X-Ray practice chooses Epson DiscProducer

Dr de Villiers and Partners, a privately owned radiology practice at Johannesburg’s Netcare Garden City Clinic, traditionally produced conventional X-ray films for its patients, accompanied by typewritten reports detailing their analysis.

Processing X-ray films entailed processing plates and producing films, an expensive process that included the use of chemicals, creating chemical waste that needed to be carefully disposed of.

This was also a time-consuming process, which often left patients waiting for their X-ray results. The practice sought a more time-efficient and cost-effective way to present its X-ray findings to patients.

The practice consulted with Stephen Havvas of Africa X-Ray Industrial and Medical (AXIM), who collaborated with Intellistor, an Epson specialist distributor to offer the best solution for the practice’s needs, as it moved from traditional radiography to digital radiography.

Digital radiography uses digital X-ray sensors to produce digital images that are much safer for patients, as less radiation is required to achieve a meaningful image. These images are taken and are processed far more quickly than by using traditional methods, in a highly cost-effective manner. The radiologist simply writes the images and an electronic X-ray report onto a CD using the Epson PP-100 Discproducer.

“We recommended the Epson PP-100 Discproducer for this niche medical practice because of its cost-effective output and efficiency, and it requires virtually no after-sales support,” says Havvas.

“Typically, the Epson PP-100 Discproducer is used in marketing or reproduction environments where multiple copies of data need to be written onto a disc quickly and cost-effectively. However, this device has demonstrated that it is the perfect solution for radiology practices – and indeed other medical practices that need to produce images and reports – because it is easy to use and maintain, can handle high production volumes, and stands clearly ahead of any other device in this product sector in terms of running costs and performance.” 

The Epson PP-100 Discproducer delivers superb reliability and output, with its compact design, outstanding print quality and patented AcuGripTM technology.

AcuGripTM ensures that only one disc is placed in the writing drive or printer at a time, even if two are stuck together in the loading drawer. The Epson PP-100 Discproducer’s robotic arm has a guide that lifts the disc from its centre, and then three independently powered fingers extend to separate the top disc from remaining discs. This technology increases the life of the printer, and helps protect against the interruption of unintended production runs caused by mechanical blockage.

The Epson PP-100 Discproducer uses Epson’s MicroPiezo technology that is at the heart of every Epson inkjet printer. These print heads spray ink through microscopic nozzles, and each of these nozzles have tiny electric elements which vibrate tens of thousands of times per second, allowing for quick, accurate printing that does not require heat or chemicals. 

The Epson PP-100 Discproducer is supplied with easy-to-use Total Disc Maker software and includes disc editing, label editing and publishing functions.

“Writing digital X-ray images onto CDs is so much simpler than processing X-ray films, typing up reports and offering large, cumbersome envelopes to patients,” says Leonie Tromp, the control radiographer at Dr de Villiers and Partners.

“We have used the software to design our own labels. It also gives us the option to choose the burning and print speed and the resolution at which the CD is produced. Epson’s Total Disc Monitor software keeps us informed about the status of all important functions in the process, as well as any current and pending jobs,” she adds.

Intellistor also supplied the radiology practice with Perennity, the essential software that ‘translates’ the Dicom files from its X-ray and scanning equipment into data that can be processed by the Epson PP-100 Discproducer, so that it can be written onto discs for patients.

“Perennity is used globally in medical practices that use the Epson PP-100 Discproducer, as it is proved to be stable and efficient,” says Havvas.

The Epson PP-100 Discproducer can print up to 30, 600MB CD-R discs per hour, producing up to 1000 discs from one ink cartridge set. It prints in two modes: fast mode at 1440x720dpi, or at 1440x1440 dpi in quality mode.

The Discproducer’s printer also uses a separate cartridge for each colour, which means that there is no ink wastage.

Space is at a premium in the busy radiology practice, but the Epson PP-100 Discproducer fits right in: its footprint of just 377x465x348mm means that it is unobtrusive in this high-pressure environment. Weighing in at just 24kg, it is also lightweight enough to move easily, should relocation be required.

Front-facing controls make it easy for users to keep up to date with each job’s progress, as well as offering alerts about disc stock and ink capacity, to allow for effective procurement planning. 

Since installing the Epson PP-100 Discproducer, the X-ray practice has saved onproduction costs.

“We are now able to offer our patients a more cost-effective, speedier service, giving them the ability to rather spend their healthcare funds on treating and rehabilitating their illness or injury.”

“The Epson PP-100 Discproducer is ideal for any organisation that prints high volumes of CDs and DVDs, with its fast production, low total cost of ownership, outstanding print quality and high capacity,” says Hugh Davies, business development manager for Epson in South Africa.

“It is particularly suitable for medical practices where high quality results need to be produced quickly, with minimum service interruption. The printer allows radiologists to get on with their tasks efficiently, confident in the knowledge that patients will get their results quickly, at a time when they need to focus on taking care of their health, and not figuring their way around paperwork.”