Mexico’s Radiography Equipment is Obsolete: Ocean Medic

Q: What opportunities in the market have allowed Ocean Medic to be successful?

A: Other companies sell medical devices but do not focus on any particular sector. We identified that in Mexico, imageology and radiology were increasingly popular because all medical specialists, including veterinarians, need these devices for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Q: What added value does Ocean Medic offer to its clients?

A: We are the exclusive and direct brand representative for all the companies that we promote, with one exception. This allows us to train professionals to use the brands. Moreover, we offer training to all our clients so they can take advantage of their purchases. We also have the infrastructure to stock spare parts and are focused on post-sale processes because our purpose is not only to sell but also to build a relationship with clients.

In previous years, we were the youngest in a very traditional industry that relied on traditional strategies that were far from digitalization. This became an advantage for us because we built a presence on social media and included products with telemedicine and connectivity features. Our goal is to offer technology, quality and cost-benefit advantages. All of our products have a differentiator. For example, some have a touch screen that can display a digital image of the human body.

We want to be more than just a distributor, so we are sharing valuable content that goes beyond the promotion of our products. Ocean Medic now offers webinars and roundtables to discuss several areas of imageology and we are allying with medical institutions and hospitals. With this strategy, we try to be helpful not only to the medical sector but also to the general public.

Q: How do you choose your partners and the brands you represent?

A: We visit manufacturers before starting any commercial relationship to obtain a deep understanding of the company. Our engineering team also visits the manufacturer to obtain training directly. We ensure that brands have international certifications, such as ISO. We are looking for quality products and brands that share our vision.

We want to build alliances with different companies but telemedicine and AI are not very popular in Mexico. While we promote the use of state-of-the-art technology, convincing clients of their benefits has been difficult. We are seeing resistance but we hope that in the future these new technologies will be commonly used in the sector.

Q: How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact your product and service offering?

A: During the pandemic, demand for X-ray scans increased because doctors needed images of the thorax for diagnosis and treatment. The pandemic accelerated radiology practices by 20 years.

Traditional X-ray generators are obsolete. Digital radiology is being used by most industrialized countries but the X-ray technique commonly used in Mexico is as outdated as processing photos in dark rooms. Digital devices can send the image in 10 seconds to a computer so the doctor can use it immediately, even modifying it.

Before the pandemic, we were trying to promote the use of digital radiology systems because 60 percent of medical clinics relied on traditional devices. While digital radiology systems are more expensive, its implementation means clients do not have to invest in dark rooms or chemicals to process the image and they obtain reliable images with better quality. At the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the health sector could not meet the high demand for diagnostic tests and many turned to digital radiology systems. Now, every client is asking for digital X-ray generators.

Q: What trends have you detected regarding imageology and how are you responding to them?

A: Imageology is versatile and diverse and it has become an essential tool for diagnosis, prevention and treatment in many medical specialties. Most professionals in the health sector who are not radiologists use imageology as a complementary tool. Clients are looking for portability, accessibility and fast diagnostics, which our products provide. For example, one of our products has an AI that detects anomalies in breast scans. It works under the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) and can provide an immediate diagnosis.

Q: What are your plans for expansion in Mexico?

A: We want to expand to the northeast region and to the peninsula of Yucatan. We aim to expand Ocean Medic’s reach to Latin America and become the first Mexican company specialized in imageology devices to break frontiers.

Ocean Medic supplies medical devices for imageology and specializes in diagnostic and radiology equipment. Headquartered in Puebla, the company also provides training and maintenance for diagnostic equipment.