Partnership opens access and removes barriers to point-of-care medical models for hospitals and clinicians
Stratasys Ltd., a provider in polymer 3D printing solutions, announced a partnership with Ricoh USA, Inc. to provide point-of-care anatomic modeling services to healthcare facilities. RICOH 3D for Healthcare utilizes Stratasys 3D printing technology as part of its solution to give more medical providers and hospitals access to 3D printed, patient-specific anatomic models.
RICOH 3D for Healthcare is an end-to-end workflow that simplifies the development, design, and production of anatomic models1 for healthcare providers. The solution increases medical facility access to 3D printed medical models to help clinicians see inside anatomy for greater visibility into patient needs and reduces barriers to entry that healthcare providers encounter when standing up a 3D printing facility. These include staffing issues, training requirements, HIPAA, quality and IT compliance, as well as budget constraints.
Ricoh uses the Stratasys J750 Digital Anatomy™ printer and the Stratasys J5 MediJet™ 3D printer to create the models produced for RICOH 3D for Healthcare. The printers create life-like anatomic models that can reflect an individual patient’s pathology and be physically manipulated like human tissue. Medical models allow clinicians to deliver more personalized care through better surgical preparation and patient education and can also be used for medical training purposes.
“To date, access to anatomic models at point-of-care locations has been limited to large hospitals and healthcare facilities,” said Gary Turner, Managing Director, Ricoh 3D for Healthcare, Ricoh USA, Inc. “Our cost-effective solution expands access for healthcare providers of all sizes. By partnering with Stratasys, through an integration with IBM Watson Health and our ongoing commitment to innovation, we are able to provide these models to any facility using IBM iConnect® Access.”
RICOH 3D for Healthcare is currently available to providers in two different ways. First, a point-of-care option, which includes having the Stratasys 3D printers coupled with Ricoh’s managed services staff on-site to manage the entire process aligning with Ricoh’s Quality Management System and good manufacturing practices. Further, there is an on-demand option where providers can order and have anatomic models 3D printed and shipped directly to them. Both options are HIPAA compliant and easy for medical staff to use.
“Through our partnership with Ricoh we are giving healthcare institutions the opportunity to access patient care tools that they may not have previously had access to,” said Scott Drikakis, Healthcare Segment Leader for Stratasys. “With Ricoh 3D for Healthcare, providers can easily generate 3D printed models of patient specific anatomy using state of the art technology through an on-site managed services or on-demand part approach. This will demonstrate the clinical and economic benefits of anatomic models, while streamlining the historical challenges of establishing 3D printing programs in hospitals.”
Attendees to the RSNA conference in Chicago Nov. 28 – Dec. 2 can see the full anatomic model solution from IBM Watson Health, Ricoh and Stratasys in the IBM Watson Health 3D Printing Imaging Showcase in booth 8108.
Stratasys and Ricoh will continue to expand their partnership and redefine how healthcare facilities access anatomic models for personalized patient care. To learn more about Stratasys solutions for healthcare, visit www.stratasys.com/medical.
Stratasys is leading the global shift to additive manufacturing with innovative 3D printing solutions for industries such as aerospace, automotive, consumer products and healthcare. Through smart and connected 3D printers, polymer materials, a software ecosystem, and parts on demand, Stratasys solutions deliver competitive advantages at every stage in the product value chain. The world’s leading organizations turn to Stratasys to transform product design, bring agility to manufacturing and supply chains, and improve patient care.
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Stratasys, Digital Anatomy, J750 and J5 Medi Jet are trademarks or registered trademarks of Stratasys Ltd. and/or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners, and Stratasys assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of these non-Stratasys products.
1The replicas are for non-diagnostic/treatment use.
