ANDOVER, Mass., Feb. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Smith & Nephew’s Endoscopy Division is leveraging its position as a leader in the medical device industry to create more efficient, cost-effective and technologically-advanced operating rooms for medical centers around the world.
The integration and optimization of technology within the surgical environment, a central focus of Smith & Nephew’s Digital OR, may help to improve efficiency by reducing both operating and turnaround time, while increasing surgeon control of the operating room equipment and overall operative environment.
Since Smith & Nephew Endoscopy began offering the Digital OR concept several years ago, the company has designed and overseen the installation and maintenance of hundreds of operating rooms from Boston to Los Angeles and from Oslo, Norway to Durban, South Africa. A specialized team of professionals manages installation and addresses technical issues once the technology is in place.
Several factors have driven a surge in demand for the Smith & Nephew Digital OR, said Sal Chiovari, Smith & Nephew Endoscopy’s Vice President for Information Services and Digital OR.
“Overall health costs continue to climb, and hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers are looking for ways to reduce the hourly costs of surgical procedures,” he said. “The digital networking capabilities of the Digital OR enable surgeons to access whatever patient information they need at the touch of a button, reducing time needed to retrieve that data from outside the operating room and providing them with a comprehensive view of a patient’s condition.”
In addition, new endoscopic technologies and the operating room’s structure -- with critical components suspended from the ceiling, instead of resting on the floor -- facilitate faster clean-up and operating room turnaround, and enable medical centers to potentially treat more patients in the course of a day.
As medical centers upgrade their surgical equipment and their HIS/PACS infrastructure, they see the advantages of tying these systems together using Smith & Nephew’s Digital OR.
Most recently, at MAE Physicians Surgery Center in Jackson, Miss., Smith & Nephew equipped two operating suites with audio/visual (A/V) connections that provide worldwide teleconferencing and education capabilities.
“The A/V capabilities in our new operating rooms allow for room-to-room communication for better O.R. efficiencies. The technologies will also enhance the teaching capabilities of our Fellowship program, allowing us to route live arthroscopic procedures directly to our new offsite wet lab,” said Dr. Walter Shelton of Mississippi Sports Medicine. “Or, if a specialist’s opinion is needed, we can use the A/V technology to make a real-time connection with a physician outside the operating room for telemedicine or teaching purposes.”
The challenge has been to convince hospital administrators that the improved efficiencies provided by the Smith & Nephew Digital OR justify the expense.
One significant advantage, Chiovari said, is that every single Smith & Nephew Digital OR is custom-designed. “Where competitors just sell products, Smith & Nephew sells Digital OR system solutions to fit the requirements of each particular project and each set of hospital needs -- whether it be arthroscopic, cardiac or any type of surgery.”
About Smith & Nephew:
Smith & Nephew (http://www.smith-nephew.com/) is a global medical technology business, specializing in Endoscopy, Orthopaedics and Advanced Wound Management products. Smith & Nephew ranks as the global leader in arthroscopy and one of the world’s leaders in advanced wound management and is one of the fastest growing orthopaedics companies in the world.
Smith & Nephew is dedicated to helping improve people’s lives. The company prides itself on the strength of its relationships with its surgeon and professional healthcare customers, with whom its name is synonymous with high standards of performance, innovation and trust. The company has over 8,000 employees and operates in 32 countries around the world and generated annual sales of nearly $2 billion.
This press release contains forward-looking statements. The company wishes to caution the reader that actual results may differ from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and may be adversely affected by, among other things, risks associated with new product development and commercialization, clinical trials, intellectual property, regulatory approvals, competitive offerings, the company’s overall business strategy and other factors.
Contact: Joe Metzger Smith & Nephew Endoscopy (978) 749-1330
Smith & Nephew
CONTACT: Joe Metzger of Smith & Nephew Endoscopy, +1-978-749-1330
Web site: http://www.smith-nephew.com/