New compact and versatile electrocardiograph ECG-3150

Resting electrocardiogram (ECG) has been used as a basic cardiac diagnostic since many decades, and while the premise remains the same, ECG testing systems are evolving to meet new technology demands. This includes increased mobility, ease of use, streamlined workflow, and interoperability so data can easily be interfaced with electronic medical records. There has been a trend over the past decade toward smaller, more compact, mobile ECG monitoring systems. These can be used either inside a hospital or a clinic, or on a cart for mobility between patient rooms.

Nihon Kohden has introduced new Cardiofax C ECG-3150K electrocardiogram system, which is designed to support the daily routine of ECG diagnostics and offer high-level analysis for a reliable diagnosis. ECG-3150K uses the Nihon Kohden ECG analysis program ECAPS 12C. It provides simultaneous 12-lead ECG acquisition and analysis with approximately 200 findings with active noise suppression.
Nihon Kohden ECG interpretation algorithm ECAPS 12C comes standard in this system. It uses gender- and age-specific criteria to provide a virtual second opinion for resting ECG interpretation. This includes ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) detection and diagnostic aids to provide interpretation of rhythm and morphology for a variety of patient populations. ECAPS 12C can also find typical waveforms of Brugada-type ECG. Accurate data supports fast diagnosis.

ECG-3150 comes with 5-inch color TFT display which lets user confirm patient’s 12-lead waveforms at a glance before recording, and reduces the chance of redoing the test. Only 1.1-kg light-weight, compact design of ECG-3150K with a long battery operation time supports high mobility in the daily workflow.

The interoperability component is becoming increasingly important, as healthcare reform and meaningful use of requirements for information technology (IT) systems call for tight integration and easy interoperability to enable paperless healthcare and the free flow of all patient data among departments, hospitals, and referring physicians.

In this context, ECG-3150K provides various data outputs to improve interoperability. Data is output via wired LAN or built-in wireless-LAN module. The system uses DICOM for standards-based data exchange with vendor-neutral clinical information systems. A new Web-server function provides a simple and unique solution for ECG data-management system. Data saved in ECG machine can be accessed, reviewed, and extracted as a PDF file via Web browser. Flexible data management system can be realized even without dedicated system, software, or gateway.

The advantage of this paperless ECG review through an electronic ECG-management system is the ability to access ECGs and enable remote viewing and reporting outside of the traditional workstation. ECG-3150 is coming up with facility to offer remote, anywhere Web-based access to the patient’s ECG from various clinicians, where there is less experienced staff, or no cardiologist to read and analyze ECG to the command center where the cardiologist is sitting. This functionality further allows access to ECGs and fully enabled reporting functions at home or anywhere in the hospital or clinics where a cardiologist finds some time to read cases.
In addition to improved physician workflow, remote access via ECG-3150 enables faster reads on suspected STEMI cases. Immediate reads on mobile devices can help enable lower door-to-balloon times for heart attack patients with earlier cath lab activation times.

ECG-3150 provides the cost-effective solution for 12-lead ECG recording on standard A4 paper with network printer. ECG-3150K enhances workflow by supporting barcode or magnetic card reader, which not only saves time when entering the patient ID but also reduces potential data entry errors. Hence, ECG-3150 can be the best solution for users in both public and private sector who need quality diagnosis in affordable pricing with high-tech interoperability, ECG-management system, and mobility solutions.