'Esaote can Meet the Requirement of All Levels of Radiology Applications'

With an annual growth of 40 per cent in the radiology market and the success of its recent launch, the Mylab series colour dopplers, Esaote India, is all set to take the Indian radiology market to new heights. K Mohanlal, Managing director, Esaote India, speaks to Nayantara Som about its new products, its growth and the future of the Indian radiology market. Excerpts:

K Mohanlal, Managing Director, Esaote India

Could you elaborate on the range of products provided by Esaote India?

Esaote India Group is present in radiology applications through its range of colour dopplers from the year 1990. With this long history, we introduced our B/W ultrasound scanner 'Aquila' in 2004 and it was an instant success. When most B/W machines were targeted mainly towards OB/GYN applications, Esaote Aquila B/W is targeted towards the more demanding radiologists who would use the portable ultrasound system for general abdominal, small parts/vascular applications too. In the year 2006, we introduced the Mylab series, colour dopplers, which have now established as an attractive choice for customers starting from private consultants to premium teaching institutions. Recently, we have increased our product offerings in the premium portable colour doppler segment with Mylab 25 for radiology and Mylab 30 for cardiology applications. Our Mylab 50 is being installed in hospitals as well as medium high level private diagnostic centres. Mylab 60 and Mylab 70 which are based on Mylab Gold platform are targeted mainly at high level diagnostic centres as well as at top class hospitals attached to teaching institutions.

What latest technology and updated equipment is Esaote India focusing on now?

Mylab 60 and Mylab 70, which is based on MYlab Gold Platform, will be our proposal to the high-end institutional buyers. One of the technological innovations in the Gold Platform is the X-View, the first of its kind speckle reduction technique. With the incorporation of X-View these systems are able to produce dramatically enhanced image quality with high signal to noise ratio and very high contrast. This optional feature, which we have recently presented to some of the existing users of Mylab Series, has advanced field upgrade possibility to newer applications without complicated hardware upgrades. Mylab family also offers to the users a unique opportunity to evaluate the optional features stress echo, 2D based strain and strain rate, contrast enhanced ultrasound studies by way of already installed demo licenses.

How does Esaote India provide professional and dedicated technical support to clients?

Esaote India's offices are equipped with sufficient quantity of spares/accessories and standby equipment. We have also provided our all offices with our own vehicle to transport the spares, complete spare machine or standby machine to the customer site. We are in a position to attend the service requests within 24 hours of receipt of the complaint as per the company's much publicised 24 hours service guarantee. In an unfortunate event if the machine not repaired in 48 hours of attending the complaint, we are in a position to provide a standby unit which is equal or better in performance of the installed systems.

We are not franchising the service responsibility as done by other companies in our market. Service is provided/supervised by Esaote India engineers trained at overseas factories located in Florence, Italy/Maastricht, Netherlands. Our regional manager, who is responsible for sales, is also responsible for management of providing after sales service for his customers. This assures the customer that the promises made at the time of sales are fulfilled during the life time of the machine. What we promise during the sale is lowest cost of system ownership for a life time and not just lowest price in its class at the time of purchase.

At present, how much prospect does the Indian radiology market hold for Esaote India?

Esaote recently launched its extremely competitive MyLab series- 11 variants, colour doppler scanners in India. With this wide range, Esaote can meet the requirement of all the levels of radiology applications in our country. Having the widest range of product ensures high success in our marketing efforts. With a very high number of corporate hospitals coming up across the country, high tech medical diagnostic equipment supplier like Esaote India, is sure to grow higher than the industry average of projected 18 per cent industry growth.

Presently, what is the annual growth of the Esaote India? Elaborate on the target customers for Esaote India?

Annual growth of Esaote India in the ultrasound market is by 40 per cent. This is due to the success of Mylab Series in both radiology and cardiology. We have ultrasound models that can satisfy the entire market where ultrasound equipment are required.

Is Esaote India into any collaboration with companies and groups - international or national?

Esaote India Group has recently formed another group company Gemini Medical Networks Pvt Ltd. This new entity will take over the already established business lines of Esaote India viz. MRI from XGY Ltd. China; holter, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, PC ECG and computerised stress test systems from Beijing Meigaoyi Co Ltd, China; quinton stress test systems and high-end ECG machines and Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) from Cardiac Science Corporation USA. Gemini Medical Network will also manage the cath lab systems manufactured by Mumbai-based technology company Alpha X-ray Technologies Pvt Ltd. The indigenously manufactured cath labs have already found good acceptance in the Southern and Western markets, where the company initially focused its promotional efforts. Gemini Medical Networks Pvt Ltd will carry the legacy of Esaote India to promote the non Esaote products listed above. We have found very good success with the products that we introduced last year, like three MRI units from XGY China and two more orders for MRI systems are under execution.

How do you view the Indian radiology segment in the near future?

From the view of a medical equipment supplier and service provider especially in the field of ultrasound, radiology segment will contribute in a big way in improving the quality of diagnosis in near future. But more importantly, radiology market for equipment is moving in a direction where interventional procedures are guided by images that can help the clinician to better deliver the treatment to the targeted locations with the help of the advanced technology. One of such application that will be growing in the near future is fusion imaging, where MRI and CT scan images can be viewed in fusion with real time ultrasound

while the patient is being treated by interventional procedures. These techniques are further improved with the newly introduced ultrasound contrast agents.

nayantara.som@expressindia.com