Smartmedical, Siemens Healthcare reach agreement for outsourcing radiology equipment

Smartmedical Corp. has signed an “agreement of outsourcing radiology equipment” as a partnership with Siemens Healthcare, a Japanese subsidiary of Siemens Healthineers, to develop medical scanning centers at community primary care hubs.

Tokyo-based Smartmedical has developed the portal care clinic (PCC) as a community medical hub for residents and commuters who live around railway and metro stations in the metropolitan Tokyo area. The PCC is a new concept of the outpatient clinic as a community medical hub.

"This collaboration is significant for preventive medicine," said Nozumu Shibasaki, CEO of Smartmedical, in a statement. "Japan is rapidly becoming a world-first full-fledged aged society. In order to achieve active and healthy aging, prevention and early detection of disease is essential. By collaborating with Siemens Healthineers, we will establish medical scanning centers at PCCs with their outstanding medical imaging technology, which enables patients to have hospital quality check-ups and treatment at their community medical hub."

The hub serves as a primary care clinic for preventive medicine and general outpatient care as a branch of local-core hospitals in cooperation with university hospitals, and poly-clinics able to treat patients using multiple physicians with a doctor rotation system.

"This is our first Managed Equipment Services partnership with a clinic," said Hideaki Mori, president of Siemens Healthcare, in a statement. "As the importance of prevention and early detection of the disease increases in a mature society, it is inevitable for us to develop partnerships with community primary care hubs. As a PCC developer, Smartmedical will be our best partner to establish the platform of preventive medicine and primary care to solve multiple medical problems in Japan. We believe this collaboration model is efficient for any country and area." 

Also in the works are remote 24-hour medical scanning services by radiologists.

Jodelle joined TriMed Media Group in 2016 as a senior writer, focusing on content for Radiology Business and Health Imaging. After receiving her master's from DePaul University, she worked as a news reporter and communications specialist.

Around the web

The nuclear imaging isotope shortage of molybdenum-99 may be over now that the sidelined reactor is restarting. ASNC's president says PET and new SPECT technologies helped cardiac imaging labs better weather the storm.

CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.

The all-in-one Omni Legend PET/CT scanner is now being manufactured in a new production facility in Waukesha, Wisconsin.