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Total Communications recently successfully completed the upgrade of the nurse call system at Denhams Beach Care Community. By installing a CareTech IP Nurse Call and LAS systems we delivered Denhams Beach Care Community a state-of-the-art critical care communications and management solution.

Over a 3-month period, Total Communications project team coordinated with all stakeholders, delivering a high-quality solution for the Care Community. The project not only included a staged system upgrade, but also cabling to extend the Nurse call system through the whole facility. All works were completed effectively and efficiently ensuring minimal disruption to residents.

The 157 bed Denham’s Beach Care Community had Total install close to 400 new call points throughout the Care Community. The LAS monitoring and reporting system allows the Care Community to immediately identify any issues, initiate changes and ensure that their residents receive the best care possible.
 
The Care Community is now benefiting from:

• Instant messages of calls to Wi-Fi DECT phones
• Accurate and high level of reporting for staff members
• Remote monitoring ensuring full operability and critical support of the Nurse Call system.

Cancer — the uncontrolled growth and spread of cells — is a disease commonly associated with humans. It’s not well understood that wild and domesticated animals are just as prone to developing the condition as their human counterparts. By some estimates, up to one in three dogs in Australia will contract cancer in their lifetime, making the development and manufacture of oncology veterinary equipment a very important area of medical research.

A range of products can be used to ensure safe and effective cancer treatment. As a leading provider of veterinary equipment, Paragon Care, in association with REM SYSTEMS, can help practitioners treat very sick animals in a secure and hygienic manner.

Veterinary oncology explained

Oncology is a term used to describe the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Cancer affects a wide number of animal species, from domesticated cats and dogs to wild Tasmanian devils. There are some risk factors that increase an individual’s likelihood of developing cancer, including age and lifestyle — this is true for both animals and humans alike. Interestingly enough, some species of animals experience astoundingly low rates of cancer, that scientists believe could lead to the future development of innovative treatment options in humans.

The types of treatment used on animals are similar to that of humans and include both chemotherapy and radiation. Generally speaking, there are more specialised treatment therapies available to humans suffering from cancer than animals. This is largely due to contrasting levels of dedicated research and development.

However, veterinary scientists and medical researchers are constantly looking for new, safe and effective ways of helping animals who have been diagnosed with cancer. Veterinary oncology is an evolving and exciting field of research that promises to help all species of animals.

Equipment associated with animal oncology

While chemotherapy and radiation can be very effective in treating cancer, the drugs used in these therapies are not particularly safe for humans in a more general sense. Both patients and clinicians risk being exposed to hazardous drugs when preparing and administering treatments. Innovative veterinary equipment is designed to reduce this relative risk.

A closed system transfer device, for example, is a type of equipment that protects patients and clinicians from environmental hazards. These hazards operate in a dual sense; contaminants from the exterior environment can reduce the effectiveness of drugs while the drugs themselves (including sprays and aerosol leaks) can be quite dangerous to others working to prepare, administer and dispose of medication.

With that in mind, veterinary equipment associated with animal oncology often falls under the category of protective and disinfectant devices. To learn more about the capabilities of specific products, contact Paragon Care today.

Paragon Care — leading provider of veterinary equipment

Of course, Paragon Care’s range of veterinary equipment extends far beyond instruments, products, and devices used for oncology. In association with REM SYSTEMS, we are proud to be a comprehensive provider of high-quality equipment designed to meet the specialised needs of veterinarians.

Our product portfolio includes innovative devices, such as point of care analysers. POC systems make it incredibly easy for veterinarians to diagnose animals in remote and rural locations, meaning treatment can be administered in a far more efficient manner.

Treatment options suggested by veterinarians often include laser therapy. Therapeutic lasers can be used to increase blood flow, reduce pain and inflammation, and promote the natural healing process. Laser therapy is less invasive than other forms of treatment, with very few risks associated with the procedure.

In addition to the above mentioned products and equipment, Paragon Care also carries top-of-the-line centrifuges and infusion therapy consumables.

To learn more about our veterinary equipment product portfolio, contact our friendly customer service team today. Their experience and industry knowledge will enable them to impart tailored advice and recommendations.

Without medical devices, doctors and nurses would be largely left in the dark when it comes to diagnosing and treating diseases. It’s hard to imagine a functional medical industry without the innovative equipment and consumable products that we have come to rely so heavily upon. Billions of dollars are poured into medical device development and manufacturing every year, with some astounding results.

Take an ultrasound machine, for example. The technology required to operate such a device was largely developed during World War II. While ultrasound machines were commercially available from the 1960s, the equipment of that era bears little resemblance to devices of today. Ultrasound machines have been reduced and refined to the point where they are now considered to be a bedside (point-of-care) medical device.

This is just one example of the degree to which medical technology has impacted healthcare. As a leading medical device provider, Paragon Care has been on the forefront of evolving technology. We pride ourselves on our wide-ranging product portfolio and our ability to provide customers with personalised, tailored recommendations and advice.

Product portfolio

Our experience in the medical technology industry has led us to develop a comprehensive product portfolio, designed to suit the extensive and ever-developing needs of the medical community.

Critical care

Few specialities rely on medical devices more than critical care. Paragon Care provides a range of products and devices that are used to monitor patient vital signs, look for signs of internal damage, and reduce the level of pain experienced by patients who are suffering from significant injuries.

Diagnostics

It takes more than a trained eye to discern what is wrong with a patient. Laboratory and pathology equipment is critical to help clinicians provide an accurate diagnosis that can be used to inform treatment options. Paragon Care’s associated brands, including Immulab, LabGear Australia, and Immuno, have all your diagnostic needs covered.

Eye care

It will come as little surprise that clinicians working in the optometry and ophthalmology industries rely on access to diagnostic and surgical products. Paragon Care’s knowledge of these industries has led to the development of specialty procedural kits, alongside other equipment and therapeutic products that are used to provide timely treatment.

Medical products and consumables

No hospital, aged care home, or medical clinic is complete without consumables. We often underestimate the importance of these disposal products. From ultrasound probe covers to hospital grade disinfectant products, Paragon Care is your one-stop provider for medical consumables.

Neonatal

Infant and paediatric patients often require specialist tools and equipment to detect and treat potentially life threatening diseases. Many of Paragon Care’s brands specialise in the development and production of these devices, making us an industry leading in neonatal care.

Orthopaedics

Mobility is one of the most sought-after medical outcomes for patients of all ages and conditions. Paragon Care’s extensive range of diagnostic and surgical products can help clinicians navigate all types of orthopaedic conditions and injuries, from arthroplasty to non-surgical biologic therapies.

Surgical

The term ‘surgical’ instantly brings to mind specialist products designed to facilitate complex operations. Paragon Care understands the risks that are often associated with surgery and as such, provides our clients with a wide range of devices and products that are designed to ensure surgical procedures are as safe and hygienic as possible.

Technology & connectivity

Technological innovations have propelled the medical industry forward through not only improvements made to equipment but also the development of communications systems that facilitate increased workplace efficiency. Total Communications, a Paragon Care brand, specialises in communication and IT systems that are designed to improve patient safety and operational performance.

Urology

Given the complex and minute nature of the urological system, it comes as no surprise that medical devices play an important role in diagnosis and treatment. From multifunctional urology workstations to closed system transfer devices, our portfolio of high-end urology products make a genuine difference to patient outcomes.

Veterinary

It’s not just humans that benefit from medical device research and development. Access to veterinary equipment is critical in the treatment of wild and domesticated animals. Point of care devices facilitate treatment in remote and rural locations while therapeutic lasers can provide minimally invasive treatment.

As you can tell, Paragon Care is committed to providing our customers with a one-stop solution to all their medical device and equipment needs. If you manage a healthcare facility and are interested in obtaining specific product information, contact our knowledgeable customer service team today.

Running a healthcare facility is an onerous task, for a number of reasons. Each day is likely to bring a new set of challenges, from a medical and managerial perspective. One of these challenges is ensuring that your facility is adequately stocked with high-quality medical consumables.

Clinicians rely on these products perhaps more than is realised. We might assume that disposable products, like needle guides and ultrasound probe covers, are just that — disposable and not particularly important from a clinical perspective. In reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Not having these products on hand can prevent doctors and nurses from providing high-quality care in an efficient manner.

Whether you’re planning on opening a new facility or reassessing stock levels and suppliers, read on to discover what you should consider when purchasing medical consumables.

What is a medical consumable?

A medical consumable is defined as a product that a healthcare practitioner uses on a daily basis to improve patient care. Medical consumables tend to be disposable, single use products. Medical practitioners often use them to facilitate more complex procedures. For example, a needle guide can be used to help a clinician perform a biopsy.

Consumables can also be used to help keep an environment safe and free from infection.

Given the disposable nature of these products, they are usually ordered in bulk. Stock levels require constant monitoring to ensure that they do not run too low.

Despite the fact that medical consumables are single use products, they still need to be a very high quality to ensure proper patient care. As is the case with capital equipment, consumable products are not an area in which you should be looking to cut costs.

Essential medical consumables

Every facility will have different needs. A hospital, for example, is perhaps more likely to require surgical procedural kits than an aged care home. With this in mind, to discern your ‘essential medical consumables’ you are best off speaking to an experienced healthcare equipment provider. They will be able to provide tailored advice based on your needs and situation.

However, broadly speaking, most healthcare facilities will benefit from having the medical consumables listed below on hand.

Ultrasound probe covers

The rise of point-of-care ultrasound machines has led to this diagnostic procedure becoming more accessible and affordable. An ultrasound probe cover is an important consumable that ensures the procedure is safe and hygienic for all involved.

Needle guides

The goal of any procedure is to treat the patient in an efficient and pain free manner. Needle guides help accomplish this by providing improved visualisation and reduced procedure time for treating clinicians. They can be used when performing an ultrasound procedure or a biopsy.

Procedural kits

Clinicians will often find themselves performing the same procedure over and over again. While no two patients are alike, the tools that are needed to perform these diagnostic and operative routines are. Procedure specific kits provide a clinician with confidence that all the medical consumables they need are right by their side. At the conclusion of the procedure, the kit can be simply disposed of.

Many healthcare equipment providers work with facilities to create procedure specific kits, meaning you can customise the product to feature the instruments and consumables you need.

Enteral feeding products

Patients who have acquired damage to their mouth or throat may struggle to obtain the nutrients they need to make a full recovery. Enteral feeding products can help facilitate patient recovery by providing a passageway through which food can be delivered down the throat and into the gastrointestinal system. As to be expected, tubes are a consumable product and should be disposed of after use.

Oncology delivery products

While chemotherapy is essential in helping treat patients with cancer, the drugs can be quite dangerous when not used in the correct manner. Oncology delivery products protect those clinicians involved in preparing cancer therapy treatments by providing an airtight delivery system.

Infusion therapy products

The development of infusion therapy revolutionised healthcare, with clinicians now able to provide patients with intravenous nutrients and medication in a safe and pain-free manner. Infusion therapy is now used across all healthcare environments, from aged care homes to critical care units. The treatment relies on the use of a number of different medical consumables.

Infection control consumables

Few things are more important in a healthcare environment than infection control. While capital equipment can be used for this purpose, consumable products often do the bulk of the disinfecting work. Regardless of the type of facility you run, infection control consumables should be top of your priority list.

Clinicians rely on medical consumables to facilitate the majority of medical procedures. If you’re new to the world of healthcare management or have any questions about the quality and quantity of consumables you require, it’s a good idea to speak to an experienced healthcare equipment provider. They’ll be able to answer all of your questions and help set you up with appropriate supplies.

Designs for Vision (DFV) is a leading provider of diagnostic and surgical ophthalmic products in Australasia, sourcing the highest quality products from a global network of specialist eye care manufacturers.  DFV currently represents over 50 companies to a wide range of medical and para-medical disciplines.

Designs for Vision was established in 1978 by optical dispenser Richard Grills to distribute eye care products throughout Australia.  In 2011, DFV was taken over by Richard’s son Brad Grills and business partner Nik Apostolou, and the company was acquired by Paragon Care in 2015.  Brad and Nik are the General Managers at Designs for Vision and they remain substantial shareholders in Paragon Care. They discuss the competitive advantages of DFV, give further insight into the growth opportunities ahead and explain the benefits in joining Paragon Care.

Brad: Designs for Vision was founded over 40 years ago and one of our core strengths is the long-term relationships with both clients and suppliers, which is directly correlated to the long tenure of our staff.  In fact, we believe that we have the longest tenured staff in the industry!  The strength of these relationships means that we often receive inbound enquires to represent new technologies in Australia as they trust us to represents them well in this market.

Nik: This was highlighted over the past year during the COVID-19 pandemic as travel restrictions prevented our sales reps from travelling to major eye care conferences, but we were still able to acquire multiple new contracts in surgical eyecare and capital equipment from European suppliers.

Brad: A major focus in the year ahead is on expanding our already significant market share in intraocular lenses, which are implants for cataract surgery.  There are approximately 250,000 cataracts procedures performed each year and we see opportunities to expand in this large and growing sector.

Nik: Our strategic rationale in joining Paragon Care in 2016 was to benefit from their corporate infrastructure, so that we could focus on doing what we do best, which is leveraging our expertise in the eye care market to bring world class technologies to the Australian market.

Brad: Over the past decade, we observed industry changes, in terms of the corporatisation of private hospital groups and the emergence of large commercial players in the eye care market, including SpecSavers.  We believed that we could compete more effectively as part of a larger corporate entity.  We are now on track to double our revenue since joining Paragon Care, so overall it has been a huge success for us.

Nik: Overall, we are very energised to be working with a great team of business owners, like us, across different healthcare verticals.  We believe this team collaboration combined with deep industry expertise ensures Paragon Care is well positioned for growth over the years ahead.

Click here to learn more about Designs for Vision

In a perfect world, equipment would remain accurate and functional from the day you buy it to the day you decide you no longer need it. Unfortunately, technology is not quite at that point yet, which is why medical equipment technicians offer a service known as calibration.

Calibration is the process of ensuring that medical equipment is running to an industry standard. It provides clinicians with confidence that the diagnostic information they’re obtaining is accurate and can be used to make informed decisions regarding treatment.

As an established medical equipment supplier, maintenance and repair is just one of the medical equipment services that Paragon Care offers, in addition to providing tailored advice regarding our equipment and device portfolio.

What is calibration?

Calibration is defined as “the comparison of measurement values delivered by a device under test with those under a calibration standard of known accuracy.” Medical equipment is no different to any other type of technology in that over time, wear and tear and environmental factors affect both accuracy and functionality.

Medical equipment calibration confirms that your equipment is performing as expected. It’s different from regular maintenance, which may check for faulty parts or involve general cleaning. Calibration involves testing the machine against the manufacturer's baseline readings. The manufacturer will most likely build some sort of function into the device that makes performing this test relatively simple. There are specific actions that the technician can take should the results fall outside the expected range.

Many types of equipment have a calibration schedule, similar to a maintenance schedule, so that technicians can pick up on issues before the device begins giving information that is completely inaccurate.

Why is calibration important?

These days, the diagnosis of most medical conditions will be confirmed with a test of some kind, whether it’s a blood sample or a screening. Clinicians rely on this information to make informed treatment decisions. They take for granted that the equipment is functional and accurate.

Simply put, without proper equipment calibration, you are putting patient safety and wellbeing at risk.

In addition, as a healthcare provider, you may have legal responsibilities when it comes to the calibration and maintenance of equipment. These are designed to protect not only patients but also doctors and nurses, who have to assume that equipment has been correctly monitored and maintained.

Staying on top of your maintenance requirements

As a healthcare manager, you no doubt have a lot on your plate. Organising repair and maintenance of equipment should be a top priority, but that doesn’t mean you have time to be chasing up technicians.

As an experienced provider of medical equipment supplies, Paragon Care aims to make this process easy. Our medical equipment services are comprehensive and include maintenance, repair, and warranty. We understand that medical equipment is a considerable investment for your business and aim to support you throughout the entire lifecycle of an asset.

Our service team is made up of over 50 trained technicians who understand the importance of accuracy. We also recognise that non-functional equipment can have a significant impact on your ability to look after patients, and so strive to provide timely and efficient repair services.

All of our work is carried out by certified technicians trained to manufacturer's certification, so you can be confident that our service is of the highest standard. In addition to repair and maintenance, our dedicated customer call centre is on hand to answer any questions you might have about warranty or contract options.

The safety and wellbeing of your patients is too important to risk. Contact Paragon Care today to learn more about our product portfolio, range of medical equipment supplies, and our well rounded service offerings.

Mary-Jane O’Sullivan is the General Manager of the Diagnostics pillar within Paragon Care. Mary-Jane joined Paragon in April 2018 when Immulab (previously a business unit of CSL) was acquired by Paragon Care.

Q:  What trends are you seeing in the broader Diagnostics industry?

A:  Diagnostics is clearly a growth industry, with innovation and increased regulation driving demand for in vitro diagnostics (IVDs) and associated equipment in both the clinical and R&D markets.

Rather than simply being a way to identify which patients have a specific disease, diagnostics are now used to support the clinical development of drugs, predict disease before symptoms begin, forecast the progress of a disorder, and identify patients who are most likely to respond (or not respond) to specific treatments.

Over the past year, there has been a focus on increasing Australia’s ‘Sovereign Manufacture’ capabilities to reduce reliance on overseas supply chains for essential products.

Immulab is a local manufacturer of Class III and Class IV IVDs used in blood banks. In addition, Immulab has the capability to manufacture other diagnostics products and has recently increased manufacturing of Viral Transport Media, which is used in COVID testing.

Q:  What do you see as the major growth opportunities in the Diagnostics pillar over the next year?

A:   The Diagnostics pillar is well positioned for growth over the next year through both the addition of new agencies and underlying organic growth through operating efficiencies and cross-selling. We have a diverse and innovative product portfolio designed to meet the growing demand.

A new agency, Immucor Transplant, was onboarded from 1st March (see above article) and we have had ongoing success in recent tenders.

We are also focused on the growth and expansion of existing agencies. The Diagnostics pillar is comprised of Immulab, Immuno and LabGear and these individual businesses have now been successfully consolidated, which has delivered operational synergies and efficiencies. This consolidation now provides a solid platform to cross sell the complementary Diagnostic product range across pathology, R&D and tertiary sectors by leveraging existing relationships and maximising coverage.

Customers are responding very positively to this strategy and the next step will be to look for cross-selling opportunities with other pillars within Paragon Care.

Q:  What are the opportunities for expansion in China over the next few years?

A:   We view China as an exciting growth opportunity for the Diagnostics pillar and Immulab currently sells a range of contract manufactured and raw materials into China. The market demand in China is huge, with ongoing growth driven by innovation and regulation.

The longer-term growth strategy is to establish some strategic partnerships to expand sales into China. Immulab has appointed the first distribution partner in China and is now working towards the registration of key products.

ParagonCare delivered a solid first half financial result with improved profitability and cashflow. Our diversified product portfolio generated revenue stability, down only 5% on the previous corresponding period due to the disrupted healthcare market. EBITDA was up a significant 63% to $14.7m, reflecting the improved margins and streamlined operations. Gross margins were up slightly to 38.7% and we delivered over $7m in annualised savings.

Operating cashflow increased to $15.5m due to the significant reduction in days debtors and inventories.  In the first half, we also paid out over $14m to vendors in earn-outs from previous acquisitions. As at March 2021, there are no further vendor payments outstanding, thus leading to future improvements in cashflow moving forward.

Our focus is now on organic growth and continuous improvement to drive revenue growth and operational efficiency across all four pillars. We expect further opportunities to capitalise on our existing local manufacturing capability and we are well positioned to benefit from growth in aged care moving forward.

ParagonCare CEO, Phil Nicholl, recently discussed the first half results with Finance News Network (FNN).

• See here for the key highlights of the first half results
• See here for the full investor presentation of the first half results

Investor News

ParagonCare has recently expanded its product portfolio in Diagnostics through a new supply contract for transplant products. This new product offering will contribute to the underlying growth in the Diagnostics division over the years ahead.

Immulab is a leading manufacturer and provider of blood banking reagents and solutions in Australia and the Immulab business sits within ParagonCare’s Diagnostics pillar. Immulab is the only Australian owned manufacturer of In Vitro Diagnostics (IVDs) for Blood Banks.

Immucor is a leading provider of transfusion and transplantation diagnostics products globally and is dedicated to matching donors with patients in need of blood or an organ.

In 2014, Immulab was appointed the exclusive distributor for Immucor Transfusion Diagnostics in Australia and New Zealand. Since that time, Immulab has grown the Immucor transfusion business significantly. In fact, since 2016 blood donations in Australia have been screened using Immucor automation and reagents – that is over 1 million donations each year!

Immulab has now expanded its exclusive distribution relationship with Immucor in Australia and New Zealand to include Transplant Diagnostic products, commencing in early 2021. The transfusion and transplant diagnostic product ranges are highly complementary as they are utilised to ensure the right match for patients in need of blood or an organ.

Immucor’s transplant diagnostics division develops, manufactures and sells a complete line of assays to perform pre-transplant typing and screening and post-transplant monitoring. In Australia, there are over 1,700 people waiting for their life-saving second chance, a transplant. With the right match, the transplant can transform a life.

The extension of this distribution relationship validates ParagonCare’s market leading position as a distributor of choice for global manufacturers who want to expand in the Australian and New Zealand market.