In countries such as China, over 70 percent of the people live in rural areas with very limited access to care — and usually CT scans are only available at the township level. Millions of others living in rural communities in places such as Southeast Asia and Africa are in similar need. It’s why GE launched its Brivo line of imaging technologies — which includes CT scanners, digital X-rays and MR systems — that take the advances found in the highest-end machines and streamlines and simplifies them for use in clinics that otherwise might not have the chance, or the resources, to access them. In the video below, GE Healthcare’s Craig Loomis describes the Brivo digital X-ray that’s on display at GE’s healthymagination technology showcase, which is running for two weeks in New York City.
As Craig noted, increasing access — one of the main components of healthymagination — is the key. For example, X-rays are one of the most widely used diagnostic imaging tools, yet one billion people still don’t have access to this basic technology. Brivo tackles that by being 30 percent more affordable than comparable digital systems. And because it doesn’t use film, as older technologies do, doctors can see the images — or get second opinions from experts a world away — in real time.
With each technology, the engineers have focused on simplifying the workflow to make the equipment easier to use; making the equipment’s “footprint” more compact, and increasing the reliability by reducing the number of mechanical components. It means a clinic’s initial investment and total ownership costs are reduced. And it means patients who were once faced with the tough choice of traveling long distances to access the technology or foregoing exams altogether, can now get the scans they need. GE Healthcare’s Carl Cahill describes the Brivo technologies in the video below.
Read our recent stories from the new healthymagination technology showcase:
* “The business of bringing healthymagination to market”
* “At the showcase: Health by design and window tweets”
* “Scintillating tech: The world’s 1st high-def CT scanner”
* “Healthymagination tech showcase kicks off in NYC”
* Read the announcement about Jeff Immelt’s Oct. 21 press event at the showcase
Check back tonight for updates from GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt’s keynote speech at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco, which begins at 8 p.m. ET. The organizers are streaming selected sessions from the event live. Click here to register.
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While it is very civilized to be concerned with bringing affordable health care to, say, China, I am right now far, FAR more concerned with bringing it to my familiy and myself here in the United States — That in spite of opposition from interests having only the most extreme of profit motives in their sights.
Cost reduction and cost control is the ONLY effective option for the present health care dilemma — and technology offers the only gateway to that !
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Sounds great, put new high technology in convential machine,makes it avalaible for rural person.perfect!!
Finally, we are beginning to make a little of the progress that we programmers knew was possible 30 years ago. I think it took so long because of the money and power of the people who will hold off the development of wonderful machines we can use to care for all of us. We also have the ability to create tiny computers that can be put in the brain and other parts of our bodies to help in the healing processes. That was another idea we all had at least twenty years ago. The sad part of all this is, money. You have to have it to get the machines and technology that we can create to help so many people who needlessly suffering. The ironic part is that if we would fix these people who are considered disabled, we could easily put them back in the work force, which they would love, and reduce our countries costs in so many ways. Well, I’ve been dreaming for a long time……………..