Olympus Retains PRIA Healthcare to Help Patients Access Emerging Medical Technologies

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., Oct. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Olympus, a global leader in designing and delivering innovative medical technology solutions, announced today a new patient access program called Olympus UNITE that assists patients in gaining access to new medical technologies. At this time, the program is supporting patients who are candidates for the Spiration™ Valve System for the treatment of symptoms caused by severe emphysema and the iTind™ procedure for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

The program is being administered by PRIA Healthcare Management, an organization with 10 years of experience in helping patients navigate medical insurance systems and access the care of most benefit to them. Patients receive advanced notice of the costs and insurance coverage for the procedure from their healthcare provider, and with this information, they can plan accordingly.

Olympus UNITE may include services such as pre-authorization and patient appeals services, strategic reimbursement support, and hotlines to support coverage, coding, and payment concerns.  The Olympus UNITE program is expected to expand to include services for other product areas in the future. Healthcare providers, insurance staff, and patients with questions about the program should email .

"The Olympus UNITE team works with insurance companies and educates them on the benefits of emerging medical technologies like the Spiration Valve System and the iTind procedure," said Paul Skodny, Executive Director of Global Health Economics and Market Access at Olympus Corporation of the Americas. "These services help drive efficiencies in the pre-authorization process and may save valuable time for patients, as well as physicians and their staff. Olympus provides pre-service authorization and post-service claims appeal support at no additional cost to our healthcare customers and their patients."

The Spiration Valve System is used to perform bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) with endobronchial valves for the treatment of lung hyperinflation caused by severe emphysema, a form of COPD. "Patients suffering from severe emphysema need to able to access technological advances in healthcare, like BLVR, which clinical trials have proven can help them to breathe better and function better in their daily lives," said Swarna Alcorn, Respiratory Business Unit Vice President at Olympus America Inc. "They often need support navigating potential barriers to treatment that can come with insurance paperwork."ⁱ

Potential complications which may be associated with the use of the Spiration Valve System may include, but are not limited to, pneumothorax, worsening of COPD symptoms, pneumonia, and dyspnea. Prior to using the Spiration Valve System, please review the full list of prescriptive information for additional information on indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions and potential complications at spirationvalve.com/potential-risks-complications.

The iTind procedure was designed to relieve BPH symptoms in men age 50 and above through a minimally invasive treatment. The iTind procedure involves the placement of a temporary nitinol device that reshapes the prostatic urethra without burning or cutting out tissue. The device remains in place for five to seven days while the patient is at home. Clinical trials have demonstrated that, upon removal, patients experience immediate relief of their symptoms without any effect on their sexual function.ⁱⁱ

Implantation of the iTind™ device may cause pelvic discomfort, blood in urine, painful or urgent urination. In rare cases, the iTind device may cause urinary tract infection or a sudden difficulty to urinate.

Olympus uses innovative capabilities in medical technology, therapeutic intervention, and precision manufacturing to help healthcare professionals deliver diagnostic, therapeutic, and minimally invasive procedures designed to improve clinical outcomes, reduce overall costs, and enhance the quality of life for patients. Olympus' Medical portfolio includes endoscopes, laparoscopes, and video imaging systems, as well as surgical energy devices, system integration solutions, medical services, and a wide range of EndoTherapy instruments. For more information, visit medical.olympusamerica.com.

Since 2012, PRIA Healthcare has been a national leader in reimbursement and market access to the healthcare arena throughout the United States. Led by a team of industry veterans, PRIA is committed to ensuring the latest medical technologies and procedures are available to patients both during clinical trials and through product commercialization. PRIA diligently works to influence payers to establish patient access to life changing devices, therapies, treatments, and procedures by leveraging clinical data, patient, and physician rights.

ⁱ i Criner GJ, Delage A, Voelker K, et al. Improving Lung Function in Severe Heterogenous Emphysema with the Spiration® Valve System (EMPROVE): A Multicenter, Open-Label, Randomized, Controlled Trial. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2019;200(11):1354-1362. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201902-0383OC.
ⁱⁱ Chughtai B, Elterman D, Shore N, et al. The iTind Temporarily Implanted Nitinol Device for the Treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Secondary to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial [published online ahead of print, 2020 Dec 26]. Urology. 2020;S0090-4295(20)31520-X. DOI: 10.1016/j.urology.2020.12.022

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SOURCE Olympus