Heidelberg Engineering strengthens its support team
Phill EnnionHemel Hempstead, UK – Heidelberg Engineering has expanded its support team with several new appointments in order to enhance the customer experience and maintain excellent technical support standards.
John Tudor and Kevin Hughes have joined the company as Technical Support Managers for the Central and Northern regions of the country respectively. They bring a combined 30 years of experience to the team and are dedicated to providing gold-standard support to customers in their regions. In addition, Debi Robson has been appointed Customer Experience Coordinator. She brings over 13 years’ experience in project management and logistics and will provide customers with a single point of contact for all helpdesk, contracts and order processing enquiries at the head office.
Overseeing this growing team is Phill Ennion, who has taken on the role of Technical Services Manager. Phill brings over 15 years’ experience with Heidelberg Engineering to his new role. “I am excited to be expanding the Heidelberg Engineering UK team”, explains Phill. “We are excited about the combined wealth of experience the new additions to the team will bring, which will ensure we continue to provide the high level of care our customers expect and deserve. The new members of staff will look after our customers Heidelberg Engineering instruments as well as provide networking and I.T. support to ensure smooth clinic workflow”.
Record numbers attend annual Heidelberg Engineering Academy Masterclass
Infrared fundus image with OCT (top), autofluorescence (bottom left) and OCT Angiography (bottom right) images from OCT LIVE Masterclass patient with dry and neovascular AMD.Hemel Hempstead, UK – Over 100 eye care professionals attended the 6th Annual Heidelberg Engineering Academy Masterclass, making it the company’s biggest Masterclass yet. The popular event, which took place at the historic Royal Liver Building in Liverpool, showcased the latest innovations in non-invasive vascular imaging of the retina.
Dr Pearse Keane from Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, chaired the evening whilst Professor Usha Chakravarthy from Queens University Belfast, and Dr Roberto Gallego-Pinazo from Oftalvist Valencia, Spain, presented the latest research on MultiColor imaging and OCT Angiography. A highlight of the Masterclass was the OCT LIVE segment, where two real patients from the Royal Liverpool University Hospital were scanned live on the big screen in front of the audience using the SPECTRALIS Imaging Platform. The audience and speaker panel were invited to discuss their thoughts on the patient’s diagnosis and a lively debate ensued.
“OCT, MultiColor, autofluorescence and OCT angiography imaging were all performed live in front of the audience and compared to baseline scans”, explains Christopher Mody, Director of Clinical Services. “Doctors called out requests for additional imaging on the patients, including customised OCT scan placement and autofluorescence, which we were able to perform on the spot for them. It was a unique experience and it was clear that the multimodal imaging approach increased the clinician’s certainty in the diagnosis.”
It was concluded that the first patient had proliferative diabetic retinopathy and ischemic maculopathy and the second patient has dry and neovascular AMD. The patient volunteers stated that they found the event fascinating and they both independently made the decision to selflessly donate their honorariums to sight care charities.
The next OCT LIVE event from Heidelberg Engineering will be on the subject of glaucoma and optic neuropathies and will take place on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th July at Plymouth University. Contact Paul Artes to register: paul.artes@plymouth.ac.uk
Dr. Massimo Fazio receives 2017 Xtreme Research Award
2017 Xtreme Research Award winner Dr. Massimo Fazio (left) and 2016 winner Dr. Alex Huang.Heidelberg, Germany – Massimo Fazio, PhD, a biomechanics and mechanobiology researcher at the Department of Ophthalmology in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) received the award at an event held by Heidelberg Engineering during ARVO’s Annual Meeting in Baltimore.
Dr. Fazio has a background in mechanical engineering, and as part of the UAB Ocular Biomechanics and Mechanobiology group his work primarily focuses on developing advanced image processing algorithms and custom optical devices in order to investigate the biomechanics and morphology of ocular tissue in glaucoma and myopia.
At the award ceremony, Dr. Fazio presented a riveting lecture entitled “In-vivo Quantification of Biomechanics and Morphometry across Ocular Disease”, which illustrated how custom methods of image analysis combined with unique imaging modalities are applied to human and animal models. These methods set the stage for novel imaging tools that may aid in the diagnosis of various ocular diseases.
With the annual Xtreme Research Award, Heidelberg Engineering intends to honor cutting-edge research for the advancement of ophthalmic care. This year, Dr. Fazio’s work was recognized for its contribution to identifying novel imaging biomarkers that take into account the dynamic biomechanical response of ocular tissues to intraocular pressure. This response is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of glaucoma and myopia.
Although still in its early stages, Dr. Fazio’s research aims to develop imaging methods that can enhance the current OCT-based diagnostic parameters and offer customized analyses that may be predictive of future damage. One such method is the use of a simple and quick image scanning protocol that can assess each eye’s unique mechanical response by the optic nerve head to IOP changes. The evaluation of such changes offers shear strain values that may be indicative of the eye’s susceptibility to damage due to diurnal IOP variations and of future visual field loss. If this hypothesis is proven true, customized measurements of characteristics such as retinal nerve fiber layer, lamina cribrosa shifts, and peripapillary sclera changes could lead to improved glaucomatous OCT parameters and diagnostically sensitive predictive factors.
“The imaging capabilities achieved by the SPECTRALIS OCT allowed us to visualize and quantify the complex biomechanical behavior of ocular tissue in-vivo and in real-time. This quantification has never been done before. Quantitative eye-specific analyses that were only achievable in a research environment are soon going to be transferred to daily clinical practice. I believe that with the widespread use of new OCT technologies, we’ll soon witness a radical shift on how we diagnose and treat debilitating ocular diseases”, said Dr. Fazio.
“Moving forward, we would like to provide a diagnostic imaging platform to offer a suite of diagnostic parameters that extend beyond static measures and are customized to each eye’s unique anatomy. We are excited about Dr. Fazio’s research project and hope that such tools will enable clinicians to better predict their diagnostic and treatment outcomes, offering the opportunity to make more informed decisions with higher clinical confidence,” said Ali Tafreshi, Director of Clinical Research, Heidelberg Engineering.
For that purpose, Heidelberg Engineering’s Research and Development team supports Dr. Fazio and the UAB Ocular Biomechanics and Mechanobiology group as well as other leading scientists eager to enhance OCT-based diagnostic parameters. Heidelberg Engineering aims to expand its collaborative efforts with a growing number of researchers around the world to offer novel OCT-based methods geared towards individualized assessment of various ocular pathologies such as glaucoma. Modeling of ONH deformations and associated vascular perfusion changes due to acute IOP elevation. Such models may contribute to novel diagnostic parameters that are tailored to each eye’s unique anatomy.
Heidelberg Engineering adds Optik Mizen to lens partner portfolio
Hemel Hempstead, UK – Heidelberg Engineering has added Optik Mizen to their range of lens suppliers who offer a special reward on the cost of a SPECTRALIS with lens spend. Optik Mizen joins Shamir, Essilor and Seiko to provide practice owners with an affordable, alternative route to becoming a SPECTRALIS owner with the added benefit of partnering with some of the world leaders for prescription lenses.
“We are pleased to partner with a very customer-focussed and cost-effective quality lens company who exclusively service independent practices”, explains Mike Riley, Optometry Key Accounts Manager at Heidelberg Engineering. “We share Optik Mizen’s vision to provide the industry’s finest ophthalmic products.”
Find out more about SPECTRALIS rewards with Optik Mizen lens spend by calling Optik Mizen on 0845 303 9660 or email info@optikmizen.com.
Heidelberg Engineering celebrates the Spirit of SPECTRALIS at Optrafair in the UK
Spirit of SPECTRALISHemel Hempstead, UK – Heidelberg Engineering, shortlisted as a finalist for Optician Supplier of the Year, has welcomed a new addition to the SPECTRALIS family exclusively at Optrafair. Designed specifically for High Street optometric practices in the UK, the unique configuration features a optimised workflow for retina and glaucoma that makes it very easy to acquire images, whilst the high sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility of the results provide the robust information needed for confident referrals.
“Every SPECTRALIS is instantly recognisable because it is built with the core DNA needed for confident clinical decision making,” explains Krysten Williams, Director of Heidelberg Engineering in the UK. “The simple user interface makes it easy to use and the one-page, intuitive reports allow the optometrist to begin refining referrals to advance patient care and making a return on investment faster than ever before.”
Additional benefits include wireless web-browser technology, which makes it possible to view patient images on an iPad and the futureproof design, which means the practice can convert, as and when it’s ready to the full functionality of the SPECTRALIS. The Heidelberg Engineering Academy supports your team with additional training to get the most from the power and flexibility of the SPECTRALIS and the HEYEX Next Generation software.
Visit www.LoveYourOCT.com to find out more about this new SPECTRALIS configuration launched exclusively in the UK at Optrafair.
Private SPECTRALIS collection exhibited for the first time ever at Optrafair 2017
Tartan patterned case in tribute of the International SPECTRALIS Symposium 2011Hemel Hempstead, UK – The private Heidelberg Engineering SPECTRALIS collection has gone on display for the first time in public at Optrafair, Birmingham.
The collection comprises of custom SPECTRALIS camera casings that were specially made and gifted by the manufacturer to Christoph Schoess, Director of Heidelberg Engineering GmbH. The camera casings on show are painted in a variety of unique colours and patterns that mark special occasions in the history of the company. The collection includes a tartan patterned case in tribute of the International SPECTRALIS Symposium 2011 that was held in Edinburgh, which was also the same year Heidelberg Engineering UK was formed. Other colours celebrate the 25th Anniversary in 2015 and the opening of the Swiss subsidiary in 2016.
“This public exhibition celebrates the Spirit of SPECTRALIS launch at Optrafair in the UK and illustrates just how individual each SPECTRALIS can be”, explains Arianna Schoess, Managing Director of Heidelberg Engineering GmbH. “The intention was to symbolize the tremendous versatility of our modular platform”.
Heidelberg Engineering to Expand its Ophthalmic Healthcare IT Business through the Acquisition of Medisoft
Heidelberg, Germany – Heidelberg Engineering GmbH today announced that it has acquired 100% ownership of Medisoft Limited, the leading UK-based provider of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) software solutions for the ophthalmology market.
In healthcare IT, Heidelberg Engineering already offers comprehensive ophthalmic image management and other data solutions that address the requirements of enterprises as well as private practices. The company has also recently announced the establishment of an ophthalmic healthcare IT joint-venture in China with its long-time local business partner.
“Over the past 20 years, the Medisoft team has been dedicated to delivering an ophthalmology EMR that is easy and quick to use by ophthalmologists and other eye-care professionals, and that delivers detailed analysis of medical and surgical treatment outcomes,” said David Johnston, co-founder and Chairman of Medisoft. “Joining forces with Heidelberg Engineering and its broad portfolio of diagnostic imaging systems, image management solutions, and global reach will offer Medisoft a solid platform to accelerate further business growth outside the UK – enabling ophthalmology departments and private practices access to both patient records and their associated images using a combined offering from the two companies.”
“The acquisition of Medisoft brings together a highly experienced team and market-proven EMR capabilities with Heidelberg Engineering’s expertise in image management and diagnostic imaging systems,” said Christoph Schoess, Managing Director at Heidelberg Engineering GmbH. “We look forward to working with the Medisoft team to provide our customers with an increasingly wider range of ophthalmic healthcare IT solutions.”
Medisoft will continue operating out of its headquarters in Leeds, UK. Further, as part of this transaction, Heidelberg Engineering has appointed Arianna Schoess and Kfir Azoulay to the Board of Directors of Medisoft, in addition to current Board members David Johnston, Christian Martin, and Alice Braga Johnston.
“We expect to significantly strengthen our ophthalmic healthcare IT business with this strategic acquisition,” said Kfir Azoulay, Head of Strategy at Heidelberg Engineering. “Incorporating Medisoft’s advanced ophthalmic EMR product to our portfolio will enable the release of comprehensive software solutions that bring disparate data together and significantly improve patient care as well as operational efficiencies for our customers.”
While ophthalmic IT solutions will play an increasingly growing role in Heidelberg Engineering’s portfolio, the company will continue focusing on its core business of state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging platforms for eye-care professionals.
Through the acquisition of Medisoft, Heidelberg Engineering has expanded its healthcare IT portfolio with advanced EMR solutions (left monitor) that complement the HEYEX Platform for Ophthalmic Image Management and Device Integration.
Global response to the OCT2 module demonstrates the true upgradability and affordability of the SPECTRALIS platform
Hemel Hempstead, UK – The upgradeability of the SPECTRALIS Imaging Platform has made it possible for thousands of owners worldwide to improve clinic workflow and enhance image quality with the new OCT2 Module. “Our ability to more than double the speed of the spectral domain OCT platform truly demonstrates the promise this technology holds for balancing increased scanning speeds, resolution, penetration and affordability in a clinical setting,” explains Dr. Kester Nahen, Managing Director of Heidelberg Engineering GmbH.
Whilst Heidelberg Engineering own global and exclusive rights to a large number of patents relating to swept source technology, SD-OCT is clinically proven to offer superior resolution in the inner retina1,2. The OCT2 Module combines 85,000 Hz scanning speed with Heidelberg’s patented TruTrack Active Eye Tracking to deliver choroidal penetration3 comparable to swept source, whilst preserving resolution in the inner retina and continuity of patient data for tracking progression.
The OCT2 Module is an upgrade that exchanges the original SPECTRALIS 40,000 Hz engine with an 85,000 Hz engine that offers twice the image acquisition speed, providing a future proof platform for new imaging technologies such as the new OCT Angiography Module. More affordable and environmentally friendly than investing in a new swept source device, the global response of SPECTRALIS owners to the launch of OCT2 speed without sacrifice has also created a unique opportunity for those who may have once believed that SPECTRALIS was outside their price range.
“The original SPECTRALIS engines that have been exchanged for the OCT2 module have been refurbished and end tested at our manufacturing facility in Heidelberg, Germany” explains Tosh Vadhia, National Sales Manager. “They have been paired with new laser heads to start life again as an upgradeable SPECTRALIS platform with a one year warranty. This means that a limited number of SPECTRALIS devices with refurbished engines are currently available at a special price. The upgradeable platform approach ensures the longevity of your new device, once again proving SPECTRALIS to be a wise financial investment.”
These additional modules from the SPECTRALIS portfolio can be added to the device whenever the owner is ready:
OCT2
OCT Angiography
MultiColor laser imaging
Widefield fundus and OCT imaging
Ultra-Widefield fundus imaging
BluePeak Autofluorescence
Glaucoma Module Premium Edition
NSite Analytics
Anterior Segment imaging
Fluorescein Angiography
ICG Angiography
Call 01442 502 330 to receive a quotation from a Heidelberg Engineering imaging expert.
1 Barteselli, G et al. Combined depth imaging technique on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Am J Ophthalmol. 2013, 155(4):727-32. 2 Barteselli, G. et al. Real-time full-depth visualisation of posterior ocular structures: comparison between full-depth imaging spectral domain optical coherence tomography and swept-source optical coherence tomography. Retina, 2016, 36(6):1153-61. 3 Waldstein, SM et al. Comparison of penetration depth in choroidal imaging using swept source vs spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Eye (Lond). 2015, Mar;29(3):409-15.
Unique 7 year Masterlease proves longevity of the SPECTRALIS Imaging Platform
Hemel Hempstead, UK – Heidelberg Engineering has introduced a “7 year Masterlease” financing option to make owning a SPECTRALIS Imaging Platform more affordable than ever with extremely low monthly repayments and a very low interest rate fixed for 7 years. Heidelberg Engineering has uniquely been able to offer the Masterlease after proving the longevity of the SPECTRALIS as an upgradeable imaging platform. This approach enables the optician to upgrade their device as new technologies emerge, such as the OCT2 Module for fast 85,000 Hz scanning speed and OCT Angiography Module, and ensure they have the tools they need to take part in future community monitoring schemes.
“Crucially, upgrades and maintenance contracts can be added to the Masterlease at any point during the term, which allows the eye care professional the flexibility to upgrade their device as new technologies emerge” explains Tosh Vadhia, National Sales Manager. “The optometrist benefits from the increased diagnostic confidence that comes with having a multimodality imaging platform and the peace of mind that patient data will be protected for continued follow-up over time”.
Snowbird Finance Ltd.The Masterlease is designed specifically for opticians to reduce their monthly costs and provides the additional benefit of both 100% tax relief in the first year and protection of VAT de Minimis. The Masterlease is available via Snowbird Finance. Visit Heidelberg Engineering on stand G20 at Optrafair or call 01442 502 330 to find out more.
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Prominent retinal specialist to feature on the main stage at Optrafair
Professor Usha Chakravarthy, Queen’s University, BelfastHemel Hempstead, UK – Eminent ophthalmologist, Professor Usha Chakravarthy, Queen’s University, Belfast will feature on the main stage at Optrafair on Sunday 2nd April at 11:45am. Professor Chakravarthy is at the forefront of pioneering research including the NICOLA study, a long term study looking at the effects of aging on the eyes which will help shape major government healthcare policies in the future.
“My lecture will explore how multimodal imaging can increase the optometrist’s diagnostic confidence and improve patient care through early disease identification” explains Professor Chakravarthy. “I will discuss the interpretation of retinal pathology using the latest fundus and OCT imaging techniques and how patients can be managed post-treatment in the community care setting.”
