Industry Insider: An Inside Look At Environmental Tectonics Corporation

Today’s Wound Clinic interviewed Russell Peterson, Ph.D.; Technical Director, BioMedical Systems, ETC, in this Q&A style interview. Peterson has been with ETC for the past 13 years.

  Today’s Wound Clinic (TWC): How long have you personally been in the wound care section of healthcare and how did you get into this area of specialty?
  Russell Peterson (RP): 13 years coming from sports applications of HBO and diving medicine and physiology.

  TWC: What do you find most rewarding about providing products to medical directors and wound care clinicians?
  RP: Helping to address a growing healthcare concern in a significant way.

  TWC: How many different types/series of products do you make? Please list all of them.
  RP: Monoplace hyperbaric chambers; multiplace hyperbaric chambers; control system for monoplace chambers; management-monitoring-recording system for hyperbaric chambers.

  TWC: What would you say makes your company unique?
  RP: The use of computers and other innovative approaches to make products that advance the state-of-the-art.

  TWC: Please tell our readers something about your company that they may not know?
  RP: ETC has been the true technology leader in the evolution of monoplace chambers for hyperbaric medicine. Industry firsts include: First computer-controlled automatic chamber; first chamber with ventilation rates less than 200 slpm; first chamber making electronic record of treatment; first chamber with integrated patient monitoring interface; First chamber to use non-linear compression and decompression technology (Smooth-RideTM) to reduce complications related to pressure change; first chamber with passive pressure-relief mattress; first chamber to provide storage space for patient gurney.

  TWC: Please describe the mission/vision of your company in wound care and any of your goals that you would like to highlight.
  RP: To improve wound care, and the safety and experience of the patient during hyperbaric oxygen therapy; to reduce chamber operator load through innovation and technology.

  TWC: What is ETC currently working on for 2011 and beyond?
  RP: Looking ahead, ETC is working to develop and market very new sorts of hyperbaric therapy products and to refine the characteristics of our existing systems. We are also striving to make our chambers part of the electronic network as health care moves toward paperless systems. These advances should benefit both patients and hyperbaric therapy providers, alike.

  TWC: Are there any trends in wound care that you and your executives are monitoring closely?
  RP: The utilization of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in wound care.

  TWC: We continue to see increases in the amount of wound care clinics that open each year as well as rising numbers of wound care patients. How will this affect how your company operates its business in the future?
  RP: We will continue to develop new and innovative products to meet the growing demand of this market.

  TWC: Do you have any advice for clinicians who are unsure about what products are best for their wound care clinic?
  RP: While all FDA-cleared monoplace chambers can be used for the administration of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2), the features of particular chambers can have important impact on patient safety and comfort, and on through-life operating costs. ETC’s BARA-MED® XD chamber is an excellent example of this point. With its computer-based automated control system, the BARA-MED® XD enables special pressure-change technology (i.e., Smooth•Ride™) to be utilized. This significantly reduces the risk of ear and sinus barotrauma during compression, by far the most common complication in HBO2. Smooth•Ride™ also reduces the risk of gas trapping complications during decompression in patients having obstructive or restrictive pulmonary disorders (e.g., COPD, asthma, and emphysema). From another perspective, the BARA-MED® XD’s excellent space utilization and low chamber ventilation rates permit real savings in oxygen consumption and gas costs. Thus, in selecting a chamber, look for one that does more than just administer HBO2.

  TWC: How can wound care clinicians get in touch with a representative to learn more about your company and products?
  RP: Contact Brad Baker, Business Development Manager, ETC, 1-215-355-9100, Ext 1278.

For more information on Environmental Tectonics Corporation, news about their company, and information about the company’s products and services visit www.etcusa.com.