New Endoscopy Platform Will Help Us Deliver Improved Care for our GI Patients

We are pleased to announce that Digestive Disease Endoscopy Center has acquired the new Olympus EVIS EXERA III video endoscopy platform. Endoscopy systems, through the collaborative use of a video processor, light source, endoscope and monitor, enable physicians to peer inside the human body to diagnose, detect and treat gastrointestinal (GI) diseases and other conditions. The advanced imaging in the EVIS EXERA III system will help our physicians detect GI diseases, such as colorectal cancer (CRC), at an earlier stage when treatments are most successful.

The new EVIS EXERA III system boasts enhanced image quality, added brightness and several key technologies such as HDTV for superior clarity; next-generation Narrow Band Imaging for enhanced observation of mucosal tissue; and dual-focus capabilities that will allow our physicians to switch the depth of field from normal focus to near focus for more detailed observation of suspected lesions. These new technologies may help our physicians provide our patients with more accurate and earlier diagnoses.

Early detection can improve treatment outcomes, reduce overall healthcare costs and improve the quality of life for patients. Data from Truven Health shows that more than 12 million colonoscopies are performed annually in the United States.[1] Colonoscopy plays a vital role in detecting, diagnosing and treating diseases of the colon, including polyps and colorectal cancers. According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer (excluding skin cancers) diagnosed in both men and women in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Thanks in part to advances in colonoscopy, the death rate from colorectal cancer has been dropping in both men and women for more than 20 years.

In addition to helping our physicians detect and diagnosis disease at an earlier stage, the system should improve comfort for our patients as well. Technology such as Variable Stiffness (to meet the unique anatomical needs of the patient) delivers better control to the physician to help improve comfort for the patient.
With its versatility, system compatibility and advanced technology, the EVIS EXERA III endoscopy system will help us meet new healthcare reform requirements aimed at improving quality of care, decreasing costs, and enhancing patient satisfaction.