Echotech selects new ultrasound laptops for 'closer to home' services

Echotech, an independent sector provider of echocardiography services to the NHS, has taken delivery of six laptop ultrasound systems from Siemens Healthcare. 

The units will be used to provide mobile diagnostic imaging of the heart in community settings including health centres, polyclinics and diagnostic centres.  This outsourced service ensures prompt, local and convenient access to procedures for NHS patients and speeds up the GP referral to treatment times in Primary Care Trusts (PCTs).

The ACUSON P50 ultrasound system is newly launched in the UK.  It combines the flexibility, usability and mobility of a laptop, with the excellent image quality of a full conventional ultrasound system.  The unit weighs just 5 kgs and runs as a Microsoft® Windows®  application on an Apple MacBook Pro.

The P50 units were chosen by Echotech for their portability, superior image resolution and IT integration capabilities.  The six systems will replace incumbent ultrasound units and will be used to provide echocardiography services to PCTs in London, the South East and Midlands.

“Lord Darzi’s recent review emphasised the importance of delivering high quality services closer to patient’s homes. We believe that the independent sector has an increasingly important role to play in supporting PCTs in delivering care to the local community in line with 18 week referral to treatment targets,” states  Dominic Elton, Managing Director of Echotech Limited. “Our investment in best of breed ultrasound systems from Siemens will assist with expanding our offerings across the UK and in providing a high standard of clinical reporting.”

The P50 ultrasound units allow direct access to the internet. This will enable Echotech Cardiac Physiologists to securely archive ultrasound images onto its iCardiogram.co.uk server.  Instant storage and recall of the images is essential for the remote reviewing and reporting of echo studies.

Declan Dunphy, Manager of Products Performance at Siemens Healthcare states, “The ACUSON P50 offers high quality imaging for a variety of clinical situations.  It provides exceptional colour and Doppler sensitivity, the option of 2D imaging in harmonic and fundamental modes plus M-mode and anatomical M-modes.  We are delighted to be working with Echotech and look forward to supporting further as its service grows nationwide.”