Philips Respironics Unveils "Pathway to Better Outcomes" for Home Health Care

ATLANTA, Oct. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Philips Respironics, a unit of Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI), will showcase innovations for treating and managing the full spectrum of sleep and respiratory patients in the first interactive installation of its kind at Medtrade 2011. The largest national educational and buying event for the $72.2 billion* home medical equipment (HME) industry kicks off this week at Georgia World Congress Center.

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On October 25, the debut of Philips Respironics "Pathway to Better Outcomes" will be a dramatic departure from traditional HME exhibits. The interactive experience, located in booth #1314, captures a day in the life of a home care provider in a dynamic 30' x 70' setting. The Pathway's multimedia installations, docent tours and hands-on demonstrations show the latest sleep and respiratory solutions at work in physician, HME showroom and home environments. It follows three patients' journeys to better sleep and breathing at various points in the care cycle. The Pathway experience shows multiple solutions for the care and management of a sleep apnea patient, an asthma sufferer and a COPD patient.

"We are committed to bringing health care home for the providers and caregivers we serve," says Brent Shafer, CEO, Philips Home Healthcare Solutions. "Philips is unmatched in our ability to offer providers and patients a holistic suite of home healthcare solutions. The Pathway demonstrates how Philips is designing solutions that help our provider customers meet today's healthcare challenges of well coordinated patient care."

Upon exiting the Pathway, attendees can learn about advances that are shaping the industry. Philips Respironics' 2011 product releases range from the innovative HomeLox portable liquid oxygen system that enables patients to generate and store liquid oxygen right in their own home, to its newest entry in sleep therapy – REMstar Pro with AutoIQ. This fixed CPAP system tracks and delivers breath-by-breath therapy for up to 30 days, while it learns the patient's treatment needs, and checks back every 30 hours to see if the therapy pressure it established is on track. This occurs without the need to send someone from the care team to patients' homes, and it keeps the team informed of key patient data.

For a complete sleep solution, Philips Respironics brings its best technologies together in TrueBlue, its first blue gel nasal mask with Auto Seal technology. Designed to push the limits of performance and fit, the new gel mask delivers a higher degree of comfort, stability, and freedom of movement with minimal adjustments. As a result, TrueBlue is designed for quicker set-ups and fittings, fewer callbacks, and easier lab titrations.

Comfort, ease-of-fit, and performance are critical to patient adherence to therapy. Philips Respironics built the new GoLife nasal pillows masks around the unique features of men and women. GoLife for Men is designed for the larger contours of the male facial structure, while GoLife for Women has a distinctly smaller frame and headgear. Both have soft facial contour arms that gently hug the patient's face to maintain a secure seal and stability even when moving during sleep.

In Respiratory Drug Delivery, Philips Respironics introduces OptiChamber Diamond valved holding chamber (VHC) for use with inhaled steroids, as well as long-acting and rescue pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI) medications. The compact, full-function VHC's intuitive design enhances delivery and compliance for patients of all ages, at home or in the hospital.

To help meet clinical and business challenges in a lab setting, the new Alice 6 sleep diagnostic system includes a choice of three head boxes ranging from the Alice LDE for routine sleep studies to the full-featured LDx base station with either the LDxS or LDxN head box. The systems combine flexibility with ease-of-use features, such as automatic Chin EMG referencing and integrated RIP drivers, to enhance the technician's ability to focus on the patient.  

In an ongoing effort to support compliance, broadband modem with oximetry is also now available. Patient compliance data, including oximetry, can be sent to Encore Anywhere, a web-based patient compliance management system, on a daily basis through the patient's in-home, high-speed Internet connection. Home healthcare providers can verify that compliance data has been successfully reported before the patient even comes into the office.

Additionally, Philips Respironics' "Partners in Compliance Management" website offers essential tools to help home healthcare providers and their patients achieve sleep therapy compliance. The free website houses a resource center, best practices and protocols, clinical education and training materials, and reimbursement information. Visit the Partners in Compliance Management website at www.sleepapnea.com/picm.

During Medtrade 2011, nearly 12,000 attendees will take part in 120 educational sessions and interact with 600 exhibitors and suppliers dedicated to the delivery of health care in the home. Home care providers serve the medical needs of millions of Americans who require oxygen equipment, sleep therapy, inhalation drug therapy and other medical equipment and services in their homes. Please find additional information on new products showcased at Medtrade 2011 by visiting the Philips Respironics booth #1314. Information can also be accessed online at http://www.healthcare.philips.com/main/homehealth/respironics.wpd.

*Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Office of the Actuary (March 2010)

About Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people's lives through timely innovations. As a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting, Philips integrates technologies and design into people-centric solutions, based on fundamental customer insights and the brand promise of "sense and simplicity." Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips employs over 120,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries worldwide. With sales of EUR 22.3 billion in 2010, the company is a market leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as lifestyle products for personal well-being and pleasure with strong leadership positions in male shaving and grooming, portable entertainment and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.

SOURCE Royal Philips Electronics