Olympus' Virtual Support Platform Enables a New Paradigm in Care

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., July 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Olympus announced today MedPresence, its cloud-based telecollaboration platform, will allow front-line healthcare providers to access much-needed product expertise from manufacturer representatives virtually, which is in line with recent recommendations from leading medical societies and industry groups. According to AdvaMed, 26 health care groups and counting have signed onto the "Return to Procedures" guidance presented by the AHA, AORN, and AdvaMed, which states, "Medical device representatives should work with facilities and providers to deliver services, information, and support remotely whenever possible." ⁱ

Medical product representatives are often present in medical procedures to provide guidance to health care providers on the safe and effective use of their products. During pandemic conditions, it is imperative that the risk of exposure to infection for all involved — patients, providers, and vendors — is kept to a minimum. Remote collaboration will support patient and staff safety protocols in healthcare facilities by limiting the number of people who must be physically present and conserving personal protective equipment (PPE).

More information about MedPresence can be found by visiting: https://info.olympusamericamarketing.com/l/503881/2020-06-29/df9gzb

"MedTech manufacturer representatives and clinical specialists help ensure that the products they support are in good working order and are being properly used, which is imperative to patient care. Healthcare facilities can now invite any manufacturer rep or clinical specialist from any company to attend a procedure virtually and securely, with the assurance of privacy that is differentiated from other available technologies," said Randy Clark, President of Olympus Medical Surgical Group. "We also believe providing virtual support will increase efficiencies of our own sales, service and support teams with the ability to avoid travel time and securely support a procedure in a very collaborative and immersive way, as if the rep or specialist were standing in the room. Being that we must all continue social distancing, and healthcare providers need to take additional infection control precautions, we need effective technological solutions that help facilitate positive patient outcomes." 

MedPresence quickly connects those in procedure rooms with medical device representatives, from any hospital vendor, who are needed to support the set-up of medical devices, as well as the selection, use or troubleshooting of devices during the procedure. This can be especially important in complex cases such as those involving implants for orthopedics, cardiology, pulmonology, and interventional radiology.

Using MedPresence, consultants, including specialists, senior clinicians, and technical experts, can provide accurate, well-coordinated input in support of positive patient outcomes. Enabling features include:

• Direct Clinical Source Data: Connects consultants outside the procedure room with clinical data sources and information, such as video from the endoscopic medical tower or C-arm.
• Immersive Two-Way Audio, Video with Telestration: Integrates clinical information with interactive capabilities, allowing collaborating teams to draw, using a stylus or fingertip, directly on the screen of any device (iPhone, iPad, PC).
• Secure, Cloud-Based Platform: Provides layers of security and privacy that support HIPAA compliance and are not available in standard web-sharing technology.

Healthcare providers are challenged to adjust operations so that patients and staff are not facing more infection risk than necessary. The ability to consult virtually allows vital information-sharing between medical device representatives and healthcare staff preparing for procedures, especially in cases where healthcare staff are working outside of their specialty, as many have been required to do in recent months. Additionally, MedPresence enables well-coordinated care while upholding social distancing guidelines and conserving critical personal protective equipment (PPE). The MedPresence platform is vendor-neutral and is not limited to the participation of Olympus representatives into the clinical space.

In some medical procedure rooms and other medical treatment locations where certain Olympus equipment is already installed (such as endoscopic image/video recorders), MedPresence installation may only require enablement of MedPresence software. A typical MedPresence procedure room or medical treatment location is equipped with one or more cameras, high-quality audio and MedPresence-compatible hardware, though multiple configurations are possible with the system. The MedPresence cloud provides remote user management, security, and advanced collaboration capabilities of MedPresence. Each virtual participant accesses and interacts with the service using his or her PC or mobile device. 

About Olympus Medical Systems Group

Olympus is a global technology leader, focused on being true to society and making people's lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling.

Our Medical Business works with health care professionals to combine innovative capabilities in medical technology, therapeutic intervention, and precision manufacturing to deliver diagnostic, therapeutic, and minimally invasive procedures, to improve clinical outcomes, reduce overall costs and enhance quality of life for patients. For more information, visit https://medical.olympusamerica.com/ or https://olympusamerica.com/truetolife/.

ⁱ Re-entry Guidance for Health Care Facilities and Medical Device Representatives. AdvaMed COVID-19 Resource Center. Medtechresponds.com. https://medtechresponds.com/re-entry-guidance-for-health-care-facilities-and-medical-device-representatives/. Published June 23, 2020. Accessed June 26, 2020.

SOURCE Olympus Medical Systems Group