When Sunshine Coast ophthalmologist Dr James Walker opened his own private practice in 2022, space constraints and after-sales service influenced his choice of diagnostic equipment – but not as much as quality and ease-of-use.
Once he had committed to establishing his own rooms, Dr James Walker decided against ‘sticking with what he knew’ in diagnostic equipment, instead casting a wide net, exploring all the options before finding the right models to purchase – including a visual field analyser.
“When I was setting up my own purpose-built clinic about 18 months ago, as part of the process, I reviewed all the different equipment options,” Walker says, who previously worked in a group practice on the Sunshine Coast.
“I was accustomed to using a particular visual field analyser and was familiar with its printouts and presentation. However, the machine could be difficult to fit into certain spaces and the software had to be purchased as part of a package.”
Although he was familiar and proficient with the technology, Walker decided to look at alternative options for his new practice, Central Ophthalmology, located in the Maroochydore Central Precinct. Built from the ground up, the state-of-the-art practice is 200m2 and has four consultation rooms.
A colleague recommended the PTS 2000 Automated Projection Perimeter, manufactured by Polish company Optopol Technology and distributed in Australia by OptiMed.
“I liked the PTS 2000 because it offered a cost-effective solution that provided equivalent quality data in the same presentation format I was accustomed to, so I didn’t have to learn to interpret a different report,” he says.
“It also offered the ability to have the machine controls separate from the examination bowl, which meant better use of floor space, and ergonomically, it’s better for my staff and patients.
“This means one staff member can easily monitor two machines at once because the control screens are separated. You can monitor a patient from a computer that’s remote from the machine, which was a big advantage for me as both a space saver and being a more efficient use of staff.”
Walker says OptiMed invited him to look at the PTS 2000 in its Brisbane workshop, and provided accurate measurements so he could assess where it would be best placed in his private practice.
OptiMed then loaned it to him for a month on a trial-basis.
Walker, who is also director of ophthalmology at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital and Health Service and provides remote public ophthalmology services in Mount Isa Hospital one week in four, liked how it performed from the get-go.
“Another advantage of the PTS 2000 is that the software and the remote review stations for doctors are all included in the purchase. OptiMed set it all up, and it worked well from the outset,” Walker says.
He has since linked his suite of equipment together using Pliny,
a Melbourne-based start-up that solves the fragmented and manual access of diagnostic imaging and data and retrieves it in real time to a single interface.
“Pliny enabled all my equipment software to talk together – my fundus camera, OCT machine, Anterion, the PTS 2000, slit lamp cameras, ultrasound – so numerous reports can be brought together in one cloud-based system, which I can review anywhere – any place with internet access.”
According to Optopol, its PTS 2000 has one of the world’s largest field testing ranges and options, including all of the Goldman stimuli sizes and colours used in perimetry, and its intuitive interface makes it easy for Walker’s clinical support staff to use.
It monitors patient pupil movement during the examination and its software detects when the eye is closed, and will not present stimuli to the patient. It also performs automated or semi-automated Kinetic perimetry.
While he primarily uses it to diagnose and manage disease progression in his glaucoma patients, Walker says the PTS 2000 has a wide range of functions, including familiar statistical and progression analysis and, of course, visual field testing for a driver’s licence.
“It can also capture 10 additional central field locations with a new 24-2C pattern, but generally speaking, although equivalent to competitors in terms of its diagnostic capability, the PTS 2000 has ergonomic advantages and is more cost-effective and requires less maintenance with regard to software,” he says.
“The field analyser had to be comparable in quality and useability for patients before secondary aspects, such as how much space it requires or how fast it was, were considered. Once I’d established comparable quality and useability, it was these secondary aspects that pushed the PTS 2000 over the line in my final decision.”
Initially, Walker made provisions for two machines to support patient flow, but found one was sufficient, as a typical glaucoma patient could have both eyes tested in under 15 minutes.
“Ophthalmology equipment’s footprint is growing, and space is at a premium. I had to think through how to utilise the floor space as optimally as I possibly could, and not compromise on quality,” Walker says.
“OptiMed were brilliant in that regard; they sent the key measurements to our draftswoman and the information they gave was correct and accurate, so when it came to installing it, it easily slotted into place.”
He says OptiMed quickly resolved minor teething issues without compromising the clinic or patient flow, which was important to Walker, as the only surgeon in his then-new private practice.
OptiMed’s excellence in product knowledge and after-sales service has led Walker to purchase additional equipment through the local supplier, including the Duo standalone swing table with Takagi UN-21 reclining chair system plus two Medinstrus compact motorised wall mount table systems.
“I also trialled – and then purchased – two of OptiMed’s Takagi premium slit lamps with camera, USee visual acuity charts, their LightLas YAG/SLT combo laser and the Iridex table mounted retinal laser,” he says.
“Their service has been first class. After-sales service was one of the main factors I was concerned about because once you have the machine, the last thing you want is it holding up your clinic, stressing out staff and leaving patients waiting unnecessarily.
“Whereas if you have good after sales service – they answer the phone, they’re attentive, and they’ll come and fix problems promptly – I think that’s money well spent.”
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