A Medical Device Daily

Orthometrix (White Plains, New York) reported that it has formed Orbasone Mobile as a subsidiary to offer providers, such as those with podiatric and orthopedic practices, access to its new Orbasone Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) Pain Relief System for treating patients in their surgical suites or offices.

Orbasone Mobile is starting its operations with six Orbasone units offering treatment in six regions of the U.S., not only in ambulatory surgical centers but also in physicians' office. It also will provide insurance billing through continuation of an agreement with Health Reimbursement Solutions , Orthometrix said.

The Orbasone received FDA market clearance in August 2005 for the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis (foot pain).

Reynald Bonmati, CEO and chairman of Orthometrix, said, “We are very pleased with our sales for the first half of 2006, which came close to the sales we booked for the entire year 2005. A new Category III Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Code became effective as of Jan. 1 for Medicare coverage of ESWT procedures.” He said that while this led to private insurance coverage, it also tends to reduce reimbursements rates already covering such procedures.

“This situation is already exerting pressure on the ESWT mobile service industry which uses equipment that is two to three times more expensive than our Orbasone and too large to be used in the doctor's office. This can be a real opportunity for our company to enter that segment of the market.”

“Unlike other mobile service companies, because our company also manufactures the Orbasone, we [can offer customers] the opportunity to purchase their own ESWT system . . . Orbasone Mobile will either develop into a separate stand-alone entity or continue to be a subsidiary of the company and serve as a strong marketing tool for our Orbasone system.”

Orthometrix sells and services several musculoskeletal product lines used in diagnosis and monitoring of bone and muscle disorders, sports medicine, rehabilitative medicine, physical therapy, pain management and pharmaceutical research.