Health Industry Today articles from December 1993

Health Industry Today archives from December 1993

Traditional burn dressings market slowed by growing synthetics usage.
December 1, 1993... Increased use of synthetic dressings in burn care treatment has created scores of new preference items in the burn care market, a sector historically dominatedby a single commodity item--gauze--also referred to as "traditional dressing." Buyers...

Fundamental changes in store for vendors under reform. (health care reform)
December 1, 1993... As the health care industry regroups and consolidates, the challenges and the opportunities that loom for vendors are both numerous and profound. The coming tidal wave will simultaneously present horrific worst case scenarios and extraordinary...

New Baxter could emerge following restructuring. (Baxter International Inc.)
December 1, 1993... Several hospital industry leaders are eager to see how the new single point of contact, or "One Baxter" sales and marketing approach of Baxter International, Inc., Deerfield, Ill., will work on a national scale. "|A single account manager~ will...

Baxter renews with AmHS; largest pact of its kind. (Baxter International Inc.; American Healthcare System)
December 1, 1993... The five-year, $4 billion agreement between Baxter International, Deerfield, Ill., and San Diego-based American Healthcare Systems (AmHS) grew out of the companies' familiarity with each other's operations, a familiarity that dates back to August...

Laserscope signs three-year laser deal with Premier Health Alliance. (Laserscope Surgical Systems; Premier Health Alliance Inc.)
December 1, 1993... Laserscope Surgical Systems, San Jose, Calif., signed a three-year agreement with Premier Health Alliance, Inc., Westchester, Ill., making the manufacturer the sole supplier of 532nm and 1,064nm wavelength surgical laser systems. The agreement...

OrthoLogic developing orthopedic products with Quest, CyberLogic. (Quest Medical product Development Ltd.)
December 1, 1993... Phoenix-based OrthoLogic signed product agreements with Quest Medical Product Development Ltd., Phoenix, and CyberLogic, Inc., New York, to develop new orthopedic trauma products, which will be marketed and manufactured by OrthoLogic. The...

Viggo-Spectramed, Anaquest and BOC merge under Ohmeda name. (BOC Group Inc. Vigg-Spectramed, BOC Group Inc. Anaquest, BOC Group Inc. Ohmeda)
December 1, 1993... BOC Health Care, Liberty Corner, N.J., has become Ohmeda, merging the company's three businesses--Ohmeda, Anaquest and Viggo-Spectramed--into one corporate entity as part of a company-wide move toward downsizing and restructuring. The...

Lasermedics sponsoring instructional institute for surgeons. (Lasermedics Inc.; Laser Training Institute)
December 1, 1993... Manufacturers of surgical lasers will have an opportunity to introduce their products to physicians through the Laser Training Institute (LTI), formed by Lasermedics Inc., Stafford, Tex. LTI officials say exposing future laser-certified...

VA encouraging prime vendor deals in its $1.4 billion purchasing program. (Department of Veterans Affairs; medical supplies industry)
December 1, 1993... With Veterans Affairs following the lead of the Defense Personnel Support Centerby switching to prime vendor contracts for medical-surgical supplies, manufacturers will have the opportunity to take a larger slice of the VA's $1.4 billion annual...

Carl Zeiss expanding production to gear up for product launch. (Carl Zeiss Inc.; relocation of Laser Technology Center)
December 1, 1993... Carl Zeiss, Inc., Thornwood, N.Y., will relocate its Laser Technology Center (LTC) to expanded production facilities in San Leandro, Calif., in order to begin marketing the company's Opmilas 144 and Opmilas 144 Plus arthroscopic surgery systems....

Battle for LIS and wound closure markets invades J&J's and USSC's ads. (less invasive surgery; Johnson and Johnson; United States Surgical Corp.)
December 1, 1993... The battle continues between two Johnson & Johnson companies and U.S. Surgical Corp. (USSC) for the hearts, minds and pocketbooks of purchasers and users of less invasive surgery (LIS) and wound closure products. Ethicon Endo-Surgery is making...

Angeion restructuring under new CEO. (Angeion Corp. CEO Whiten McFarlin)
December 1, 1993... Under orders from a new chief executive officer, Angeion Corp., Minneapolis, started the first phase of a restructuring plan to combine functions of its AngeLase and AngeMed divisions while finding a buyer for the company's external temporary...

Baxter Healthcare Corp. (left ventricular assist system helped cardiomyopathy patient Jeffrey Lee Groteboer)
December 1, 1993... Jeffrey Lee Groteboer, a patient supported by a left ventricular assist system (LVAS) produced by Baxter Healthcare Corp., Deerfield, Ill., was released from Stanford University Medical Center. He is the first patient to have Baxter's...

Medisys Technologies, Inc. (signed clinical trials agreement with Baylor College of Medicine)
December 1, 1993... Medisys Technologies, Inc., Baton Rouge, La., and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, signed a clinical trials agreement. Under the direction of Kenneth J. Moise, Jr., M.D., Division of Maternal/Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and...

ISG Technologies. (introduced neurosurgical probe Viewing Wand)
December 1, 1993... ISG Technologies, Toronto, introduced its new Viewing Wand, which is a new surgical technology that helps neurosurgeons perform brain surgery in a shorter amount of time with more accuracy. The debut occurred at Hoag Hospital in ...

Lasertechnics Inc. (suspension of Integrated Labs Inc. purchase of Lasertechnics Inc.'s Excimer Laser Division)
December 1, 1993... Lasertechnics Inc., Albuquerque, N.M., and Integrated Labs Inc., Andover, Mass.,announced that discussions under the previously announced non-binding letter of intent regarding Integrated's purchase of the assets of Lasertechnic's Excimer Laser...

Medical Graphics Corp. (finalized contract with NASA)
December 1, 1993... Medical Graphics Corp., St. Paul, finalized a contract with NASA to provide multiple MedGraphics Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Systems to measure astronauts' cardiopulmonary response to exercise during space missions. The project reflects...

Owens & Minor's Seattle facility to increase stockless capabilities. (Owens and Minor Inc.; Seattle, Washington)
December 1, 1993... Owens & Minor, Inc., Richmond, Va., is opening a new facility in Seattle in lateDecember to provide better service to area hospitals and increase the distributor's just-in-time and stockless capabilities within the area. The Seattle area was...

Polaroid offering dry-process laser imaging system. (Polaroid Corp. Polaroid Medical Imaging Systems Div.)
December 1, 1993... Polaroid Corp. Medical Products, Cambridge, Mass., is marketing its new dry-process laser imaging system, the Helios Laser Imager, as a unique product that will help hospitals substantially lower their imaging costs and time spent developing...

LMS marketing skin stretching system for skin deficit wounds. (Life Medical Sciences Inc.; Sure Closure Skin Stretching system)
December 1, 1993... Life Medical Sciences (LMS), Newport Beach, Calif., introduced its first product, the Sure-Closure Skin Stretching system, designed to improve the body'sappearance after undergoing treatment of skin deficit wounds. LMS released the Sure-Closure...

Stryker endoscopy suite creates more efficient environment. (Stryker Corp. Stryker Endoscopy Div.)
December 1, 1993... Stryker Endoscopy, San Jose, Calif., introduced its new Videoendoscopic Suite atthe American College of Surgeons meeting in October. The suite, designed to "create a more efficient environment" for endoscopic procedures, can be fitted with a...

Exos using virtual reality technology to measure orthopedic movement. (Exos Inc.; Clinical Handmaster System)
December 1, 1993... Exos Inc., Burlington, Mass., is marketing its Clinical Handmaster System as thefirst system used for measuring orthopedic movement that incorporates virtual reality technology. The system received Food & Drug Admin. marketing clearance in...

Puritan-Bennett challenging Pfizer with Pediatric-Femoral Sensor Kit.
December 1, 1993... Puritan-Bennett Corp., Carlsbad, Calif., released its new PB-FOxs Pediatric-Femoral Sensor Kit to compete against a similar product made by PfizerInc., New York. The kit was introduced in October at the meeting of the AmericanSociety for...

Davis & Geck introduces Prestige line and ligating clip. (American Cyanamid Co. Davis+Geck Div.; endoscopic instruments)
December 1, 1993... Davis & Geck, a division of American Cyanamid Co., Davis, N.J., expanded its offerings of endoscopic instruments by introducing its Prestige line and an absorbable ligating clip in a coordinated effort to increase the company's shareof the...

GSI product works with USSC and Ethicon Endo-Surgery products. (General Surgical Innovations; hernia balloon dissector; United States Surgical Corp.)
December 1, 1993... General Surgical Innovations, Portola Valley, Calif., introduced a new hernia balloon dissector, dubbed The Spacemaker, that's intended to be used with a new method of laparoscopic hernia repair. The Spacemaker was released in October at the...

Classic Medical banking on quality with higher-cost electrode. (Classic Medical Products Inc.; disposable electrocardiograph tab electrode)
December 1, 1993... Classic Medical Products, Inc., Muskego, Wis., introduced in September the RC800, a disposable ECG tab electrode designed to take the place of traditional alligator-clip electrodes by giving diagnosticians improved features for 6 to 8 cents more...

Scimed positioning itself as a full-line supplier for cath labs. (Scimed Life Systems Inc.; angioplasty system; catheters)
December 1, 1993... Scimed Life Systems, Inc., Minneapolis, is marketing its new PTCA guide-wire angioplasty system as a superior alternative to other systems designed to facilitate the exchange of over-the-wire PTCA balloon catheters. The Scimed system, which...

San Francisco-based McKesson Drug Co.'s. (president Thomas B. Simone announced retirement)
December 1, 1993... San Francisco-based McKesson Drug Co.'s president, Thomas B. Simone, announced he will leave the company March 31, at the end of the fiscal year. David E. McDowell, the company's president and chief operating officer, will assume the...

Siemens Medical Systems, Inc. (named Robert V. Dumke president and CEO)
December 1, 1993... Siemens Medical Systems, Inc., Iselin, N.J., named Robert V. Dumke president andchief executive officer. The appointment took effect in October. Prior to his appointment at Siemens, Dumke served as president and CEO of Siemens Industrial...