Henry Schein Medical Announces Distribution Agreement with Welch Allyn for its Spot™ Vision Screener
Technology Provides Primary Care Physicians an Alternative to Eye Charts as Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Recommends Instrument-Based Screening Devices for Effectively Detecting Vision Issues Among Children
MELVILLE, N.Y., September 12, 2018 – Henry Schein Medical, the U.S. medical business of Henry Schein, Inc., announced its agreement with Welch Allyn, a Hill-Rom company, to distribute the Spot™ Vision Screener, an instrument-based screening device that can help physicians detect early signs of nearsightedness, farsightedness, blurred vision, unequal refractive power, eye misalignment and unequal pupil size among children as young as six months old. The device is available to primary care physicians (PCPs) looking to support The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)’s Policy Statement, “Visual System Assessment in Infants, Children, and Young Adults by Pediatricians,” which recommends instrument-based vision screening devices as an alternative to eye charts.
The Spot Vision Screener is a handheld screening device with point-and-shoot technology that can scan patients’ eyes in seconds from three feet away, ensuring a non-invasive experience for children who may be less comfortable than adult patients during vision screenings. The device, which features a touchscreen display, detects light reflexes from the retina to estimate refractive error and ocular misalignments, which can help practitioners detect abnormalities quickly and accurately.
“Instrument-based vision screening of preschool children is an established and extremely cost-effective means of detecting the most common problems that would otherwise produce permanent visual impairment,” said Sean Donahue, M.D., Ph.D., a Pediatric Ophthalmologist at Vanderbilt University.
In addition to improving communication between PCPs and parents, the technology enables doctors to seamlessly coordinate with eye care specialists, helping enhance the continuum of care. For example, test results that indicate a child has an ocular abnormality or has failed a vision assessment can quickly and easily be exported from practitioners to specialists, while also being saved to a patient record, thus helping ensure problems are detected and treated by professionals trained in treating pediatric vision problems.
“At Henry Schein, we recognize the critical role that primary care physicians play in preventing vision disability – the single most prevalent disabling condition among children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – through early detection and screening,” said Brad Connett, President, U.S. Medical Group, Henry Schein Global Medical Group. “We are excited to offer the latest digital tools practitioners can rely on to help them deliver optimal, convenient eye care, and help raise awareness about the effectiveness of instrument-based vision screening devices – as recognized by industry policymakers – to help revolutionize the way routine vision screening is conducted.”
Welch Allyn’s Spot Vision Screener helps improves the efficiency of the clinical workflow by offering on-screen, step-by-step instructions, which also helps reduce time needed to train staff, enabling them to focus on delivering quality care that can help prevent long-term damage.
“As the Children’s Eye Foundation indicates, early detection and treatment of amblyopia – decreased vision in one or both eyes due to abnormal development of vision in infancy or childhood – is key to preventing unnecessary blindness,” said Alton Shader, President, Welch Allyn. “With Henry Schein Medical as our partner, we look forward to providing smart technology proven to provide reliable vision screening results in seconds.”
To learn more about Spot™ Vision Screener, visit Henry Schein Medical or call 800-535-6663.
About Henry Schein, Inc.
Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) is a solutions company for health care professionals powered by a network of people and technology. With more than 22,000 Team Schein Members serving more than 1 million customers globally, the Company is the world's largest provider of Business, Clinical, Technology, and Supply Chain solutions to enhance the efficiency of office-based dental, animal health, and medical practitioners. The Company also serves dental laboratories, government and institutional health care clinics, and other alternate care sites.
A Fortune 500® Company and a member of the S&P 500® and the Nasdaq 100® indexes, Henry Schein's network of trusted advisors provides health care professionals with the valued solutions they need to improve operational success and clinical outcomes. The Company offers customers exclusive, innovative products and solutions, including practice management software, e-commerce solutions, specialty and surgical products, as well as a broad range of financial services. Henry Schein operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, with a selection of more than 120,000 branded products and Henry Schein private-brand products in stock, as well as more than 180,000 additional products available as special-order items.
Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein has operations or affiliates in 34 countries. The Company's sales reached a record $12.5 billion in 2017, and have grown at a compound annual rate of approximately 15 percent since Henry Schein became a public company in 1995. For more information, visit Henry Schein at www.henryschein.com, Facebook.com/HenrySchein, and @HenrySchein on Twitter.
About Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc.
Hill-Rom is a leading global medical technology company with more than 10,000 employees worldwide. We partner with health care providers in more than 100 countries, across all care settings, by focusing on patient care solutions that improve clinical and economic outcomes in five core areas: Advancing Mobility, Wound Care and Prevention, Patient Monitoring and Diagnostics, Surgical Safety and Efficiency and Respiratory Health. Hill-Rom's people, products and programs work towards one mission: Every day, around the world, we enhance outcomes for patients and their caregivers. Visit www.hill-rom.com for more information
CONTACT: Angela Ruggiero
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
Angela.Ruggiero@henryschein.com
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