JGS Group offers new service to facilitate recalls

The JGS Group (Arlington, Virginia), which focuses on reimbursement intelligence and strategies for the medical device industry, reported a new service that will deploy ad hoc contact center services for medical device companies in the midst of a recall.

JGS will provide toll-free telephone and e-mail contact centers where device manufacturers can refer customers and physicians during a recall to obtain billing and reimbursement information.

The Recall Reimbursement Intelligence Contact Center service offers a contact center that can be set up in 24-48 hours that will include a dedicated toll-free phone line, e-mail account, and fax number for questions or requests for recall-related reimbursement information.

Nidek Technologies merges with Nidek

As of April 1, Nidek Technologies America (NTA; Greensboro, North Carolina) has merged with Nidek (Fremont, California) to consolidate its clinical, development, distribution, marketing and sales efforts in the U.S. to Nidek's location in Fremont.

The move is designed to allow Nidek to expand both its customer base, and increase product offerings to new and existing customers.

Hideo Ozawa, president and founder of Nidek, said, “With this merger we want to focus our efforts on the strong synergies that both NTA and Nidek bring to the marketplace. Bringing the two groups together will allow Nidek to offer one source for its advanced diagnostics and surgical ophthalmic instrumentation to the vision care professional in the U.S.“

NTA had delivered advanced ophthalmic diagnostic instruments for corneal and retinal applications. One of the new releases is the Magellan Mapper, a system that maps any corneal aberration, providing more information to explain the patient's vision.

Olympus creates one Life Science Group

Olympus America (Center Valley, Pennsylvania) said it has combined its Scientific Equipment Group, Diagnostic Systems Group and Life Science Business Development unit to create a single Life Science Group. The move, it said, aligns the company's organization with that of other Olympus entities worldwide and readies it for growing emphasis on translational research and personalized medicine over the next decade.

Stephen Tang, vice president for Life Science Business Development, will take on a newly created position as group vice president and general manager, Life Science. He will oversee all operations of the group, including U.S. product and business development, sales, service, marketing, communications and training.

The creation of the Life Science Group comes before the retirement of George Steares, who has announced plans to retire as head of the Scientific Equipment Group in June.

The Olympus Scientific Equipment Group markets microscopes, imaging systems and solutions, and claims the largest U.S. market share in both clinical and educational microscopes. The company says its Diagnostic Systems Group is the leading supplier of chemistry analyzers for large reference labs; its blood banking systems are used to oversee the safety of about 90% of the U.S. blood supply.