Philips Lumify Handheld Ultrasound Solution Launched in Japan

Royal Philips, a global leader in health technology, has announced that its Lumify with Reacts handheld tele-ultrasound solution is now commercially available in Japan. Philips has received clearance from Japan’s healthcare authority to introduce the ultrasound solution for compatible handheld devices¹ in the world’s third largest healthcare market after the United States and China. Launched in Japan with a novel subscription model unique in the industry, Philips’ tele-ultrasound solution aims to make high-quality portable ultrasound available almost everywhere in the country.
 
Improving the Diagnostic Imaging Experience for Patients and Staff
Japan’s declining birthrate and aging population makes the need for medical diagnostic equipment that can adapt to these changing demographics more relevant than ever. The portability of Lumify brings a powerful portable diagnostic solution to care professionals in the hospital, enabling them to use ultrasound imaging for bedside diagnosis and to monitor medical conditions. Additionally, Lumify can be easily taken to community settings at the point of care, helping to reduce the need for elderly people to travel to hospitals in Japan’s larger cities.
 
“By bringing diagnostic insight to the point of care, Lumify is a great example of how Philips is supporting providers to deliver on the ambition of the ‘quadruple aim’ in healthcare: better health outcomes, an improved experience for patients and staff, and a lower cost of care,” said Matthijs Groot Wassink, General Manager for Access and Obstetric Ultrasound at Philips. “Its transducer connects to a smart device such as a tablet, making it a compact and highly durable solution. In addition, by utilizing Philips’ Lumify with Reacts capability, real-time ultrasound images can be shared between medical staff involved in collaboration during imaging procedures.”
 
Lumify is a highly versatile solution primarily intended for use in places where quick and easy access to diagnostic ultrasound imaging is required. Its portability and ruggedness make it suitable for point-of-care use both in hospitals and in places like ambulances, doctor’s offices, and patients’ homes during GP visits. It is also used in remote community healthcare programs such as mother & childcare projects being rolled out by Philips and the Philips Foundation in Africa. In addition to allowing clinicians to remotely collaborate by sharing ultrasound images in real time, Lumify’s tele-ultrasound capabilities (Lumify with Reacts) can also be used in medical student and healthcare worker remote training programs.
 
Philips is a leader in ultrasound solutions with a large global installed base and a strong track record of industry-first innovations in areas such as 3D imaging of the heart, AI-powered quantification tools, and ultra-mobile portable ultrasound solutions. Its ultrasound portfolio supports the effective and efficient delivery of care across a broad range of clinical specialties including radiology, cardiology, point-of-care and obstetrics/gynecology.
 
Handheld and portable ultrasound solutions in particular have become valuable tools for clinicians treating COVID-19 patients due to their imaging capabilities, portability and ease of disinfection. Philips ultrasound solutions have been approved in various markets for the management of COVID-19-related lung and cardiac complications, including in Australia, Brazil, Canada, the EU, New Zealand and the United States. 
 
Philips has a comprehensive portfolio of services and solutions which can help to support the delivery of high-quality care to COVID-19 patients. It includes secure, connected and intelligent approaches to diagnosis, treatment and predictive monitoring in the hospital, plus screening, remote patient monitoring and care at home. With healthcare under more pressure than ever before, Philips’ telehealth and AI-enabled data analytics can help support workflows, facilitate remote collaboration and optimize resources. Philips’ COVID-19-related solutions are designed for rapid deployment and scalability.  
 
Philips also announced that Lumify has received the 2020 IEEE Spectrum Technology in the Service of Society Award as the technology having the greatest potential to provide the most overall benefit to humankind. 

Reference 
¹ In Japan, the local health authority has approved Lumify for use with Panasonic’s medical-grade handheld devices.