ATLANTA and ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Consorta, Inc., a leading health care group purchasing organization, has committed to providing its members with the most effective intracranial treatment for brain disorders by signing a contract today with industry leader Elekta for its a broad range of stereotactic radiosurgery and associated neuroscience products.
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"We are very excited to bring Dr. Leksell's three decades of work to Consorta members. By teaming with Elekta we were able to offer a range of technology to battle brain disorders starting with the Leksell Gamma Knife(R). Through the agreement physicians will have access to the Leksell Stereotactic System(R) enabling them to perform precision microsurgery and the Magneto-Encephalography system for pre-surgical mapping of the brain. We are confident that Elekta's dedication and product line was the correct choice for Consorta members," said Dan Ingram, manager of imaging contracting at Consorta.
Leksell Gamma Knife(R) remains the most proven means of performing intracranial stereotactic radiosurgery, and is the single most trusted and utilized solution for treating brain disorders without invasive surgery. Over 250,000 patients have been treated using Gamma Knife(R) surgery and there are 2,000 peer-reviewed published papers.
Gamma Knife(R) surgery avoids surgically opening the skull, with favorable results for the patient's quality of life, treatment cost, clinical outcomes and reduction of complications. With open surgery, patients can expect to spend up to two weeks in the hospital and months convalescing at home. Non-invasive Gamma Knife(R) surgery is completed in a matter of hours. Patients generally go home within 24 hours and resume normal activities within a few days.
"Hospital systems face intense pressure to maintain a competitive edge, both in terms of attracting patient referrals and in attracting and retaining top-notch clinical staff," said Ray Rau, Vice President, Elekta Neuroscience. "As the most trusted radiosurgery product in the world, Leksell Gamma Knife(R) offers Consorta's members an opportunity to enhance their standing in the community by offering this unique and gentle treatment option to patients with brain disorders."
Gamma Knife(R) surgery is used for a variety of neurological disorders, including AVMs, vestibular schwannomas, meningiomas, pituitary tumors, trigeminal nerve targets and brain metastases. Research is being conducted on other possible uses of Leksell Gamma Knife(R), such as treating epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and uveal melanoma. Today, there are 200 units in operation worldwide, and over 250,000 patients have benefited from this gentle, non-invasive treatment.
Also included in the contract are Leksell(R) Stereotactic System and Elekta Neuromag(TM) system, which is used worldwide for diagnostic brain mapping. Elekta was awarded the contract through Consorta's intensive vendor selection process, which focuses on delivering high-quality, cost-effective products and services to Consorta's health care provider customers. Consorta's membership includes more than 400 acute care facilities representing 55,000 beds, and more than 1,700 non-acute care sites.
About Consorta:
Consorta, Inc. is a leading health care resource management and group purchasing organization, whose shareholders are faith based or non-profit health systems. As a cooperative, Consorta's shareholders and participants share fully in the organization's bottom-line performance and receive discounts on product purchases through scale purchasing economies. Consorta's shareholders are among the leading integrators of non-profit health care in America, sponsoring significant care providers in many parts of the country. Consorta's shareholder health care systems operate more than half of all Catholic hospitals in the United States, own many extended and alternate care sites and have extensive affiliate relationships with other non-profit hospitals and alternate care facilities.
About Elekta:
Elekta is a world-leading supplier of advanced and innovative radiation oncology and neurosurgery solutions and services for precise treatment of cancer and brain disorders. Elekta's solutions are clinically effective, cost efficient and gentle to the patient. For additional information about Elekta, please visit http://www.elekta.com/
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ElektaCONTACT: Michelle Lee, PR and Advertising Manager, +1-770-670-2447, oremail, michelle.lee@elekta.com, or Investors, United States, Lars Jonsteg, VPInvestor Relations North America, +1-770-670-2419, or email,lars.jonsteg@elekta.com, or International, Peter Ejemyr, Group VP CorporateCommunications, +46-8-587-254-00, or email, peter.ejemyr@elekta.com, all ofElekta
Web site: http://www.elekta.com/
