When Technology Meets Patient Care

Mexico is the No. 8 exporter of medical devices. The state of Baja California is a global leader in the sector as it hosts around 40 production plants. Yet, the reality in the domestic market is quite different. “Mexico is the 14th economy in the world but the No. 46 in medical devices, which means there is a gap in the use of current technology,” said Fernando Oliveros, President of AMID, during a MBN webinar. Despite our production potential, Mexico exports most devices, mainly to the US.

The rapid technological development in the medical devices sector creates possibilities for collecting and analyzing enormous amounts of information to create tailored alternatives for healthcare suppliers and payers. This has meant a differentiator for doctors’ everyday work. Technological advances are a disruptor that, more often than not, introduces positive change. But new technologies often also translate to higher initial costs, making it necessary for hospitals and developers to work together to develop solutions that will result in long-term savings.

An example of successful technological advances in medical devices supported by a proper investment plan can be seen in Hospital Juarez de México, where medical professionals have been working with a Canon camera to diagnose diabetic patients. During an MBN interview with Carlos Franyutii, Sales and Marketing Manager of Healthcare Solutions Canon Mexicana, he explained that innovation and user-friendly products are the trigger for the company’s success in the market, specifically in the area of retinopathy, where Canon has many programs and plays a key role due to its diagnosis camara. “Our cameras help explore the patients’ fundus to measure the damage and arrive at the correct treatment,” explains Franyutii. Alongside Hospital Juarez de México, Canon Mexicana expects to see better results among patients needing this technology.

MBN spoke with Virgilio Lima, Head of the Ophthalmology Service at Hospital Juarez de México, to know what had been Canon Mexicana’s impact so far. According to Lima, this has been one of the most valuable additions to the hospital due to its impact on their work and on patients. In the past, doctors would use the traditional diagnostic method of applying eye drops that would dilate the pupil to hydrate it and detect possible lesions. The problem is that every time the pupil is dilatated, vision is disrupted and the effects can last four hours or even more, depending on the patient, which means that that person will need a companion to assist them after the checkup. “Canon’s diagnostic camara allows us to capture a back-of-the-eye photograph without the need for eye drops, which automatically eliminates all inconveniences. A diabetic patient can normally suffer retina damage but the other six parts of the eye need to be analyzed to determine the damage. With the camara, we are able to detect lesions in one take much faster. As a doctor, I am able to see the whole spectrum in one take.”

Time savings are valuable, as well, especially in a public institution. “In the past, the average consultation schedule had a four-month waiting list. With the camara, the longest waiting period is a month. During the pandemic, this also means less risks of contagion for the patient and their companion, if they have one.”

Franyutii explained that this outcome is exactly what Canon aims for. “Our products allow for a reduction of costs for healthcare entities as we work with economy-of-scale systems, meaning that more volume equals more productivity and fewer operational costs.”