The Next Generation of VitaScan Bladder Scanners is Becoming a Familiar Sight in Irish Hospitals

For more than a decade, VitaScan bladder scanners have become a familiar piece of equipment in hospitals and healthcare facilities throughout Ireland.

For many clinical teams, that means the VitaScan PD, which remains the most prevalent generation of bladder scanner in use within hospitals across the country. But that picture is now beginning to change.

Since the latest HSE procurement process for bladder scanning technology, the new VitaScan cVue and eVue systems have been steadily making their way into hospitals around Ireland, with Cardiogenics seeing a significant increase in installations and clinical training on the new platforms.

For Cardiogenics Director Brian Turvey, the change is particularly interesting because it is happening within an already very established VitaScan user base.

“The PD had been an incredibly successful product for us in Ireland and is still the predominantly-used bladder scanner in Ireland, and is used every day. We certainly don't regard those scanners as obsolete. What we are seeing now is the beginning of a natural replacement cycle, with hospitals moving to cVue when older equipment is due for replacement or when additional scanners are required.”

That transition has gathered pace since VitaScan was successful in the most recent HSE framework procurement process, positioning the new generation strongly within the Irish public healthcare system.

Brian adds:

“We are now seeing cVue being adopted across a growing number of Irish hospitals. In most cases these are hospitals that have been using VitaScan technology for years, so they know the product and they know us. They are now moving on to the next generation.”

From specialist urology to the hospital ward

The early adoption of cVue and eVue in Ireland was led largely by urology departments in many of the country's principal university and private hospitals, where accurate bladder volume measurement is an everyday clinical requirement.

These are also departments populated by experienced bladder scanner users. They understand ultrasound imaging, know what they are looking for and are well placed to appreciate advances in bladder detection and measurement technology.

What has been particularly interesting for Cardiogenics is what has happened next.

The new scanners are inevitably and increasingly moving beyond specialist departments and into inpatient wards, assessment and care units, rehabilitation services and other clinical environments where bladder volume measurement forms part of patient assessment.

In these settings, the person picking up the scanner may not perform bladder scans every day. The equipment may be shared by a large number of nurses and clinicians across different shifts and with widely varying levels of experience.

And that is where one of the most important characteristics of the new VitaScan technology becomes apparent: it is remarkably easy to use.

Brian explains:

“Initially, we were seeing the new systems going predominantly into urology departments, which we had expected. These are experienced users who immediately attracted by what the newer technology could offer. What's interesting now is how quickly that is broadening out into general hospital use.”

“On a ward, the scanner may be picked up by someone who hasn't used it for several weeks. They need to be able to switch it on, perform the scan and get a reliable measurement without navigating complicated menus or trying to remember a lengthy procedure. That's one of the things I think Vitacon has got particularly right with cVue and eVue.”

Clinical Applications Specialist Alex Savage has seen that first-hand while training healthcare professionals on the new systems and she explains:

“With an experienced urology team and often in the EDs you can get into detailed discussions about the technology. On a general ward it's different. What matters is that I can show somebody how to perform a scan and they very quickly understand what they need to do.”

For Alex, that simplicity is particularly important because bladder scanners are often shared equipment.

“A scanner could be used by several different people across several shifts. Some will use it regularly and others only occasionally. The fact that the system guides the user and automatically identifies the bladder makes it much easier for somebody who isn't an expert bladder scanner user to approach it with confidence.”

The technology behind the simplicity

Making a medical device easier to use does not necessarily mean making the technology itself simpler.

In the case of cVue and eVue, much of the complexity is happening behind the screen.

At the heart of the new systems is BladderVue™, Vitacon's latest bladder detection technology. It provides automatic bladder detection and contour analysis, calculates bladder volume and is designed to compensate for challenges such as pubic bone interference, enlarged prostate and anatomical variation.

Rather than requiring the operator to do more, the technology is designed to do more of the work for them.

The clinician can see what the scanner has identified and retains the ability to make a manual adjustment when required, providing an important combination of automation and visual verification.

For Alex, that balance is important.

“One of the things I like about the VitaScan approach is that we aren't trying to remove the clinician from the process. The technology is doing much more of the work now in finding and defining the bladder, but the user can still see what is happening and can make an adjustment if necessary.”

Existing VitaScan PD users tend to notice the difference very quickly.

“When you're showing cVue to someone who has used the PD for years, you don't have to start by explaining why bladder scanning is useful. They already know that. What they notice is how much the technology has moved on. The interface is very intuitive and the automatic bladder detection makes it remarkably straightforward to use.”

cVue or eVue?

The two systems share the same approach to bladder scanning but are intended for somewhat different working environments.

The cVue is very much at home in the hospital environment. It incorporates a large 10-inch touchscreen, a robust IPX7-rated probe with a 130-degree scan sweep and a purpose-designed mobile cart. Wi-Fi connectivity allows for data transfer and integration, while optional barcode scanning can assist with patient identification and workflow.

The eVue provides a more portable alternative and is particularly attractive where the scanner needs to move between locations, including community services, clinics and other healthcare environments where a full cart-based system may not be necessary.

Both represent a considerable technological step forward from the original PD generation while retaining, and arguably improving upon, the straightforward approach that helped make VitaScan so widely used in the first place.

Evolution rather than replacement

There remains a very substantial population of VitaScan PD bladder scanners operating successfully throughout Ireland, and these units continue to represent the most prevalent generation of VitaScan technology currently in use.

That is changing gradually.

As existing PD scanners reach replacement age and hospitals invest in additional bladder scanning capacity, Cardiogenics is seeing cVue and eVue increasingly become the new standard within the VitaScan installed base.

Importantly, Cardiogenics is not advocating wholesale replacement of working PD scanners.

Instead, the company is working with hospitals to identify equipment approaching the end of its practical working life and to plan replacement with cVue or eVue as part of the normal equipment cycle.

As Brian explains:

“We have always believed that medical equipment should earn its keep. If a hospital has a PD that is working well and doing the job it was bought to do, we're going to continue supporting it. But when the time comes to replace it, there is now a very compelling next-generation option.”

Designed for the people who actually use it

Cardiogenics has worked with manufacturers Vitacon and their VitaScan product range in Ireland for many years, providing clinical training, technical service and ongoing support to hospitals and healthcare facilities throughout the country.

Alex believes that is ultimately a better test of usability than demonstrating a product to somebody who already knows it inside out.

“For me, one of the best reactions is when I'm training somebody who hasn't used a bladder scanner very much and, after a very short time, they're comfortable doing it themselves. That's what you want. The technology should be helping the clinician, not creating another thing they have to think about.”

A familiar name, with very different technology behind it

There will continue to be VitaScan PD bladder scanners operating throughout Irish healthcare for some years yet. Their longevity is, in many respects, part of the reason VitaScan has developed such a significant installed base in Ireland.

But increasingly, sitting alongside them, are the new cVue and eVue systems and perhaps that progression tells the story of the new generation better than any individual technical specification.

A scanner capable of satisfying experienced urology specialists also needs to work just as effectively in the hands of a busy ward clinician who may only use it occasionally. As designed, the cVue and eVue are being asked to do both.

“We've been involved with bladder scanning in Ireland for a very long time,” says Brian. “So it's genuinely satisfying to see hospitals that bought VitaScan equipment from us years ago coming back and upgrading to the new generation. But I'm equally pleased to see how easily new users take to it. Ultimately, sophisticated technology is only really useful if you make it simple for people to use.”

To learn more about VitaScan cVue and eVue, arrange a demonstration or discuss the replacement of existing bladder scanning equipment, contact the Cardiogenics team.