The Directors of Paragon Care Limited are pleased to announce the agreed acquisition of Electro Medical Group Pty Ltd, for a purchase consideration of $3.9 million in Paragon shares and cash.

Electro Medical Group specialises in providing reliable and high-quality service support and technology management to the Medical, Scientific, Aged Care and Allied Health industry of Australia and New Zealand. EMG has established agreements in place with a number of major healthcare providers throughout the region.

This exciting acquisition strengthens Paragon Care’s Australian and New Zealand representation and allows Paragon Care to capitalise on the growing demand for the provision of preventative service and maintenance within the health and aged care sector.

To see the announcement on the ASX click here.

Service & Technology Management – to provide client focused service, support and technology management to the medical, scientific and allied health industry of Australia and New Zealand.

Service & Technology Management by Paragon Care is a new business unit to encompass all of our service capabilities. The familiar entities, Electro Medical Group, Designs For Vision, Scanmedics, Meditron, and Medtek have combined resources into one entity — Paragon Care Service & Technology.

Blending the expertise of the multiple service divisions allows Paragon Care to offer anything from equipment repair and maintenance through to Total Equipment Management covering your company’s biomedical engineering requirements.

With a dedicated technical support call centre and over 50 service engineers on the ground across Australia and New Zealand, Paragon Care offers you a one stop shop for all your service and technology maintenance needs.

Offering

Total equipment management

• Equipment repair and maintenance
• Laboratory and scientific services
• Electrical safety testing and commissioning
• OEM service representation
• Emergency services

The merging of the service divisions will allow us to grow and better serve our partners and customers into the future, with increased resources and access to new skills, technologies and products.

Paragon Care is very excited to announce the acquisition of Medtek Pty Ltd, a specialist provider of high-quality biomedical engineering services and preventative maintenance for the Medical, Scientific, Aged Care and Allied Health areas.

Medtek focuses on the Far North Queensland region with offices in Cairns and Townsville. This acquisition means that Paragon Care can provide direct representation in this region, expand its service and maintenance offering and establish a sales gateway for the balance of its product portfolio.

When combined with Paragon Care’s existing service and maintenance operations, the company will have in excess of 50 biomedical engineers and service technicians servicing the Australian and New Zealand healthcare sector. This will provide a solid foundation for growth for FY18 and beyond as Paragon fulfils an element of its strategic plan in providing a high quality national service and maintenance offering to its clients.

The Managing Director, Mark Simari commented, “The Medtek acquisition strengthens Paragon Care’s Far North Queensland representation, whilst generating significant sales gateways for the future.”

For more information, please check out the ASX Announcements on the Paragon Care website here.

For more information on Medtek please visit their website here

Paragon Care Limited (“Company”) is pleased to advise that it has today, 9 October 2015, settled the acquisition of Designs for Vision. Details of the Designs for Vision acquisition were provided in the Rights Issue Information Booklet and the Notice of General Meeting, both lodged with ASX on 26 August 2015.

As part of the settlement consideration and as approved at the General Meeting of 28 September 2015 the Company has issued 7,547,170 new shares. The Cleansing Notice and Appendix 3B for the issue follows this announcement.

Paragon Care is pleased to announce an agreement to acquire Surgical Specialties Group, an independent distributor of innovative surgical medical devices in the Orthopaedic, Pain Management and Infection Prevention sector.

Established in 2006, Surgical Specialties now has a national footprint throughout Australia and New Zealand with sales offices and warehouses in multiple cities.

Commenting on the acquisition, Paragon’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Andrew Just said:

“The acquisition of Surgical Specialties is aligned with Paragon’s long-standing growth strategy to expand its medical device offering to its existing and new customer base, and to increase the Company’s geographic reach in Australia and New Zealand. Surgical Specialties has strong relationships with world class supplier brands, and luminary healthcare professionals. Paragon is excited about further increasing our contribution to the healthcare value chain via the acquisition of Surgical Specialties.”

For the full ASX announcement click here

To visit the Surgical Specialties website click here

Paragon Care is pleased to announce that it has reached agreement to acquire REM SYSTEMS Limited (REM), one of New Zealand’s most highly regarded healthcare businesses. REM is a specialised medical distribution company supplying acute care hospitals, day surgeries, allied health clinics, medical practices and veterinary clinics throughout New Zealand and Australia. In many ways, REM and Paragon are very similar in structure, strategy and delivery.

The acquisition substantially strengthens Paragon’s strong product offering of medical equipment, devices and consumables to the Australian and New Zealand market.

REM was established in 1981 by Leon and Shirley Schollum and were joined in 1983 by Brian Wilsher. Today, more than 35 years since its establishment, REM is run by Shirley, Brian and Paul Schollum (Paul being the son of Leon and Shirley), who joined the business in 1999. REM sources innovative and reliable products from a trusted principal base consisting of some of the world’s leading medical and veterinary supply companies. The vendors and executive management team will remain with the business throughout the earn-out period.

REM has consistently over many years invested heavily in people, training, and products to ensure it provides its vast client base with the best of the best.

Paragon’s Chairman, Shane Tanner, commented that “the acquisition of REM SYSTEMS Limited is a near perfect strategic fit for Paragon. It mirrors Paragon’s desire to provide its key customers with a product range that not only supplies quality capital items, but a full range of consumables and service and maintenance options. REM has nearly 4,000 customers spread over the two key markets of New Zealand and Australia – approximately two thirds of the business is based in New Zealand and the remaining third in Australia”.

Paragon CEO and Managing Director, Andrew Just, added “REM and Paragon have tremendous cross selling opportunities in both the customer and products base of the respective businesses. In particular REM’s commanding presence in the New Zealand healthcare market and valuable product lines provides opportunity to leverage the Paragon portfolio. REM is simply a fantastic spearhead investment into the New Zealand market”.

REM Director and vendor shareholder, Paul Schollum, commented that “the REM management team and employees are looking forward to being part of Paragon Care and the opportunities that will come with this, while also continuing to provide the high level of service that our customers and principals are accustomed to.”

The REM acquisition is in addition to the previously announced nine acquisitions foreshadowed during the recent $70m capital raising. Seven of these acquisitions have been completed as previously announced and the remaining two remain active but due to recent work around the REM transaction, are not expected to complete until the first quarter of FY19.

To view the ASX announcement click here

To visit the REM Systems website click here

Surgery is an intricate and highly involved healthcare speciality which depends on the smooth functioning of equipment and adequate supply of a range of resources in order to ensure positive patient outcomes. Physicians and healthcare professionals depend on equipment in an operative capacity as well as a broad variety of products and consumables that contribute to patient care both pre and post-surgery.

Paragon Care and their associated surgical brands have an extensive history of providing surgical supplies in Australia. Our surgical division offers advanced equipment for a range of surgical procedures as well as consumables and supplies that work to reduce infection control, provide appropriate pain management and administer safe, clean intravenous therapy.

As with all our areas of speciality, Paragon Care’s dedicated support call centre remains on hand to provide assistance and advice as is required for all your surgical equipment and supply needs.

Equipment

Healthcare professionals understand that a wide array of medical devices and equipment is required to diagnose a patient and provide appropriate treatment options. This is particularly true within a surgical setting, which calls upon intricate and innovative technology to assist with decision making and act in an operative capacity.

Paragon Care — in partnership with REM SYSTEMS — is dedicated to improving the outcomes of all surgical patients through the production of a range of equipment and systems. Cytosorb, Chalice oxygenators and a range of IV products (IV pumps, needleless IV connectors, and IV comprehensive minibore and microbore extension tubing) all play a valuable role in facilitating improved patient treatment and care within a surgical setting.

Paragon Care offers a full range of products that will greatly contribute to the ability to screen, diagnose and operate upon surgical patients — of all ages.

BK Ultrasound

For the past 40 years, Paragon Care has partnered with BK Medical in order to develop a range of ultrasound products that provide valuable assistance to surgeons and healthcare professionals.

BK Medical is committed to designing ultrasound systems that provide surgeons with an unparalleled ability to image and negotiate the complex human body, providing real-time guidance and enabling surgeons to make critical decisions in an efficient and informed manner.

The image quality of BK Medical’s surgical ultrasound range is second to none and include advanced modes such as elastography and contrast imaging which greatly contribute to the ability to effectively diagnose and treat patients.

BK Ultrasound, in partnership with Paragon Care, offers a full range of sterilisable transducers which are appropriate for a wide range of surgical procedures including neurology, hepatobiliary, renal, colorectal, vascular, laparoscopic and robotic operations.

Lasers

Modern medicine has seen a considerable increase in the utilisation of lasers in surgical procedures, as they are seen to be less invasive than many other instruments. Lasers are typically used in the treatment of tumours and skin conditions, to help prevent blood loss and in eye surgeries.

Paragon Care understands the evolving requirements of medical professionals and are committed to providing innovative equipment solutions in order to enhance patient outcomes, demonstrated through our high-powered laser equipment range that includes, amongst other devices, multifunctional urology workstations and transportable lithotripters.

Infection control

Equipment is not the only important aspect of surgical supplies; infection control plays an equally crucial role in ensuring comprehensive patient care.

In order to prevent pathogens being passed from one person to another, a range of hospital disinfection products and consumables are available which can promote both patient care and peace of mind.

Paragon Care recognises the utmost importance of effective infection control within a surgical setting. By utilising the latest in innovative UV-C technology, our products provide increased protection against pathogen exchange and assist in the prevention of infection during and post-surgery.

Infection can occur at any stage of a surgical process and to combat this, Paragon Care has partnered with CIVCO Medical Solutions. With more than 35 years’ experience designing patient focused products, CIVCO are committed to making image-guided procedures (including ultrasounds) as safe as they can possibly be. Whilst CIVCO products are used across a wide range of medical specialities, they are experts in infection control and sterile processing within the surgical arena.

Pain management

Anaesthesia is a critical component of surgical procedures, alleviating patient pain and playing a valuable role in allowing surgeons to carry out a range of significant operations.

Paragon Care recognises the importance of pain management products and therapies, particularly within a surgical environment. We provide an innovative range of anaesthesia delivery systems, needle guides and speciality covers (which reduce the risk of infection transmission) and prioritise patient comfort as an on-going factor post-surgery recovery.

Temperature management

Temperature management is a significant facet of surgical care, whilst in the operating theatre and in pre and post-operative settings.

Paragon Care understands the need to manage body temperature in order to stabilise a patient and begin introducing treatment options as quickly as possible. Our range of products is suitable for use in the operating room, throughout recovery as well as in specialised ICU and neonatal intensive care units.

Procedural kits

Procedural kits are used across multiple healthcare settings for added convenience, efficiency and patient safety. With extensive knowledge and industry experience, Paragon Care is in an excellent position to create procedural kits for all situations including surgery, ophthalmology, gynaecology, heart and lung therapies.

We also have the capacity to design and build custom kits, should you require specialist products and consumables.

Support and assistance

Beyond the spheres of equipment, supplies and consumables, Paragon Care offer world-class support and assistance at every stage of the sales process.

With a dedicated support call centre, Paragon Care have a large team of experienced customer service professionals on-hand, ready to answer both technical and product related questions.

We pride ourselves on our level of knowledge regarding surgical supplies in Australia, as well as the high-quality products, equipment and consumables found in our surgical division.

Medical equipment can be complex and the responsibilities of owning and operating medical devices extends far beyond the date of purchase. Equipment must be serviced and maintained on a regular basis in order to ensure that patient treatment is always delivered at a high standard, and medical professionals rely on the accurate functioning of devices to provide efficient and correct diagnosis.

The term medical equipment services is all encompassing, describing a variety of forms of repair, assistance and support. In order to maximise investment in medical equipment and to make certain that patient needs are met, it is important to ensure your equipment supplier provides quality, comprehensive and timely support.

Paragon Care supports its customers throughout the entire lifecycle of an asset with product, system and application related services. Multiple service divisions provide an unparalleled advantage and allows Paragon Care to offer everything from equipment repair and maintenance to Total Equipment Management. With all work being carried out by fully trained engineers and to manufacturers certification, you can be assured that your needs will be comprehensively met.

Medical Equipment Repair

High-quality medical equipment repair is an integral aspect of a well-rounded service program. Patients often take for granted that the equipment used in a healthcare setting is efficient and functional, however this relies on a quality Technical Service program. Medical professionals cannot understate the degree to which they rely on operational devices in order to provide quality care and improve patient outcomes.

Paragon Care specialises in providing high-quality service and technology management throughout the healthcare sector. We are experienced in carrying out equipment repair across the Medical, Scientific, Aged Care and Allied Health industries and understand that providing fast response times is vital in order to support both patients and clinicians and as not to disrupt the smooth running of your healthcare environment.

All of our work is performed by fully trained engineers. We conduct repairs to manufacturers certification and use only genuine manufacturer parts, so you can be assured that your repaired device continues to function at the high standard that you expect.

Medical Equipment Maintenance

Well maintained equipment is crucial for the health and wellbeing of patients. Just as patients depend on medical professionals for complete and quality care, professionals depend on functional equipment in order to provide accurate and timely diagnosis and treatment plans.

Medical professionals understand that regular maintenance is key in order to increase equipment uptime and keep processes and procedures running smoothly — a view that is certainly shared by Paragon Care.

Additionally, regular maintenance plays an integral role in prolonging the life of an asset, allowing engineers to pick up on minor issues in a timely manner before they begin to affect the functionality of equipment.

Our experienced and capable service team are able to conduct specialist maintenance procedures, complying fully with Original Equipment Manufacturer standards and contributing to the reliable functioning of your healthcare environment.

Contracts

Medical equipment services are not simply about the processes of repair and maintenance. In order to be assured of the security of your investment, it is important to align yourself with a company that provides comprehensive and appropriate contract options.

Service contracts provide an agreement between a contractor and customer, covering the maintenance of equipment over a specified period of time (similar to a warranty) and are a facet of medical equipment ownership that should not be overlooked.

An appropriately drawn up contract contributes greatly to the functioning and longevity of medical equipment. Contract-based maintenance ensures the stability and smooth functioning of your healthcare environment.

Paragon Care offers a broad portfolio of service contracts, that are both comprehensive in nature and individualised in order to address specific maintenance challenges and financial needs. Our extensive experience, knowledge and size allows us to work with you in order to design an appropriate level of service that meets your clinical, operational and financial goals.

Warranty

Purchasing medical equipment is not always a simple task and often requires knowledge and understanding of speciality areas that extend beyond the healthcare industry. Whilst physicians and health professionals want to be assured of the physical capabilities of a piece of equipment, it is also important to keep in mind the ways in which you can protect yourself and your investment, from a legal perspective.

Warranty is an essential aspect of any asset purchase and plays an integral role in protecting the financial commitment that is made through the acquisition of medical equipment.

Paragon Care offers warranty work for our approved Original Equipment Manufacturer partners, providing you with professional, quality service and peace of mind.

Application and support

With the acquisition of medical equipment the buyer truly benefits from dedicated, knowledgeable customer service support.

Medical equipment can be technical in nature and given the multi-factored complexity of a healthcare environment, it’s important to know that you can rely on an equipment supplier to provide adequate support and assistance.

Paragon Care prides itself on the outstanding level of customer support offered during both the sales process as well as after sales support. Our growing experience and expert knowledge allow us to provide assistance on both technical and product related issues. Our team consists of experienced clinical application experts, engineers and support professionals and with a dedicated support call centre, you can be sure that we will be on hand to assist you with any form of enquiry.

Paragon Care understands that protecting your investment is a top concern of healthcare professionals, particularly as the quality and functioning of an asset has a direct impact on the quality of patient care. We are proud to support our customers from every angle, with an extensive range of medical equipment services to suit every need. Our dedicated personnel are with you every step of the way, providing quality repairs, maintaining the smooth running of equipment and playing our role in ensuring that you are able to deliver the highest levels of service and care to your patients

As we head towards the end of another year, you might be thinking about ways that you can improve the performance of your healthcare facility. Perhaps you are wanting to streamline consumables stock management or would like to get on top of your equipment maintenance schedule. Maybe your clinicians have had their eye on a particular piece of equipment for a while now and see the new year as being the perfect opportunity to upgrade.

Whatever the circumstances, switching medical device companies is not a decision that should be taken lightly. Your equipment provider is a member of your broader healthcare team, and as such, contributes to overall patient health and wellbeing.

As a leading provider of equipment, devices, and consumables to the healthcare market, Paragon Care is proud of the relationships we have built with our clients. We believe that our comprehensive product portfolio, combined with our service offerings, makes us an excellent partner and member of your healthcare team.

The role of a medical device company

Patients often take for granted that the equipment and consumables that are needed to treat conditions will be readily available. In reality, it takes considerable management and logistical expertise to ensure that healthcare workers have everything they require at their disposal, whether they are performing a high-risk operation or conducting a routine diagnostic test.

Medical device companies are responsible for providing solutions to their clients. These solutions can come in the form of equipment, devices, and consumables. Equipment providers are also responsible for ensuring that devices are appropriately maintained and in full working order — service and equipment management is another crucial aspect of a medical device company’s role.

Finally, medical device companies play an important role in propelling the healthcare industry forward. Through investing in innovative technologies and providing their clients with the latest in equipment offerings, a medical device company ensures that patients are benefiting from world class research and development.

What to look for in a medical equipment provider

With so many medical device companies out there, how can you tell the good from the not-so-good?

Well, to start with, you need to be working with an equipment provider that does just that — offers a broad range of equipment options. Their equipment portfolio should be comprehensive enough to meet all your needs, meaning you are (ideally) not having to work with multiple providers.

Secondly, ensure that the company offers total equipment management. This includes OEM (original equipment manufacturer) servicing by trained and experienced technicians. They should offer on-site repair and a full range of warranty and contract options.

It’s not only the type of equipment and service offerings that are important. Take the time to learn a little about a company before deciding to work with them. Study their website, read about their values, and browse online reviews to gain a complete picture of the business. Ideally, you are searching for a company whom you can establish a fruitful and long-term partnership with, so it is worth putting in the time and effort at this early stage of proceedings.

Paragon Care — industry leaders for a reason

Established in 2008, Paragon Care moved quickly to cement our place as an industry leader in the field of medical equipment. We are proud of our comprehensive and high-quality product portfolio and strive to ensure we can provide our clients with everything they need, from surgical consumables to veterinary diagnostic tools.

We believe in providing all-round support. As such, we boast a team of highly-trained engineers across both Australia and New Zealand. We have the resources at our disposal to ensure high upkeep and minimum downtime of your important equipment and devices. This approach enables clinicians to focus on what they do best — diagnosing and treating patients — rather than having to spend time worrying about the accuracy or performance of equipment.

Our values — integrity, transparency, customer focus, teamwork, and accountability — inform all that we do and we strive to meet all customer expectations.

In short, if you are thinking of switching medical device companies, Paragon Care’s industry experience and proven performance make us an excellent choice. Contact our friendly customer service team today to learn more about our products and service offerings.

Medical consumables are products used by healthcare professionals on a daily basis to improve patient care. The provision of high quality consumables significantly streamlines the clinical process, decreasing procedure time and reducing the risk of infection.

Procedural kits are an invaluable healthcare consumable, and assist hospitals and clinics to function in a smooth manner. Paragon Care have a wide range of procedural kits available to suit every need and are committed to providing high-quality supplies to assist clinicians in the diagnosis and treatment of patients.

What is a procedural kit?

A procedural kit is a package containing goods used for medical and surgical processes. In most cases, at least one of the items is a medical device or a IVD device.

A first aid kit is an example of a common procedural kit. Containing a collection of medical consumables including bandages, pain-relief medication, cotton wool and sanitiser, a first aid kit is designed to be used in the initial treatment of an injury.

There are a range of more specialised kits available to medical professionals. In order for a package to be classified as a ‘procedural kit’, specific regulatory requirements must be met in accordance with medical device legislation.

What medical specialities use procedural kits?

Procedural kits are a vital tool and are used across all healthcare environments including surgery, ophthalmology, gynaecology, orthopaedics, DNA testing, heart and lung therapies and theatre. Standardised kits grant clinicians confidence in the types of tools they have on-hand, whilst customised kits are also a favoured option by professionals working in unique settings.

What types of tools and consumables are included in a procedural kit?

The types of medical consumables that are included in procedural kits depends on the type of kit that a clinician requires. For example, a sterile surgical kit may include clamps, drapes, sutures, needles, forceps, scalpels, gauze and dressings. An ophthalmic procedural kit, on the other hand, may contain instruments used for ophthalmic examination, diagnosis and treatment including scalpels, forceps, curved scissors, speculums and needle holders.

What types of procedural kits are offered by Paragon Care?

Paragon Care are proud to offer procedural kits for a wide range of medical specialties. We understand that clinicians rely on procedural kits to provide high quality and effective patient care, reducing prep time and allowing for an efficient clinical setup.

We recognise, too, that medical settings including clinics and hospitals require procedural kits to manage costs. Procedural kits reduce the need for clinical staff to spend time managing the inventory of individual items, making it easier for healthcare facilities to estimate budgets.

What other types of medical consumables does Paragon Care offer?

Beyond procedural kits, Paragon Care offers a wide range of medical consumables to suit the requirements of clinicians and healthcare professionals. We understand the importance of providing high quality consumables and our strong supply chains ensure the products you need are always well stocked.

• Consumables available in our product line include:
• Ultrasound probe covers that are used in radiology, point of care treatments, anaesthesiology and gynecology.
• Needle guides to improve ultrasound visualisation and reduce procedure time.
• Enteral feeding products to provide quality patient care to provide safe administration of oral medication and feeding of neonates.
• IV sets and accessories that are used in emergency, surgery,anaesthesia, critical and intensive care units. This includes pharmacy products that can be used for admixing, compounding and provide protection from hazardous drugs.
• Orthopaedic consumables such as single-use tourniquets, specialised equipment drapes and surgical hood systems to reduce the risk of infection
• Infection control products to safeguard the health of both patients and clinicians.

Why should you choose Paragon Care for your consumable needs?

Our medical consumable portfolio is comprehensive and our associated businesses combine to a scale that allows us to meet your every need. Our medical products and consumables brands include Insight Surgical, Lovell Surgical Solutions, MediTron, REM SYSTEMS, Scanmedics, Surgical Specialities and Western Biomedical, and their combined experience and product range provides an unparalleled customer experience.

Beyond our product portfolio, our Service and Technology department prides themselves on the level of customer support that they are able to provide. Our dedicated call centre and nationwide team of over 50 engineers provides comprehensive assistance, understanding and industry knowledge. Paragon Care are committed to assisting you source quality medical consumables and providing complete support to achieve optimal patient outcomes.