Heidelberg Engineering and its long-time distribution partner in China, Gauss Medical Corporation, have established a joint venture for the supply of healthcare IT solutions to the Chinese ophthalmology market.
Heidelberg, Germany – The joint venture company, Gauss Infomed, will offer Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) and Electronic Medical Record (EMR) software, along with other related product solutions for the ophthalmology healthcare IT market. Gauss Infomed will operate out of Beijing and through a local network of offices to deliver its services across the entire country.
“The establishment of this joint venture with Heidelberg Engineering comes at a time of growing demand for advanced ophthalmic IT solutions in China,” said Mr. Liu Xidong, Chairman and CEO of Gauss Infomed. “Heidelberg Engineering is an ideal partner in our efforts to meet that demand. Ophthalmologists in China tremendously value Heidelberg Engineering’s high-quality imaging products, such as the SPECTRALIS OCT platform, and I am confident they will also appreciate our comprehensive ophthalmic IT solutions, exclusively offered through Gauss Infomed”.
In addition to its role as a shareholder, Heidelberg Engineering will contribute to the joint venture with its extensive expertise as developer of high-tech diagnostic imaging platforms as well as with its next generation HEYEX software, which offers modern ophthalmic image management and device integration capabilities.
HEYEX is an integral part of all Heidelberg Engineering products, which networks ophthalmic devices and makes it possible to review examination results simultaneously and interactively. HEYEX also interfaces with Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems and third-party devices to allow for the secure exchange, storage, and dynamic review of images in a single, centralized IT solution across multiple sites.
“China is a fast-growing market and it is of great importance to our company,” said Arianna Schoess, Managing Director at Heidelberg Engineering. “Our excellent partnership with Gauss Medical Corporation − spanning nearly two decades − has led to the widespread adoption of our diagnostic imaging platforms by eye care professionals in China. The establishment of this healthcare IT joint venture is, therefore, a natural next step for us in further increasing our presence and footprint in this important market.”
“Ophthalmic healthcare IT is a growing business and focus area for our company,” said Kfir Azoulay, Head of Strategy at Heidelberg Engineering and the appointed Director to the Board of Gauss Infomed. “With the establishment of this joint venture, Heidelberg Engineering is poised to become a leading provider of ophthalmic healthcare IT solutions in China.”
Heidelberg Engineering anticipates the demand for healthcare IT solutions in the ophthalmic sector to grow significantly not only in China but also in the rest of the world. The company has specific plans for its new HEYEX software to be rolled out globally during the coming months and years. Those plans include offering HEYEX to customers through its network of subsidiaries but also through its distribution partners and other potential partnerships.
While ophthalmic IT solutions will play an increasingly important role in Heidelberg Engineering’s product portfolio, the company will continue to focus on the development of state-of-the-art imaging platforms for eye care professionals.