial robots and 

fruit-harvesting machines. 

Syntouch recently received Small 

Business Innovative Research (SBIR) 

grants from the United States National Institutes 

of Health, National Science Foundation 

and Department of Agriculture. 

Dr. Loeb noted that Syntouch is 

working only on the sensors themselves 

and their integration into the control of 

prosthetic and robotic hands. “We are 

working with various industrial partners 

who build the mechatronic hands 

and arms.” 

The DigiTAC fingertip has a rigid 

core, elastic skin and even a fingernail, 

similar to a human finger. The skin is 

inflated with a small amount of conduc- 


tive fluid. Electrodes distributed over 

the surface of the core detect changes 

in electrical resistance resulting from 

distortions of the skin upon contact with 

objects and surfaces. A pressure sensor 

inside the core detects micro vibrations 

in the skin and fluid associated with slip 

over surfaces. A thermistor detects the 

temperature and heat flows associated 

with contacting objects made of various 

materials. All signal processing is 

done by electronic circuitry molded into 

the rigid core, where it is protected from 

the hostile environments in which hands 

are often used. The skin is molded from 

silicone rubber and is easily replaced 

when worn or damaged. 

Dr. Loeb explained, “The next 

challenge is to integrate this sensory 

information with the commands from 

the operator. In some cases, this will 

require “haptic displays” that recreate 

the sensations of touch as now 

employed in advanced virtual reality 

systems. In other situations, the tactile 

information will be used automatically 

to adjust the grip, similar to the reflexes 

upon which humans rely to prevent 

slip.” Eventually, it should be possible 

for autonomous robots to identify and 

handle common tools and objects. At 

present, robots can handle objects only 

if they are well known and marked with 

visual identifiers of highly engineered 

attachment points. 

DARPA 

Defense Advanced Research Projects 

Agency (DARPA) is part of the Federal 

Government that falls under the Department 

of Defense. The DARPA prosthetics 

program is an ambitious effort to provide 

the most advanced medical and rehabilitative 

technologies for military personnel 

injured in the line of duty. DARPA 

is currently working on two different upper 

extremity prosethetic devices. Their 

research team has recently developed a 

prosthetic arm that is undergoing trials 

with the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

The Johns Hopkins University 

Applied Physics Laboratory is work- 

ing with DARPA, developing a different 

arm, which will be the first fully 

integrated prosthetic arm that can be 

controlled naturally, provide sensory 

feedback and allow for eight degrees of 

freedom – a level of control far beyond 

the current state of the art for prosthetic. 

(Each degree of freedom represents an 

independent field of motion such as up/ 

down, left/right, forward/back, etc.) 

A spokesman for DARPA indicated 

that while there are many details left to 

coordinate, “participants in the Revolutionizing 

Prosthetics program along 

with several others throughout the prosthetics 

community appear to be working 

toward a major event early next year to 

detail successes in prosthetics across the 

board, as well major advancements in 

prosthetic arms resulting from clinical 

and home trials from a DARPA/Veterans 

Affairs collaborative effort.” 

This is certainly a situation where 

the lines blur between science and medicine 

to the advantage of everyone. 


Britain's Prince Harry is greeted by Gulf War Veteran and Department 

of Veterans Affairs Intern Paul Yarbrough at the Department 

of Veterans Affairs New York Harbor Healthcare System Manhattan 

campus. Yarbrough is participating in tests of the DEKA Arm, 

an advanced artificial limb developed with DARPA funding. 

(Dept of Veterans Affairs Photo by Lamel Hinton) 


The great inventor Thomas 

Edison was famously 

quoted as saying, “Genius 

is 1% inspiration and 

99% perspiration.” As 

was typically the case, he was probably 

onto something, but he forgot 

one part of that equation. It’s apparent 

if you are a regular reader of “Health 

Care Chronicles,” whether it’s the 

discovery of X-rays, anesthesia, or in 

this case, a drug that has saved thousands 

of lives, genius is a mix of inspiration, 

perspiration and having the 

good fortune to be in the right place at 

the right time. 

Based on biographical information, 

there’s no doubt Alexander Fleming 

definitely had genius. Fleming was 

skilled in most things he focused his attention 

on. As a young man, he excelled 

in academics as well as sports, being a 

respected marksman, water polo player 

and golfer. Perhaps the only things he 

didn’t excel at were being very free and 

open with acquaintances – even close 

friends never felt they truly knew him 

- and keeping a tidy lab. Still, this may 

have served to the benefit of mankind as 

it meant Fleming focused on his scientific 

work and that work in turn, led to 

one of the most important drug discoveries 

ever. 

In September of 1928, in Fleming’s 

untidy lab, a petri dish containing staphylococcus 

bacteria also became host to 

some opportunistic mold. Fleming noticed 

the staph colonies which had been 

nearest the growing mold were no longer 

there. Acting quickly, he cultivated 

the mold and introduced it into a new 

petri dish with fresh bacteria. Within 

68 


This Month 

in Medical History 

For Penicillin, Persistence Pays 

days, he could see the mold was killing 

different varieties of bacteria within the 

dish. Taking his studies further, he used 

a sterile solution to dilute the mold six 

hundred times and tested the solution. 

To his surprise, the liquid still worked 

to kill bacteria. 

Fleming brought his findings to the 

Medical Research Club where they were 

ignored by his colleagues. Some may 

have been jealous that Fleming managed 

to act on an opportunity that they 

too had – but they hadn’t recognized it 

and had simply thrown-out petri dishes 

when they were infiltrated by mold. 

Still, Fleming realized his findings 

could serve as a great boon to the world, 

so he persisted and went on to publish a 

paper in the British Journal of Experimental 

Pathology where he wrote about 

the Penicillium mold. 

Again, his work was ignored, but 

Fleming pressed on. He presented more 

findings in 1936 at the Second International 

Congress of Microbiology. However, 

by this time, sulfa drugs were in 

fashion and again, little attention was 

paid to Fleming’s incredible discovery. 

In 1939, at the Third International Congress 

of Microbiology, Fleming learned 

of some American researchers attempting 

to further his work with penicillin. 

But, war was soon to breakout between 

Germany and England and Fleming cut 

his trip to the States short and headed 

back to England with his wife. 

Fleming wasn’t the only one travelling 

due to the war – Ernst Chain 

was a young Chemist who had fled 

Germany just after the Nazis took control. 

He settled at Oxford, and with the 

help of Australian pathologist Howard 

Florey, succeeded in creating a highly 

concentrated and pure form of penicillin. 

On May 25, 1940, the two injected 

the solution into four mice which had 

been infected with streptococci, leaving 

four others without treatment. The 

following morning, the injected mice 

were fine, while the untreated mice 

were dead. They went on to test their 

solution on humans who were dying of 

infection and received further promising 

results. 

A paper was published by the duo 

entitled, “Further Observations on 

Penicillin.” Through this paper, Fleming 

learned of the research, and realizing 

his work had finally been redeemed 

said, “You have made something of my 

substance.” 

In truth, his statement could hold 

multiple meanings. 



Law 

& Order 

By Astrid Fiano, Esq. 

Federal: FTC Challenges Acquisitions by 

Carilion, Thoratec 

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has authorized a lawsuit 

to block Thoratec Corporation’s proposed $282 million 

acquisition of medical device maker HeartWare International, 

Inc. They also issued an administrative complaint challenging 

Carilion Clinic’s 2008 acquisition of two outpatient clinics in 

the Roanoke, VA, area, according to FTC press releases. 

In the Throatec case, the FTC says the acquisition transaction 

would “substantially reduce” competition in the U.S. 

market for left ventricular devices (LVADs). The FTC’s administrative 

complaint alleges that Thoratec seeks to maintain 

its current monopoly by acquiring HeartWare, the only significant 

rival to Thoratec’s LVAD market dominance. The FTC 

plans to seek a preliminary injunction in federal court to stop 

the transaction and limit harm to competition. The FTC says 

HeartWare’s device, the HVAD, is currently in clinical trials 

and is positioned to be the next FDA-approved LVAD. 

In the Carilion matter, the FTC notes that prior to acquisition 

the clinics in question—Center for Advanced Imaging 

(CAI) and the Center for Surgical Excellence (CSE)—“had 

strong reputations for offering high-quality care and convenient 

services at prices much lower than Carilion’s.” The 

FTC alleges Carilion’s acquisition of these outpatient centers 

eliminated vital competition and will lead to higher health care 

costs. The complaint seeks divestiture of the centers and related 

assets necessary in order to restore the competition eliminated 

by the acquisition. A complaint is not a finding or ruling 

that the defendants have actually violated the law. 

State: New North Carolina Law on Mental 

Health Facility Transparency 

North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue has signed legislation 

increasing the transparency of state mental health, developmental 

disability and substance abuse facilities, and making 

more information in death records public. According to the 

Governor’s press release, she had proposed the legislation in 

March with North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper. 

“This legislation puts the safety of our patients first by ensuring 

that important information in death records is available to 

the public,” Governor Perdue said on her web site. “By increasing 

transparency, we will make state facilities more accountable 

to the people in their care, restore public confidence and rebuild 

public trust.” AG Cooper stated, “More disclosure can shine a 

light on problems and help ensure patients’ safety.” 

The legislation will require information regarding deaths 

in state facilities, such as the circumstances and manner of 

death, if known, to be public information. In addition, the records 

of criminal investigations conducted by any law enforcement 

unit of a State facility will be public record. The Secretary 

of the Department of Health and Human Services may 

also inform any person of any incident involving the welfare 

of a client, or former client, when the Secretary determines 

that the release of the information is essential to maintaining 

the integrity of the Department, unless disclosure is prohibited 

by State or federal law. 

National: Amendment Will Allow Study 

of Antidepressant Use and Suicide Rate 

Among Combat Troops 

U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) has announced that 

the Senate has adopted his amendment 1475 to the National 

Defense Authorization Act. This amendment mandates a study 

of the increased use of antidepressants among combat troops 

and the effect of these drugs on mental health. In a press release, 

Senator Cardin said his introduction of the Amendment 

is based upon the disturbing increase of suicides and attempted 

suicides in the active military. 

The senator stated: “It is imperative that we determine if 

the Department of Defense (DoD) is prescribing antidepressants 

to its service members appropriately, including the necessary 

observation by a highly trained mental health provider. 

My concern is not the long-term efficacy of these drugs, but 

the sheer volume and manner in which these drugs are being 

administered to our service men and women overseas.” The 

release says the Army’s Fifth Mental Health Advisory Team 


2007 report indicated 12% of combat troops in Iraq and 17% 

of troops in Afghanistan are taking prescription antidepressants 

or sleeping pills to cope with stress. The senator added 

nearly 40% of Army suicide victims in 2006 and 2007 might 

have taken some type of antidepressant drugs. 

Senator Cardin’s amendment has directives for the DoD to 

record the volume and types of antidepressants, psychotropics 

or anti-anxiety drugs being prescribed to the men and women 

serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. The amendment will also 

require the DoD, starting in June of 2010 and then annually 

through 2015, to report to Congress an accurate percentage of 

those troops that have been prescribed such drugs. 

State: New York AG Announces Arrests in 

Medicaid Fraud 

New York State Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo has announced 

the indictment of six individuals and seven corporations 

charged in a Medicaid fraud scheme totaling $47,000,000. 

The AG’s press release says in the past ten years, Alexander 

Levy, assisted by several cohorts, allegedly secretly controlled 

a string of health care entities to both illegally obtain payment 

for Medicaid recipients’ treatment and also to launder the profits 

from the scheme. According to the press release, Levy had 

already been excluded from participation in Medicaid in 1997 

for submitting false claims. 

Levy had set up a series of corporations designed to conceal 

his control and ownership interest of various companies 

and medical clinics, the AG’s release stated, and did not put 

his name on any documents filed with the New York State Department 

of Health. These companies billed Medicaid for millions 

of dollars of services. The Medicaid money was directed 

to the Levy-controlled health care entities through a series of 

bank accounts and transfers, and funneled to shell companies 

that he created and owned. Attorney General Cuomo has filed 

a civil forfeiture complaint against Levy, his cohorts, and a 

total of 16 corporations. 

“This individual is accused of cheating New York taxpayers 

out of tens of millions of dollars through an elaborate money 

laundering scheme,” Attorney General Cuomo said. “But 

70 


as we have done before, we ‘followed the money,’ which led 

us to today’s serious charges. Ensuring that Medicaid payouts 

are made only to those who rightfully deserve them has been 

a top priority of my administration.” The charges against the 

defendants are accusations, and the defendants are presumed 

innocent until, and unless, proven guilty. 

Federal: Nursing Home Executive Agrees 

to Permanent Exclusion 

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the Department 

of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced in a 

press release that the president and chairman of the board of 

Pleasant Care Corporation, Emmanuel Bernabe, has agreed to 

permanent exclusion from Federal health care programs. The 

exclusion follows an OIG investigation of Pleasant Care, concerning 

allegations of substandard care in Pleasant Care nursing 

facilities between 2003 and 2007. 

Pleasant Care once was the second largest nursing home 

chain in the State of California, with more than 29 different facilities 

in 14 counties. Currently, Pleasant Care does not manage any 

nursing facilities or provide patient services. Bernabe had contested 

OIG’s allegations and denied any liability. No judgment 

or finding of liability has been made against Bernabe. The OIG 

alleges in the press release that under Bernabe’s management, 

Pleasant Care placed nursing home residents at risk through the 

level of care failing to meet professionally recognized standards. 

This included inadequate hydration and nutrition, failing to administer 

appropriate wound care and inadequate staffing levels. 

“This settlement reflects our commitment to ensuring that 

executives who are ultimately responsible for care furnished 

in nursing homes are held accountable when those homes 

fail to provide quality care,” said Inspector General Daniel R. 

Levinson, in the press release. “It is critical that boards and 

management make compliance with professionally recognized 

standards of care a priority at all levels of their organizations.” 

State: Maine Enacts New Laws to Improve 

Health Care 

The state of Maine has recently enacted new laws to improve 

its state of medical care. In June, a law was enacted to increase 

transparency in the health insurance marketplace. Also, under 

a new law, Maine hospitals will perform targeted surveillance 

for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in high-risk 

populations consistent with the federal Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention guidelines. 

In July, Governor John Baldacci signed legislation creating 

the Doctors for Maine’s Future Scholarship Program. This law 

provides a tuition subsidy for Maine residents to support their 

medical education at various state medical school programs. 

“We have a need for more primary care physicians and those 

who serve in rural areas of the State,” Baldacci said in a press 

release. “Research shows that doctors tend to settle near the hospitals 

where they complete their training. I know that given the 

chance, young doctors will stay in Maine.” The tuition subsidy 

will cover half the cost of attendance annually up to $25,000 for 

eligible students in the medical school programs. 


Baldacci also signed a law allowing pharmacists who meet 

certain requirements to administer several different vaccines, 

including influenza vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine, tetanusdiphtheria-pertussis 

vaccine and others. “This bill expands access 

to important preventive health care services,” Governor 

Baldacci said in his press release. “In particular, I know the 

Maine Center for Disease Control supports the efforts to provide 

influenza vaccines to as many people as possible.” 

National: Senator Introduces Legislation to 

Ease Nationwide Nursing Shortage 

Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) has 

introduced legislation to remedy the U.S.’s nursing shortage 

which, according to the senator’s press release, is expected to 

exceed one million by 2020. The Nurse Training and Retention 

Act builds on the current health care workforce through 

creation incentives for health care workers to become nurses 

and for current nurses to become nurse faculty. 

“Everyone depends on nurses for quality patient care, yet 

the health care system in America lacks an adequate supply of 

nurses and the problem is getting worse,” said Senator Durbin 

in the press release. “By 2020, the shortage in Illinois alone 

could exceed 21,000. Today’s legislation proposes a new, innovative 

program that builds on our existing health care workforce 

– an important, but currently untapped resource. The 

debate in Congress over health care reform must include solutions 

that address this growing problem.” 

The new legislation would build upon the current health 

care workforce through a new grant program at the Department 

of Labor. It would also provide education and training to incumbent 

health care workers to earn a nursing certificate or degree. 

It would also assist current nurses in obtaining specialty training 

or advanced degrees to serve as nurse faculty, which increases 

the capacity of nursing schools to train more nurses. 

State: New Jersey Makes Tenth Arrest in 

Phony Dentist Case 

New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgrim reports that the 

Newark Police Department and investigators from the state Di- 

vision of Consumer Affairs’ Enforcement Bureau has arrested 

two men for unlicensed practice of dentistry, the ninth and tenth 

such arrests in New Jersey in the past year. A press release on the 

AG’s website says Carlos Bello and Aristoteles Berenzon were 

arrested and charged with unlicensed practice of dentistry. 

The AG’s web site says that such unlicensed “dentists” 

operate out of residences, basements and dental laboratories. 

They have performed dental procedures and also administered 

prescription medications by both injection and dispensing 

drugs. These treatments have led to injuries for patients, including 

broken teeth, infections and unconsciousness. The prior 

undercover investigations resulted in arrests for unlicensed 

practice of dentistry, possession of a prescription legend drug, 

obtaining prescription drugs without a prescription, possession 

of hypodermic syringes and possession of a Controlled 

Dangerous Substance. 

“Our Enforcement Bureau investigators are teaming up 

with local police departments to shut these so-called ‘dentists’ 

down. The public’s health, safety and welfare is clearly being 

put at risk when unlicensed individuals attempt to practice 

dentistry,” Attorney General Anne Milgram said in the press 

release. “The licensing requirements established by the Board 

of Dentistry ensure that those treating patients have the education 

and skills to do so,” David Szuchman, Consumer Affairs 

Director, added. 

National: Congresswoman Introduces Community-Based 

Health Care Retraining Act 

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) introduced 

the Community-Based Health Care Retraining Act. The legislation 

would fund programs to retrain displaced workers 

for careers in health care jobs. The Act would also amend the 

Workforce Investment Act to provide $25 million in funding 

for qualifying community partnerships to either create retraining 

programs or expand those already in existence. The bill 

has been referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 

and to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 

“Displaced workers in the manufacturing, construction 

and service sectors need jobs, particularly now, during the 

most severe economic downturn in decades,” Congresswoman 

Johnson said in a press release on her web site. “While some 

industries continue to contract, the health services sector remains 

robust. Funding programs that retrain workers for the 

health care professions is not only the right thing to do; it’s the 

smart thing to do.” 

The project would create grants to eligible entities in order 

to pay for the Federal share of the cost to enable the entities to 

carry out programs, in covered communities, to train covered 

workers for employment as health care professionals. The grants 

would each be between $100,000 and $500,000 for a period of 

five years. Eligible entities would include local workforce investment 

boards serving the covered communities and institutions 

of higher education in partnership with facilities including 

health clinics, hospitals and long-term care facilities. 

• 



72 

old into gold 

DOTmed Premium Auction Success Stories 

Auction # 8834 

Mobile CT Scanner 

A veterinary clinic out of Virginia had 

a 1993 Picker 2000S CT in a 1991 GM 

Calumet RV that was previously used 

by a doctor who no longer worked at the 

facility. The equipment was no longer 

in use and had been sitting on their lot 

for eight months. The facility decided it 

was time to attempt to sell the unit with 

hopes of recouping a small amount for 

their troubles, somewhere in the range 

of $5,000 to $9,000. 

A DOTmed.com Auction Specialist, 

Colm Ford, spoke with the facility 

and explained the benefits of allowing 

DOTmed to manage the unit in an auction 

for them. 

After just the first Auction cycle, 

the Auction closed successfully for 

$17,000. 

The facility received more than 

double what they were initially hoping 

to receive for the equipment while a 

buyer got the equipment he was looking 

to purchase. In the end, two facilities 

were well-served. The first received ad- 


ditional revenue and the second is now 

better-equipped to serve clients. 

Auction #8789 

2002 Siemens Nova 3000 

Mammo Unit 

DOTmed Regional Manager, Brett Foley, 

visited JPS Health Network located 

in Fort Worth, TX. 

After meeting Robert Michel of 

JPS, Brett soon discovered they had a 

2002 Siemens Nova 3000 Mammo unit 

that they no longer needed. JPS was 

interested in selling the equipment but 

was unsure of how to do so. 

Brett explained how the DOTmed 

Full-Service Managed Auctions worked. 

He also explained how DOTmed Full- 

Service Managed Auctions reached the 

largest qualified audience that would be 

interested in the equipment he wanted 

to sell. Robert agreed to give it a try. 

Brett gathered the photos and 

specifications of the unit. He then provided 

this information to Auction team 

at DOTmed headquarters in New York. 

The team created an Auction for the 

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equipment and began marketing the 

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Within the first Auction cycle, the 

Auction received seven bids, but all 

were below the reserve price. Instead 

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Mr. Colavecchio worked with the 

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Auction #8850 

Biodex Complete Hot Lab 

Don Heine, the owner of a Private Practice, 

contacted DOTmed looking to sell 

his equipment quickly. He had recently 

closed his practice and was looking to 

sell his equipment before moving. 

Previous efforts made by Heine 

proved unsuccessful – he had not received 

any offers and was told his Hot 

Lab equipment was almost worthless. 

However, by running his equipment 

twice in a DOTmed Auction, he was 

able to sell the equipment for $8,500 – 

hardly worthless. 

Due to the great success of the Sale 

he has also agreed to sell his Nuclear 

Gamma Camera through a DOTmed 

Auction as well. It quickly received an 

offer of $6,000; much higher than any 

offer he had received by a broker. The 

Auction will continue to run until he 

moves on with a heavier wallet and a 

weight off his shoulders. 

• 



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2012 Sonosite Micromaxx Ultrasound System 

. Annie Denegri Spiers, Ideas Design, 

5164292957 

PROTON 

SERVICES INCORPORATED 

776 Jernee Mill Road, Suite 120 

Sayreville, NJ 08872 

1 800 793-0190 Fax 732 238-1225 

www.prosvcs.com info@prosvcs.com 

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customers for choosing Proton 

We install, sell and service all types of whole 

body diagnostic imaging scanners in 

New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, 

Florida, and Eastern Pennsylvania. 

We now directly repair and asset manage 

the following modalities: 

MRI 

CT 

X-Ray 

R&F 

Bone Densitometry 

Mammography 

Ultrasound 

(we cover most manufacturers, please call for details) 

We also service: 

Chillers, Cameras, Processors, 

and MRI Coils 

We correct chronic and intermittant imaging 

hardware problems, software problems, 

application problems, and assist with 

ACR Accreditations. 


When You Need to Move Your 

Mobile Imaging Units 

Call Sage Point Transport. 

Cosmetic General: 

663950 - ShARP & BOTANICA Delta 

T face Lift System Cosmetic General 

$6,500 NEW Delta T Face Lift System by 

Sharp&Botanica Slr, Italy is a a non-invasive 

. Helen Mephis, Enigma International 

Inc., 215-717-7117 

home Care Bed: 

688482 - KCI for Sale 40540 h home 

Care Bed $2,000 Item listed is a Tri-cell 

Low Pressure Therapeutic Relief Mattress 

for a perso. Dee Jamieson, Caregiver, 

541-546-6117 

Laser - Radio frequency (Rf): 

688555 - ALMA accent Laser - Radio 

frequency (Rf) $31,000 Accent is a 

non-invasive, non-ablative, radiofrequency 

technology for cellulite reduction. maria 

bermudez, skin clinic, 0115716115148 

Liposuction Unit: 

Experienced. 

Fully-trained. 

Insured. 

Sage Point is one of the largest and most experienced 

medical trailer carriers in the nation. 

Our drivers are fully-trained to transport PET/CTs and 

all imaging equipment. We provide comprehensive 

transport,maintenance and storage. 

www.sage-point.com 

POWER UP TO EXCELLENCE 

Call 888-466-SAGE (7243) 

684489 - CYNOSURE SmartLipo 10W 

Liposuction Unit FOR SALE - CYNO- 

SURE SmartLipo 10 WATT Laser Guided 

Liposuction Unit 2007 Model Cynosure 

SmartLipo. Helen Mephis, Enigma International 

Inc., 215-717-7117 


Advanced, Fully-Optioned 

Mobile CTs. 

Reasonable Rates for Long 

& Short-Term Rental. 

MRI Coldhead: 

89376 - LEYBOLD RGD5100 Cold head 

MRI Coldhead 

Remanufactured to original specifications. 

Marc Fessler, Independence Cryogenic 

Engineering, 609-294-0012 

Phacoemulsifier: 

664255 - BAUSCh & LOMB MILLENNIUM 

MILLENIUM Phacoemulsifier $8,875 

PRE-OWNED BAUSCH&LOMB/STORZ 

MILLENNIUM MICROSURGICAL VITREO- 

RETINAL PHACO SYSTEM; ANTERIOR 

ONLY; UNIT HAS BEEN CERTIFIED BY 

BAUSCH&LOMB; EXC COND. BRIAN 

WARD, OZARK PRODUCTS, 405-627-8853 

Spirometer: 

SIEMENS � GE�� TOSHIBA � PHILIPS 

� High-End CT & Trailer Rentals 

� Complex Project Management 

� Turnkey Solutions 

� Full-Service Provider 

847.489.7056 

mobilescanimaging.com 

677972 - COSMED PONY Spirometer $1,990 

Brand New! Distributor Price. Oswaldo Guio, 

Let Medical, 305 822 8999 

Serving the 

Industry on a 

Silver Platter 

A Full Service Logistics & Transportation Company 

www.solutionservices.us 

732.657.7777 

info@solutionservices.us 

Equipment | Service 

Parts & Mobiles 

Radiology | Oncology | Veterinary 

� Full System Sales 

� Single & Multi-Slice CT 

� Customized Service Solutions 

� Mobile Solutions 

� GE CT Parts 

� X-Ray Tubes 

Eclipse Medical Imaging 

866.EMI.SCAN 

www.emimaging.com 


78 

Quality Systems 

Ready to Ship Now. 

● 2005 Siemens Sensation 64 

● 2003 Siemens Sensation 16 

● 1999 GE 1.5T EchoSpeed Mobile 

● 2000 Philips AcQsim 

● 2007 Siemens 1.5T Symphony 

● 2006 Toshiba Opart Ultra 

● 2005 GE LightSpeed Ultra 8 

● 2003 Philips MX 8000 IDT 16 

● 2003 GE LightSpeed 16 

● 2000 Toshiba Aquillion 4 

Call for a Quote today: 732-262-3115 

The Best There Is. 

www.nationwideimaging.com 


Accurate, 

Clear, 

Diligent, 

Insightful. 

Turnkeough Corporation provides turnkey 

consulting solutions including: 

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Visit www.DOTmed.com 

EQUIPMENT fOR SALE 

To all sectors of the healthcare industry. 

TurnKeough Corporation 

708.345.0542 

paul.keough@turnkeough.com 

www.turnkeough.com 

Mobile 

Siemens 

Symphony 

1.5T MRI 

must be inworking 

condition 

Email: info@owenkane.com 

or Call 212-558-6600 

Owen Kane Holdings, Inc. 

29 Broadway 


owenkane.com 

Classifieds Rate Card 

4 lines: $100 

8 lines: $175 

16 lines: $325 


MANAGEMENT/EXECUTIVE 

653161 – Executive Administration, 

Arizona 

Chief Financial Officer for small critical 

access hospital. Must have 3-5 years 

hospital CFO mngt exper. Phil Armfield, 

Staffpointe, 888-333-4585 

PhYSICIAN 

658913 – Internal Medicine, Michigan 

Health system recruiting for IM physician 

for inpatient and outpatient work - all situations 

considered. 

Phillip O'Jibway, ASA Partners, 

248-357-1426 x11 

687961 – Surgical Position, California 

Outstanding locums and locums to perm 

opportunity - earn guaranteed extra income 

each month. Matt Young, Onxy M.D. 

Locum Tenens Placment, 303-282-1520 

666859 – hospitalist Position, Illinois, 

$110-120/hr 

Hospitalist coverage needed around St 

Louis,on the Illinois side. BC/BE in Internal 

Medicine 

Shumit Ahmed, Alliance Recruiting Resources, 

800-759-8203 x1152 

NURSING 

671399 – Neonatal Position, Virginia, 

Competitive 

NNP - Grow with a nationally recognized 

university based facility in state of the art 

40 bed, LIII NICU 

Tim Scally, ENSEARCH Management 

Consultants, 888-667-5627 

AdVERTISER INDEX 

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES 

TEChNICIAN/TEChNOLOGIST 

596174 – Mammo Administration, Seattle, 

WA (suburbs) 

ARRT, Hospital, High Volume Breast Center 

Full Time Position. Great Pay ~ Great Benefits 

~ Flex Time! Lisa Okes, XRAYZ 4U, 

866-232-8822 

676594 – Radiology Technologist, 

Montana 

CT/X-Ray/Mamo Technologist to work in 

Critical Access Hospital. 

MagnaServ is a nationwide ISO 

specializing in MRI and CT modalities. 

MagnaServ is currently seeking Field Service 

Professionals with 5 or more years of experience 

for employment opportunities in various markets. 

MagnaServ offers a competitive salary and 

benefits package that includes: car allowance, 

medical, dental, vision, life, and 401K. 

Please email or fax your resume in confidence, 

or fill out our application online. 

2862 S.E. Monroe Street, Stuart, FL 34997 

Parts: 772-219-2229 ● Fax: 772-283-2450 

Office: 772-283-4288 

employment@magnaserv.com 

www.magnaserv.com 

THE TECHNICAL RESUMEBANK 

NATIONWIDE OPPORTUNITIES 

BIOMEDICAL & RADIOLOGY 

ADVERTISER PAGE ADVERTISER PAGE 

A.C.M.I. www.acmiparts.com 26 

AFC Industries, Inc. www.afcindustries.com 15 

Amber Diagnostics www.amberusa.com 8 

Anda Medical www.andamedical.com 9 

Atlantis Worldwide, LLC www.atlantisworldwide.com 11 

Atlas Medical Technologies www.atlasmedtec.com 22 

Bay Shore Medical, LLC www.bayshore-medical.com 27 

Beacon Surgical www.beaconsurgical.com 51 

Complete Medical Services www.completemedicalservices.com 6 

Creative Foam Medical Systems www.creativefoammedicalsystems.com 28 

Dimplex Thermal Solutions www.dimplexthermal.com 43 

Dunlee, Inc. www.dunlee.com Inside Front Cover 

ETS-Lindgren www.ets-lindgren.com 30 

Health Connect Partners, Inc. www.hlthcp.com 34 

IDN Summit and Expo www.idnsummit.com 36 

Imprex International, Inc. www.imprex.net 24 

Integrity Medical Systems, Inc. www.integritymed.com 14 

Association of Medical 

Service Providers 

Our mission is to provide superior products and 

services to our customers through a network 

of local Independent Service Organizations. 

We provide AMSP members the support of one 

of the largest and most technically competent 

national service organizations in the country. 

FSE Employment Opportunities 

Looking to employ MRI, CT and X-ray field 

service engineers. Benefits include: 

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region of the country 

Please upload your resume on the 

AMSP web site 

www.amsp.net 

MagnaServ, Inc. www.magnaserv.com 5 

Marston Technical Service Inc www.marstontechnical.com 13 

Med-E-Quip Locators, Inc. www.meql.com 52 

Medical Imaging Resources www.medimagingsales.com 29 

MEDRAD Multi Vendor Service www.medrad.com/mvs 7 

Metropolis International www.metropolismedical.com 12 

Nationwide Imaging Services, Inc. www.nationwideimaging.com 3 

Owen Kane Holdings, Inc. www.owenkane.com 73 

Oxford Instruments www.oxford-instruments.com/proserve 23,44 

Powersource Transportation, Inc. www.powersourcetrans.com 57 

ReMedPar, Inc. www.remedpar.com Inside Back Cover 

Sage Point Transport, LLC www.sage-point.com 56 

Texas Medical Mobile Services www.mri-mobile.com 55 

Unfors Instruments, Inc. www.unfors.com 4 

Varian Medical Systems, Inc. www.varian.com/interay Back Cover 

Viable Med Services, Inc. www.viablemed.net 25 

To view these companies equipment inventory visit DOTmed.com/Services and type in the company name. 


IMAGING 

PICKER CT Mobile Premier XT This is a 1994 

Picker Premier XT Mobile CT Scanner: 38ft 

self-propelled Calumet Coach with 1994 IQ 

Premier Xtra Scanner. Comes with spare tube 

and parts scanner, generator (250 hrs) and all 

working environmentals. Ideal for overseas or 

Veterinary Scanner. The Calumet coach is a 

1981 Hendrickson, 33,000lbs. It is in drivable 

shape and is registered with the MN DOT. 

I believe there are two rear tires that need 

replacement, but otherwise it’s in good shape. 

The mileage when purchased was 247,639, 

and 1,000 or 1,200 has since been added. I 

believe the engine is CAT 3208 diesel, and it 

started right up after not being started for a few 

months. It has functioning hydraulic levelers. 

The gate lift is also fully functional. The generator 

is fully functional is for HVAC only. It is a 

fully functional CT scanner and drivable truck. 

We use the scanner a few times per month, 

although we rarely need to move the coach. 

Auction 5337 – sold for a veterinarian in Minnesota, 

$15,000. 

PHILIPS Angio Lab INTEGRIS BN5000 This 

is a PHILIPS INTEGRIS BN5000/MRC-GS 

BI-PLANE SPECIAL PROCEDURE SUITE. 

This System is Diamond Select, which means 

it was refurbished by Philips and has all new 

glass and image intensifiers as of 2006. It was 

originally a 2001 unit, but has gone through 

the Philips production line and is essentially 

a 2006. The tubes alone are approximately 

$180,000/each, but you can purchase this unit 

for a fraction of that cost. This system was 

upgraded with 3D software and new Cameras. 

Both X-ray tubes were replaced when the system 

was refurbished, with less than two studies 

per week since the System was installed. The 

System was installed in April of 2006 and has 

rarely been used. Specifications: -15” Frontal, 

12” Lateral, 4 and 5 mode Image Intensfiers 

-4, 21” FIMI monitors, 1 21” color Exam Room 

monitor -XTV-16 CCD camera system -S/W 

options: -Vascular Quant -Coronary Quant 

-Ventricular Quant -Bolus chase -High speed 

Dicom I/F,RIS,Wl -3D RA package Allura rel 

4.2 -Rotational Angio -CO2 View Trace -Swivel 

table base -Lead shield -Power Part Generator, 

SCP80 converter generator The original cost for 

this system was $800,000. Auction 5542 - sold 

for a hospital in Georgia, $37,500. 

GE Shared Service LOT of Six: Five GE Logiq 

700 MR and One Acuson 128 This is a LOT of 

five GE Logiq 700 Shared Service Ultrasound 

machines and one Acuson 128 Ultrasound. 

These systems have been inspected. All seem 

to be in working condition. The engineer was 

not able to inspect the L312 and I5-198 Probes 

for the Aucson properly because it was missing 

software. One of the Logiq’s probe ports is 

not in working condition. Basically, you cannot 

80 

blue book price guide 

Recent equipment and parts auctions on DOTmed with actual for-sale prices. 


plug a probe into this port, the other three 

are working properly. #1 (pictured) Logiq 700 

MR: Model 46-312100G1, SN 2606US2, DOM 

Apr 1994, Software with this unit #2 Logiq 700 

MR: Model 2148800, SN 5664US8, DOM Jan 

1998 No software #3 LOGIQ 700 MR: MODEL 

2132700, SN 3452US8, DOM Feb 1997 No 

software #4 Logiq 700: Model 2132700-6, SN 

4706US8, DOM Jan 1998 No software #5 Logiq 

700: Model 2132700-6, SN 3054US7, DOM Apr 

1998 No software #6 Acuson 128: Model 128 

RF, SN 03853, Software with system Probes 

included: S328 L312 I5-198. Auction 5936 – 

sold for a dealer in New York, $6,800. 

LORAD Mammo Mobile MIV This is a 1994 Lorad 

MIV Mobile Mammo Unit. Tires: Good Tread 

Generator Hrs: 41904 Length: 35 Ft Generator 

Condition: ? (We could not figure out how to 

turn it on.) Mammo Unit: Unit turns on. Unit did 

have a problem with keyboard interface but was 

recently fixed. Dark Room: Yes (no film processor) 

Lead lined: The door to the patient waiting 

area appears to be lead lined. Mileage: 85,764. 

The engine turned on and idled. Varian Insert # 

M-113r Insert Serial 3 81496-3S DOM July 03 

Lorad 4-000-0029 Serial Number 19508034135 

DOM Aug 03 Lorad 4-000-0014 Serial # 

19408034334 DOM Aug 03 MIV Model number 

4-000-0004 Serial # 18007034134 DOM Aug. 

03 Please note the cosmetic condition of the 

vehicle. An inspection is recommended before 

purchasing as some repairs will be needed on 

the vehicle. Auction 7983 – sold for a hospital in 

Texas, $9,500. 

LABORATORY 

PHILIPS Angio Lab Neuro Bi-Plane This is a 

2000 Philips Neuro Bi-Plane Integris BV5000: 

This is a neurovascular room. The Generator 

for this unit is an OPTIMUS CP Comes with 

an Angio Diagnost 5 table. There are seven 

cabinets with this unit. The last Preventative 

Maintenance was performed on 3/09/09. Has a 

MRC ceiling mount tube DOM 1/09 and a MRC 

Floor Mount Tube DOM 10/2000. This unit has 

11” Image Intensifiers. Auction 8176 – sold for a 

manufacturer in Canada, $10,200. 

ABAXIS Chemistry Analyzer Piccolo xPress 

This is a 2007 ABAXIS Piccolo xPress Chemistry 

Analyzer. This unit was bought NEW in 

May 2007 and has been barely used. This 

item is in great working condition. This unit 

is being sold because it is no longer used at 

the facility. Abaxis provides on-going service 

and support. Compact and portable, the Piccolo 

XpressT is easy to incorporate into your 

clinical setting, yet provides the precision and 

accuracy comparable to larger, more expensive 

laboratory analyzers. Small footprint measures 

32.4 cm (12.75 in.) x 15.2 cm (6 in.) x 20.3 cm 

(8 in.) Portable and lightweight with carrying 

handle only weighs 11.2 pounds The advanced 

technology uses centrifugal and capillary forces 

to mix diluents, reagents and sample in a selfcontained, 

disposable disc lessening opportunities 

for procedural errors On-board intelligent 

Quality Control system performs continuous QC 

checks during the complete analytical process 

to ensure accurate results Bar coded selfcontained 

reagent discs are self-calibrating and 

monitors panel information Multi- analyte panel 

results include alpha-numeric patient information, 

analyte concentrations, reference ranges, 

sample integrity indices and QC performance 

Operator security capabilities limit non-user entry 

Peer reviewed studies support performance 

Bidirectional communication USB ports transmit 

data to external peripherals. Stores up to 5000 

patient and control results on-board. Easy operation. 

The Piccolo Xpress procedure is quick 

and easy to perform. No special operating skills 

are needed to run the Piccolo Xpress Easy to 

use color touch screen guides the operator 

through the process. Flexible alpha - numeric 

data entry options and analyzer settings Selfcontained, 

disposable reagent discs are easy to 

handle. Every reagent disc automatically selfcalibrates. 

Integrated intelligent Quality Control 

(iQC) checks performance and accuracy. 

Requires very little maintenance. Operates from 

line or 15-volt battery power Direct compatibility 

supported with USB peripherals including bar 

code readers, keyboards, personal computers 

and printers. CD Software makes testing upgrades 

easy. Auction 8801 – sold for a doctor’s 

office in California, $6,300. 

MONITORS 

GE EKG MAC 1200 Plus Resting EKG This is 

a LOT of 6 GE MAC 1200 Plus Resting ECG/ 

EKG System #MAC1200-AAX-CXX-XXX and 

includes a starter kit, Interpretive Electrocardiograph 

and 12SL ECG analysis program and 

waveform display. The MAC® 1200 Resting 

ECG System offers a comprehensive solution, 

complete with the practical features clinicians at 

smaller hospitals, clinics and physician offices 

appreciate. All units include a starter kit (Silver 

Mactrode Plus electrodes, alligator clip adapters, 

banana connectors, paper, patient cable, patient 

leadwires, NiCd battery and power cord). Auction 

8212 - sold for a dealer in New York, $8,400. 

DOTmed Auctions 

Want to auction equipment 

on dotmed.com? 

Contact an auction specialist. 

212.742.1200, ext. 296 

or sales@dotmed.com. 


Quality Assured Parts, Technical Expertise, Training and Global Strategic Sourcing 

from ReMedPar for all your Diagnostic Imaging & Clinical Engineering needs. 

Quality tested in-house inventory 

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New from 

Varian Interay: 

MCS-6074 

GE LightSpeed Plus 

� Varian’s MCS-6074 replaces D3186T, 

Backwards compatible with 

D3182T, D3172T, D3152T 

� 6.3 mHU 200 mm target 

� Supports 0.5 second full scans 

� Calibrates like the original 

Replacement tubes 

for your GE CT! 

For more information go online for a datasheet, or contact your preferred dealer. 

USA Contact Information 

Varian Interay 

1-800-INTERAY 

TEL 843.767.3005 

FAX 843.760.0079 

E-mail interay.sales@varian.com 

www.varian.com/interay 

“All trademarked terms are property of the respective manufacturer.” 

GE-CT 

GE CT/e - ProSpeed Ai 

� GS2276 replaces 

D3162T, D3169T 

New 80,000 scan warranty 

GE ProSpeed/Solarix NP 

� GS3576P replaces 

D3112T, D3119T 


� GS3576S replaces 

D3142T, D3149T 


� Loaded in original housings 

GE Sytec SRi 

� GS2176 replaces 

D3122T, D3129T 


Europe Contact Information 

Varian X-ray Products Germany 

TEL 49-2154-924-980 

FAX 49-2154-924-994 

sales-xray@varian.com

I S S U E - DOTmed.com

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