Our bodies can do amazing things. Unfortunately, they are prone to wear and tear, particularly our muscles, joints, and ligaments. Whether it’s due to injury or old age, many individuals will undergo a shoulder reconstructive surgery at some point in their lives.

While reconstruction is quite an invasive type of surgery, innovations in orthopaedics equipment have meant that patients can expect to experience decreased recovery time and improved rehabilitative results.

As a leading provider of orthopaedics equipment, Paragon Care is well placed to assist healthcare providers administer quality patient care.

Shoulder reconstruction: an overview

There are many reasons why a patient may require reconstructive shoulder surgery. Some may have suffered a serious injury, such as a broken bone or a torn rotator cuff. Others may be experiencing severe arthritis that is not responding to treatment.

In most cases, a physician will attempt to treat the patient via a combination of drugs and physiotherapy before reconstructive surgery takes place.

Broadly speaking, there are three different types of shoulder reconstruction:

• Total shoulder replacement, in which the entire ball of the joint is replaced and attached to the bone, before the structure is covered with a new surface.
• Partial shoulder replacement, in which just the ball is replaced.
• Reverse shoulder replacement, in which the standard ball and socket joint is reversed to create a more stable structure. A reverse shoulder replacement is commonly used in situations where a previous reconstruction has failed.

Regardless of the type of reconstruction, this operation usually requires considerable rehabilitation before the patient is able to regain full use of their shoulder.

Equipment used in orthopaedic care

Orthopaedic clinicians rely on a wide range of equipment in order to diagnose and treat patients.

When conducting reconstructive surgery, a clinician will require standard surgical equipment, including forceps, clamps, drills, blades, and retractors. Many medical equipment manufacturers provide specialist procedural kits so that surgeons have everything they need on hand to conduct the procedure.

Aside from this equipment, the joint replacement structures themselves can be considered specialist devices essential to orthopedic surgeons when conducting replacement surgery. These structures are typically made of either bone, metal, plastic, or ceramic, and are carefully crafted to replicate the size and shape of the original joint.

Evolutions in healthcare technology have led to significant improvements in the process of shoulder reconstruction. Not only can replacement structures be built with increased accuracy but the development of robotic-assisted surgery has proven to be of great assistance to orthopaedic clinicians.

Paragon Care — leading orthopaedic equipment provider

Paragon Care is an industry leader in the field of orthopaedics equipment. Having spent many years working in this industry, we have developed a unique insight into the demands of orthopaedics patients and clinicians.

Our product portfolio is extensive. Beyond equipment required for shoulder, hip, and knee replacement surgery, we are proud to provide our clients with both capital and consumable products that are essential when providing orthopaedic care. Whether you require operating room products or need assistance managing infection control, Paragon Care can assist.

Our product line is complemented by our outstanding levels of customer service. With a dedicated support call centre on hand to answer all of your product and service related inquiries, we are committed to providing quality support pre, during, and post-purchase.

If you manage a healthcare facility and are looking to upgrade upon your existing orthopaedics equipment, contact Paragon Care today to discuss how we can assist you.

Medical equipment — just like any other type of complex machinery — is prone to breakdowns. Medical equipment technicians play an essential role in ensuring that equipment is safe for both clinicians and patients and provides accurate and timely results.

Medical equipment repair is closely related to medical equipment servicing. In fact, a healthcare facility’s relationship with and commitment to equipment servicing has a direct impact on the frequency with which that equipment will require repair.

Scheduled servicing means a technician has the chance to pick up on minor equipment faults before they have a chance to impact overall functioning and diagnostic capacity. It also increases the lifespan of equipment, reducing the risk of a medical facility having to pay a large sum to replace important machinery and devices.

Trends in medical equipment repair

Medical equipment repair has not always held the important place that it does today.

To start with, innovations in medical technology means that equipment is both used more frequently and is more complex in nature. These two factors combined means that equipment technicians have taken on added responsibilities over the past few decades.

In addition, healthcare facilities of all shapes and sizes have placed a high focus on cost containment in recent years. This has had a direct impact on the medical equipment repair industry. On one hand, more frequent (and scheduled) servicing means that healthcare facilities are less likely to discover unknown, substantial faults with their equipment. Such issues can mean that equipment needs to be completely replaced. Servicing, in this sense, is a great cost saving strategy.

Healthcare facilities are also increasingly looking to outsource their equipment servicing and repair as the cost of maintaining an in-house maintenance team is often too high, particularly for smaller clinics and aged-care homes.

As medical equipment becomes more automated and digitised, you can expect to see additional changes to the way the repair and servicing industries operate.

Paragon Care — committed to providing top-quality medical equipment repair services

Paragon Care is at the forefront of medical equipment repair. As an equipment provider, we understand it is as much our responsibility to provide excellent service and repair offerings as it is to supply our customers with quality equipment.

As such, we are proud to offer product, system, and application related services throughout the entire lifecycle of your asset. Our dedicated call centre is available to respond to queries during and after the sales process, and our team of over 50 trained technicians understands the importance of responding to your service requests in a timely and efficient manner.

Our servicing and repair work is carried out to manufacturer's certification, so you can be confident that your repaired equipment is providing you with accurate results.

We also understand that each healthcare facility has different needs and financial considerations. As such, we offer a broad range of contract options, enabling you to pick a level of service that fits your needs and economic situation.

Contact our friendly team today to discover more about our commitment to our customers and our medical equipment repair offerings.

As the manager of a medical facility, deciding on a health care products supplier is one of the most important decisions you will make. The level of patient care that your clinicians are able to provide is directly related to the quality and accessibility of supplies and equipment. Your choice in supplier, therefore, has a significant impact on patient outcomes.

Paragon Care is a leading supplier of health care equipment and supplies. We understand that our customers are after functional health care products and provide extensive service offerings to accompany our comprehensive product portfolio.

Our experience working with health care facilities of all shapes and sizes has revealed to us the most important elements of the supplier-customer relationship; continue reading to discover our top tips for partnering with a health care product provider.

Search for a Comprehensive Supplier

If you are in charge of a general hospital or clinic, you will most likely require health care products that span many different specialities, from orthopaedics to neonatal care. With that in mind, it makes sense to opt for a comprehensive supplier that boasts a large product portfolio. Working with one supplier will simplify your work and provide confidence that all equipment you receive will be of a similar high quality.

Paragon Care provides capital and consumable products across a number of healthcare sectors. Whether you require general surgical supplies or veterinary equipment, we are well placed to assist.

Consider your Budget

Health care products represent a significant investment. Capital equipment — such as ultrasound machines — can come at a high cost. The frequency with which clinicians require consumable products, such as bandages, syringes, and IV accessories, means that these are required in large numbers. While consumables are often less expensive, the quantity needed means that the overall cost can quickly add up.

Before approaching a supplier of health care products, make sure that you have a good understanding of your overall budget. Paragon Care provides catalogue information to health care professionals via our website; contact our friendly customer service professionals for more information regarding our product offerings and prices.

Understand the Importance of Quality

It goes without saying that quality is the most important facet when it comes to purchasing health care equipment. The level of care you are able to offer your patients is directly related to the quality of your health care equipment.

Your health care supplier must understand this and prioritise providing their customers with equipment of the highest quality. Paragon Care strives to deliver world-class technology through our extensive array of brands, offering the latest in specialty devices and diagnostic solutions.

Inquire About Service Offerings

As is the case with all types of technology, medical equipment will require servicing to continue functioning at optimum capacity. With this in mind, the type of service offerings that a supplier of health care products offers is another important consideration that should be taken into account.

Paragon Care’s team of experienced customer service professionals and trained technicians are available to assist you throughout the entire life cycle of an asset. We understand the importance of functional, efficient equipment and provide an array of maintenance and repair offerings to assist our customers in this area.

The medical equipment industry is amongst the most heavily regulated in Australia, and with good reason. Healthcare workers use any number of devices to diagnose and treat patients; these devices need to be of a certain standard to safeguard patient health and safety.

The Role of the TGA

The TGA — or Therapeutic Goods Association — plays an essential role in regulating the production and distribution of therapeutic goods in Australia. What is a therapeutic good? Simply put, it is any product that is used for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of a disease or injury.

The type of products that the TGA regulates therefore includes everything from herbal medicines to complex equipment used in a hospital setting.

The work of the TGA provides clinicians with full confidence that the products and equipment they are using to treat their patients work as intended and will not cause undue harm.

Overview of Medical Devices

One of the TGA’s main responsibilities is to monitor the development, product, and advertising of medical devices. The term ‘medical devices’ is all-encompassing, covering a wide variety of capital and consumable products.

To make this easier for equipment manufacturers and suppliers, the TGA has classified medical devices according to a range of criteria. This can be summarised as follows:

• Class I: Low risk, example being a bandage
• Class I — supplied sterile: Low-medium risk, example being a syringe
• Class I — incorporating measuring function: Low-medium risk, example being a measuring cup
• Class IIa: Low-medium risk, example being a thermometer
• Class IIb: Medium-high risk, example being a ventilator
• Class III: High risk, example being a joint replacement
• Active Implantable Medical Device: High risk, example being a defibrillator

The TGA provides a range of resources that are designed to assist companies that produce medical equipment in Australia meet their strict guidelines. They also play an active role in regulating these devices by providing both pre-market assessment and post-market assessment.

To be marketed and sold in Australia, all medical devices must be included on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.

Paragon Care — An Experienced Provider of Quality, Approved Healthcare Products

As a leading provider of medical equipment in Australia, the team at Paragon Care possesses an in-depth, first-hand understanding regarding the importance of following TGA regulations. Our vision — to provide advanced solutions to improve patient experience and user workflows — demands that we supply our customers with equipment of the highest quality.

We understand that healthcare managers and clinicians hold a duty of care to their patients. In turn, we take our responsibilities towards our customers extremely seriously. Our product portfolio includes innovative capital and consumable products, supported by an extensive network of engineers across the Australia and New Zealand regions. Our values — which include integrity, transparency, accountability, teamwork, and a customer-focus — guide us in our quest to provide customers with quality healthcare equipment.

If you are looking for a supplier who understands regulatory guidelines and strives to provide customers with all the information they need to make an informed purchase, contact Paragon Care today.

The invention of the ultrasound in the 1950s completely revolutionised healthcare. Being able to view internal structures enabled clinicians to diagnose and treat patients far more efficiently without the need for invasive and painful internal operations.

Since then, the ultrasound has been adapted and utilised across a wide range of medical sectors. Urologists, in particular, have greatly benefited from access to ultrasounds, which have provided a wide range of urology solutions.

What is an ultrasound?

An ultrasound is a type of diagnostic scan that is used to examine internal body structures. Ultrasounds are typically associated with pregnancy but they are used to diagnose a wide variety of other conditions.

An ultrasound works by emitting high-frequency sound waves from a small, handheld device. These sound waves are reflected by the patient and received back by the device, forming a scanned image of the patient’s internal body.

Ultrasound scans are favoured as they are generally non-invasive — aside from obstetric, pelvic, and rectum examinations. These are conducted using specially designed probes. An ultrasound doesn’t require the use of dyes or radiation to diagnose a patient, and is an essential device used across all healthcare settings.

How are ultrasounds used in urology?

Urologists are concerned with conditions affecting the kidneys, bladder, prostate, and male reproductive organs. Such conditions typically include cancer, infection, blockages, and dysfunction — while the symptoms of these problems may be evident, it is difficult to diagnose without being able to look inside the body.

An ultrasound is an important diagnostic device that grants that interior perspective and can assist clinicians plan and implement treatment regimes.

When diagnosing conditions related to the prostate and male reproductive system, a probe is often used and inserted into the rectum. When studying the bladder and kidneys, a gel is spread over the skin (to help transmit sound waves) and the ultrasound is performed externally.

BK Ultrasound — premium ultrasound systems

Paragon Care are the official Australian partner for BK Medical, market leaders in urology, surgery, and endo-anal. BK Medical’s product portfolio features a wide range of innovative devices that produce images of unparalleled quality.

BK Medical has over 40 years experience producing equipment that assists clinicians make informed, real-time diagnostic decisions.

Using the latest technology, BK ultrasound systems seamlessly integrate with existing equipment, support robotic-assisted technology, and use advanced imaging modes — including elastography and contrast imaging — to assist clinicians effectively diagnose patients.

Paragon Care — your partner in urology solutions

Beyond ultrasounds, Paragon Care offers an extensive range of equipment, products and consumables that can be used to diagnose and treat urological conditions.

Treatment of cancers, blockages, and infections within the urological system has progressed tremendously over the past few decades. Clinicians are now able to offer non-invasive, effective laser and shockwave therapy options, which reduce patient recovery time.

Consumables are an important part of safe patient care. Products including needle guides and covers significantly reduce the risk of infection and make the clinical environment safer for both patients and healthcare professionals. Closed system transfer devices are also used by clinicians to reduce the risk of external materials contaminating drugs, and to protect healthcare workers themselves from coming into contact with hazardous substances.

Conditions associated with the urological system are often quite painful. Pain management products — including anaesthesia delivery systems, needle guides, and speciality covers — help patients who are in pain and reduce the risk of infection transmission.

Paragon Care’s range of products — including high-tech ultrasounds — are designed to provide urology solutions to all of your problems. Whether you require consumable or capital equipment, Paragon Care’s team of experienced professionals are here to assist. Contact us today to find out more.