Frost & Sullivan Lauds Welch Allyn's Breakthrough Camera Technology and its RetinaVue™ Network for the Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Market

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There are 44 million people (12.9%) living with diabetes in North America today and by 2020 it will be 60 million (14.7%). DR is the leading cause of blindness among working age adults. Yet, DR is one of the most preventable blinding diseases in the world; with early detection and treatment, 95% of vision loss cases can be prevented. Unfortunately, only half of the patients comply with annual diabetic retinal exam (DRE) referrals to the eye specialist—which is why diabetic retinopathy is still a leading cause of blindness. Low DRE compliance rates also reduce quality of care metrics and could reduce financial incentives associated with those metrics.

To make retinal exams more convenient for physicians and patients, Welch Allyn obtained rights to RetinaVue software applications and extended a management relationship with RetinaVue P.C. when it acquired the original developers, Hubble Telemedical. Furthermore, Welch Allyn developed the RetinaVue 100 Imager—the world's most advanced handheld, non-mydriatic fundus camera—which costs three times less than traditional desktop fundus cameras.

Any primary healthcare staff member can quickly capture high-quality fundus images on the RetinaVue 100 Imager after a free, brief training provided by Welch Allyn. The images receive an image-quality score between 0 and 100 and a color code (red, yellow, and green) to help clinicians determine if the image is viable for clinical assessment by the retina specialists at RetinaVue P.C.

"After acquiring fundus images, clinicians transfer them via the RetinaVue software application on a connected computer that automatically syncs with the fundus camera," said Frost & Sullivan Vice President of Research, Siddharth Saha. "They then obtain a comprehensive diagnostic report and referral/screening plan for the patient via the clinic's online portal the same day, often within 90 minutes."

The RetinaVue 100 Imager is designed to work exclusively with RetinaVue Network Software and requires a software license and a contract for diagnostic interpretation services with either RetinaVue P.C. or your affiliated ophthalmologist(s). Every RetinaVue software subscription includes access to new and historical retinal reports on the clinic portal, where users can receive, store, and manage retinal reports as well as review statistics on exam volume, diagnoses, and image quality. Clinics
are not charged for images deemed unreadable, and there is no minimum monthly charge for services. Additionally, an industry-standard HL7 interface is available for integration into commercial electronic medical record platforms.

"RetinaVue P.C. is the only retinal screening network provider comprised entirely of fellowship-trained, board-certified retina specialists," noted Saha. "In addition to identifying, classifying, and documenting all levels of diabetic retinopathy, from very mild to vision threatening, retina specialists sometimes find indications for other systemic diseases such as papilledema, hypertension, macular degeneration, and cancer."

All Welch Allyn-supplied fundus cameras come with a minimum one-year warranty. When customers need to return their devices for service, the company sends them a refurbished device for use until their device is serviced. Welch Allyn tracks and analyzes customer feedback, report turnaround times, and image quality metrics to ensure that healthcare providers receive consistently high service.

Significantly, the RetinaVue software applications are vendor-neutral, enabling their use with any fundus camera. Due to its breakthrough camera technology, high-quality images, and industry-leading turnaround times, Welch Allyn is fully deserving of Frost & Sullivan's 2016 North America Customer Value Leadership Award in the diabetic retinopathy screening market.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated excellence in implementing strategies that proactively create value for its customers with a focus on enhancing their return on investment that customers make in its services or products. The award recognizes the company's pronounced focus on enhancing the value its customers receive, beyond simply good customer service, leading to improved customer retention and ultimately customer base expansion.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets that demonstrate outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About Welch Allyn, Inc.

Since 1915 Welch Allyn has brought a unique perspective to developing diagnostic solutions by combining pragmatic knowledge with a visionary spirit of innovation and ongoing improvement. As a leading global manufacturer of physical examination instruments and accessories and EMR-connected vital signs and cardiac monitoring solutions, the company has a steadfast commitment to delivering superlative medical products, services and solutions that help healthcare professionals provide better care for their patients. Now a division of Hill-Rom, Welch Allyn is headquartered in Skaneateles Falls, N.Y. (USA) and employs more than 2,500 people in 26 different countries. Visit www.welchallyn.com for more information. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc.

Hill-Rom is a leading global medical technology company with 10,000 employees worldwide. We partner with health care providers in more than 100 countries by focusing on patient care solutions that improve clinical and economic outcomes in five core areas: Advancing Mobility, Wound Care and Prevention, Clinical Workflow, Surgical Safety and Efficiency and Respiratory Health. Around the world, Hill-Rom's people, products, and programs work towards one mission: Every day, around the world, we enhance outcomes for patients and their caregivers. Visit www.hill-rom.com for more information.

About Frost & Sullivan

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