GE HealthCare Secures US FDA Clearance for IONIC Health's nCommand Lite Technology

This technology promises real-time remote guidance, support, and training for healthcare professionals.

In a significant development in the realm of medical technology, GE HealthCare has announced the US FDA 510(k) clearance of IONIC Health's nCommand Lite technology.

This vendor-agnostic, multi-modality system will be exclusively distributed by GE HealthCare, offering remote patient scanning support, access to images, and connectivity to remote experts for real-time guidance during scanning procedures.

The nCommand Lite system includes capabilities for magnetic resonance (MR), computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT) scanning.

Addressing Staff Shortages in Radiology Departments

Amidst challenges faced by radiology departments, with 80% experiencing staff shortages according to recent studies, the introduction of nCommand Lite comes at a critical time.

The 2023 American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) Radiologic Sciences Staffing and Workplace Survey highlighted the highest vacancy rates since its inception in 2003.

Recognizing the operational challenges and workforce shortages, healthcare systems are increasingly seeking innovative solutions to enhance flexibility in staffing and operational structures to meet the growing demands of patient populations.

Expressing thoughts, José Leovigildo Coelho, CEO and co-founder of IONIC Health, said, "Developed with multi-modality and multi-vendor functionalities and high-end technology to scale and tackle staffing shortages, nCommand Lite enables broader access to expert technologists. Through our continued collaboration with GE HealthCare, we hope to make the nCommand technology available to more regions across the globe in the future," Coelho said.

With a focus on remote operations, GE HealthCare introduced an FDA-cleared version of Digital Expert Access and entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with IONIC Health in November 2023, further strengthening its remote operations portfolio.

Enhancing Remote Operations with nCommand Lite

"GE HealthCare is committed to continued investment in the rapidly growing space of remote operations through innovation and strategic collaborations that support the current and future needs of healthcare institutions. Our goal is to provide remote operations solutions that lead to increased access for patients, including patients who may require complex care and support from an off-site expert technologist," said Rekha Ranganathan, senior vice president, general manager, Imaging Platforms and Digital Solutions, GE HealthCare.

The nCommand Lite system, designed to enable off-site experts to provide real-time guidance to technologists operating the scanner, offers vendor-agnostic, multi-modality capabilities.

It provides a differentiated remote scanning solution to streamline workflows across various imaging fleets, addressing the challenges posed by multiple vendors and modalities.

GE HealthCare, a leader in medical technology and digital solutions, is dedicated to providing integrated solutions and services to enhance healthcare delivery.

Meanwhile, IONIC Health claims to be the first Brazilian company to secure US FDA clearance for a multi-vendor, remote access technology for medical imaging devices.

Known as nCommand Lite, this technology promises real-time remote guidance, support, and training for healthcare professionals, marking a significant advancement in global healthcare innovation.

With the FDA clearance of nCommand Lite, healthcare institutions can look forward to enhanced capabilities in remote scanning, support, and training, addressing critical challenges faced by radiology departments worldwide.

In another development, GE HealthCare collaborated with NVIDIA to unveil SonoSAMTrack, an AI-powered research model aimed at revolutionizing ultrasound image segmentation, ultimately leading to improved efficiency and accuracy in patient care.

SonoSAMTrack, developed by GE HealthCare, leverages NVIDIA's accelerated computing and AI technology stack to precisely segment anatomies, lesions, and other critical areas within ultrasound images. The model is part of a broader effort by GE HealthCare to integrate foundational AI technologies into medical imaging, aiming to speed up AI application development and ultimately benefit clinicians and patients.