(Miami, Florida) – Gastro Health, a national leading medical group specializing in digestive health, is one of a select few gastroenterology practices in the United States that will now allow patients to utilize the CapsoCam Plus®, a small bowel capsule endoscope, in their comfort of their homes. This new method of home care is one of the many innovative ways that Gastro Health is modifying the way physicians continue to deliver high quality during the COVID-19 pandemic while ensuring minimal in-person contact.
On September 23, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it will allow for the at-home administration of the CapsoCam Plus® for eligible patients. The CapsoCam Plus® video capsule system is intended for the visualization of the small bowel mucosa in adults. It may be used as a tool in the detection of abnormalities of the small bowel.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged all physicians to rethink the way we deliver care now and going forward. We need to do everything possible to continue to deliver health care in a timely and safe manner, while making an effort to reduce in-person contact and potential COVID-19 exposure,” said Javier Parra, MD, gastroenterologist with Gastro Health. “The CapsoCam Plus® system will now allow us to offer this procedure to the appropriate patients efficiently and effectively, without the patient needing to visit the clinic. This is an added value to our practice and enables us to reduce exposure risks to our patients and staff while continuing the normal volume of office visits.”
The CapsoCam Plus® provides the most comprehensive imaging available in capsule endoscopy. Patients simply ingest the capsule as they would any other pill and are able to return to their normal day-to-day activities while the capsule, which provides a 360° panoramic view of the small bowel, records high resolution images and data. This level of detailed imaging allows for greater diagnostic capabilities. The images can then be easily reviewed by the physician via the CapsoCloud® cloud-based software.
“The physicians at Gastro Health have a wealth of combined experience with CapsoCam Plus®, which results in many advantages to both the physicians and the patients,” said Joseph Garcia, Gastro Health CEO. “The safety of our patients and staff is a top priority amid this pandemic and being able to offer reduce the risk of in-person exposure while continuing to innovate our telehealth program is something we are very proud of.”
The CapsoCam Plus® is also the only self-contained capsule endoscopy system that does not require external equipment that must be worn by the patient, which eliminates the risks associated with radio frequency signals. As well, this technology is safe for use in patients with implantable devices such as pacemakers, defibrillators, and insulin pumps. The CapsoCam Plus® is made by CapsoVision and distributed by PENTAX Medical Company.