Siemens Healthineers supports Free State of Bavaria in fight against Covid-19

Not for publication in the USA

• State Ministry of Health and Care to purchase wide range of equipment for diagnosis and monitoring of Covid-19 patients
  
• Siemens Healthineers supplies 25 computed tomographs (CT) at short notice, including 12 container solutions, 16 mobile X-ray machines, 300 blood gas analyzers and a large quantity of molecular diagnostic tests to detect SARS-CoV-2 virus to clinics throughout Bavaria
  
• Mobile CT solutions for flexible expansion of diagnostic capacities for Covid-19 patients are already in use in numerous countries worldwide

Siemens Healthineers has been commissioned by the State Ministry of Health and Care to equip hospitals in Bavaria with laboratory tests, imaging systems and blood gas analyzers for the diagnosis and monitoring of Covid-19 patients. By supplying at short notice 25 CT scanners (including 12 container solutions), 16 mobile X-ray machines, 300 blood gas systems and a large quantity of molecular diagnostic laboratory tests to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the cause of Covid-19, the company is intensifying its contribution to the fight against the pandemic. In the current situation, container-based CT solutions from Siemens Healthineers are already being successfully used in numerous countries around the world to flexibly expand existing diagnostic capacities.

“We’re pleased that Siemens Healthineers can provide the Free State of Bavaria and its healthcare system with high-quality equipment. This medical technology for use in clinics means that together we can better meet the present challenges of the Corona pandemic and improve the treatment of Covid-19 patients,” says Minister of State Melanie Huml, MdL.

“Providing support wherever we can in order to maintain and develop our customers’ crucial technological infrastructure is the top priority of our company in the current situation. That’s why we are actively working with the Bavarian State Government to improve the diagnosis of suspected Covid-19 cases and the care of sick patients in the Free State in this unprecedented and difficult situation,” emphasizes Bernd Ohnesorge, President of Europe, Middle East and Africa at Siemens Healthineers. “To justify the trust that the State of Bavaria, as well as many other governments and healthcare providers in Germany, Europe and the rest of the world, are placing in us in their fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, we are doing our utmost to provide the necessary technologies and diagnostic tests quickly and reliably,” he said.

Siemens Healthineers will be equipping hospitals in Bavaria in the coming weeks with systems and tests for the diagnosis and monitoring of Covid-19 patients, which are urgently needed in the current situation.

Computed tomography plays an important part in both the diagnosis and monitoring of Covid-19. CT scans of the chest provide characteristic signs of viral pneumonia at an early stage of the disease and, as the disease progresses, information on the patient’s state of health, especially in patients with acute or imminent lung failure. Thanks to the rapid supply of 25 CT scanners from the Somatom go.Top and Somatom go.All ranges, the lungs of Covid-19 patients can be scanned within about two seconds. The systems which are specially equipped for lung diagnostics allow the scan protocols to be programmed in advance and the examination to be started at the touch of a button. This reduces staff training time and makes it possible to examine a large number of patients in a short time. The unique tin pre-filtering of the systems also supports excellent image quality at very low doses and is therefore well suited for follow-up checks.

Mobile CT solutions already in use in numerous other countries
The new CT scanners will make it easier for Bavarian hospitals to examine infected and non-infected patients separately, thus ensuring additional hygiene safety. The CT scanners of the Somatom go platform can be operated wirelessly via tablets, thus enabling the necessary distances to be maintained to further protect medical personnel when preparing patients for the scan. The 12 container solutions will also allow clinics to examine patients before they are admitted to hospital. Due to their compact dimensions and low dissipated heat levels, the flexible Somatom go systems are particularly suitable for use in containers. Such mobile CT solutions from Siemens Healthineers have already proven themselves in numerous other countries, including China, the United Kingdom, Austria, Poland and Portugal, to build up the much-needed scanning capacities in the current situation.

X-ray examinations directly at the patient’s bedside
The 16 Mobilett Elara Max mobile X-ray machines can help to examine the progress of particularly serious cases. The versatile digital and wireless systems can be moved directly to the patient’s bed, for example to the intensive care unit; patients do not have to be transported for examination purposes. Thanks to their anti-microbial coating, fully integrated cables, smooth and sealed surfaces, the devices offer improved hygienic conditions for examining infected patients.

Another important element in the fight against the Covid-19 disease is the supply of 300 RAPIDPoint 500e blood gas analyzers. The RAPIDPoint 500e Blood Gas System provides data on the patient’s blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels which helps to monitor the respiratory distress of infected patients. Additionally, this provides assistance to nurses and doctors in the treatment of infected patients, so they are able to decide whether it is necessary to adjust ventilation settings or whether other treatments are required.

Identifying the virus in less than three hours
The equipment being supplied to Bavarian hospitals is completed with a large quantity of molecular laboratory tests, which assist in identifying the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the Covid-19 disease. The molecular Fast Track Diagnostics (FTD) SARS-CoV-2 Assay¹ kit is already being delivered to EU countries for research use only (RUO). The FTD SARS-CoV-2 test enables Siemens Healthineers to make another contribution to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The test is designed to help researchers identify the virus in less than three hours so that healthcare professionals can take the necessary next steps for their patients as soon as possible.

¹ _{For research use only (RUO). Pursuing FDA emergency use authorization (EUA). Pursuing WHO emergency use listing (EUL).}

Siemens Healthineers AG (listed in Frankfurt, Germany: SHL) is shaping the future of Healthcare. As a leading medical technology company headquartered in Erlangen, Germany, Siemens Healthineers enables healthcare providers worldwide through its regional companies to increase value by empowering them on their journey towards expanding precision medicine, transforming care delivery, improving the patient experience, and digitalizing healthcare. Siemens Healthineers is continuously developing its product and service portfolio, with AI-supported applications and digital offerings that play an increasingly important role in the next generation of medical technology. These new applications will enhance the company’s foundation in in-vitro diagnostic, image-guided therapy, and in-vivo diagnostics. Siemens Healthineers also provides a range of services and solutions to enhance healthcare providers ability to provide high-quality, efficient care to patients. In fiscal 2019, which ended on September 30, 2019, Siemens Healthineers, which has approximately 52,000 employees worldwide, generated revenue of €14.5 billion and adjusted profit of €2.5 billion. Further information is available at www.siemens-healthineers.com.

Ulrich Kuenzel
Karlheinz Kaske Straße 5
91052 Erlangen
Germany
+49 162 2433492
ulrich.kuenzel@siemens-healthineers.com