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Corporate Partnerships

Featured Partner

Welch Allyn

Steve Meyer
President, U.S./Canada, and executive vice president

Welch Allyn, a leading global manufacturer of medical diagnostic equipment, has the broadest portfolio of connected cardiopulmonary, connected vital signs, and physical assessment devices in the industry. The company’s continued advancements in digital connectivity solutions make accessing patient information faster, more accurate, and more efficient, while helping frontline practitioners affordably see more patients, detect more conditions and improve more lives.

An interview with Steve Meyer, president, U.S./Canada, and executive vice president, Welch Allyn

Q: Why has Welch Allyn chosen MedAxiom as a strategic partner?

A: MedAxiom is a premier resource for cardiology practices. As we expand our business in cardiology, we know we will benefit greatly from MedAxiom’s research and educational materials, critical information from its interactive database, and industry insights into the trends and needs of its 300-plus members. We hope it will provide more of an avenue for us to present MedAxiom members with our wide range of high-quality connected cardiopulmonary, vital signs and physical assessment devices, software and services. Many members are current Welch Allyn customers, so they know us well. MedAxiom offers an opportunity to expand our networking in this key market.

Q: How does Welch Allyn currently interact with the cardiology practices?

A: Welch Allyn has 90 sales representatives who support our cardiology customers, as well as the related distribution channel. Some of our distributors are themselves MedAxiom partners. This means that Welch Allyn has the experience, manpower, and first-hand knowledge of the industry to help practitioners find the best possible solutions to serve the needs of their practices.

Q: What Welch Allyn products are used by the practices?

A: Welch Allyn provides MedAxiom members with a full line of cardiology products. For example, our ECG portfolio offers a variety of ways to take accurate readings, whether in a fixed office setting or a remote location. We have options that will allow clinicians to work the way that is most efficient for their practices. All data can be stored and managed using our CardioPerfect™ Workstation software, which enables the practitioner to easily compare and contrast ECGs taken from different settings and at different times.

The Welch Allyn CP 100™ is a cost-effective, 12-lead ECG device offering a full alphanumeric keyboard and LCD screen that make it effortless to enter patient data. The CP 200™ features a large, color ECG waveform preview screen that makes it easier to read critical information and allows for storage of up to 50 ECGs and/or 50 spirometry tests. Our Lead Quality graphic saves valuable time and ensures accurate data capture by highlighting poor connections, and an “instant on” feature powers up the CP 100 and CP 200. Both the CP 100 and CP 200 use standard SD cards for virtually unlimited ECG data storage or to transfer data to the Welch Allyn CardioPerfect Workstation software for review, storage and/or transfer to an EHR.

The Welch Allyn PC-based Resting ECG uses Windows® software to turn any PC into a full-featured electrocardiograph. It allows for review of a complete 12-lead report onscreen prior to printing and performs serial comparisons to previous ECGs if highlighting baseline changes is of interest.

The Welch Allyn PC-Based Exercise ECG supports all commonly used stress protocols and have the ability to customize additional protocols based on personal preference. They allow for simultaneous monitoring of 12 leads on screen. ST measurements can be modified at any point before, during, or after the test, and reports print automatically, including full-disclosure 3x4 leads, averages, trend graphs, tabular reports and summaries.

In addition, Welch Allyn offers a 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor that helps analyze blood pressure readings and diagnose potential problems, such as white-coat hypertension. Our HR 100 and HR 300 Holter recorders offer wireless transfer of patients’ ECGs in real time, pacer detection, and 24 to 48 hours of recording time. Of course, many cardiology practices also rely on Welch Allyn’s basic physical assessment diagnostic devices, as well, to round out their patient care.

Most Welch Allyn cardiopulmonary products transfer information to the CardioPerfect Workstation software, which provides paperless management of patient data. CardioPerfect also provides connectivity to many leading EHR systems. This software allows for storage, access, review, comparison and editing of diagnostic test data from any computer on a network.

Q: What differentiates Welch Allyn from its competitors?

A: Welch Allyn is a leading global manufacturer of noninvasive medical diagnostic tools. We have a broad product portfolio. Whether you need something as basic as a stethoscope or as complex as an EHR-connected, fully featured electrocardiograph, Welch Allyn is positioned well. What truly differentiates us, however, is our 94-year history of innovation driven by a deep understanding and appreciation for the patient care problems our customers must solve in their daily practice of medicine – something that has never been more important, given the challenging economics and the promise of healthcare reform.

Q: How do you intend to offer more value to Welch Allyn customers in the next 12 months?

A: Welch Allyn is in the process of introducing a new product architecture that will give customers increased choices through more flexible product design and connectivity. It’s very exciting and promises to provide more opportunities to engage our clinician partners in new ways. Stay tuned!

Most recently, Welch Allyn launched an EHR Preparation and Selection Service that leverages expert consultants and a novel Web-based tool to assist caregivers in preparing for and choosing the right EHR. The service provides a more efficient and cost-effective means to manage the complex process of EHR selection—one of the known pain points as clinicians move to acquire and meet the upcoming “meaningful use” requirements identified as part of healthcare reform. Since only half of MedAxiom’s members have an EHR, this service will be beneficial to those who intend to acquire and implement an EHR in the near future. Members can find out more information about the service at www.welchallyn.com/ehrselect.

Q: What new products or services can we expect to see released in the next 12 months?

A: Just released in November, our CP 300™ is the latest addition to the Welch Allyn suite of cardiopulmonary devices. This full-featured electrocardiograph (ECG) has the convenience of a laptop and, in addition to administering patient tests and managing patient information, it offers single-key operation, a full-color 15-inch flip screen display with the capability to monitor 12 leads all at once, and a full-featured stress option.

The Welch Allyn Green Series™ Medical Exam Lights are slated for release in the United States in January 2010. This is the first new product line we will ship as members of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR® Partnership program. These lights use LEDs to provide brighter, whiter illumination, while reducing ownership costs since there is no need for bulb replacement. Our ENERGY STAR Partnership designation signifies our commitment to enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability in our products, processes and manufacturing facilities across the globe. We’re especially proud of this one, as we are one of the first medical device manufacturing companies to join the ENERGY STAR Partnership program.

Q: What are your long-term goals in serving the cardiology practice arena?

A: At Welch Allyn, our long-term goals revolve around finding ways to help our customers more effectively and efficiently solve their patient care problems. Selecting the right tools and putting them to use in ways that support or improve workflow is at the top of our list. In this age of connectivity, we intend to continue working with our customers to enable practices to utilize our products and make informed EHR choices. There is stimulus money flowing to support the acquisition of EHR technology, and we hope we can provide MedAxiom members with help in properly accessing and investing those funds for the benefit of their patients and their practices.

Q: Who should MedAxiom members contact with questions about Welch Allyn and its products?

A: Steve Kenan, senior category manager, at KenanS@welchallyn.com or at 315-685-3619.