News & Topics

Contributing to Smoother Testing Operations by Enhancing After Sales Support

ARKRAY Commences Overseas Remote Maintenance Services for Medical Devices

ARKRAY, Inc. (hereafter, ARKRAY) will commence remote monitoring system service for its overseas medical device (Name: Intelligence by Connected ARKRAY Products) Medical organizations making use of ARKRAY's devices will be connected to ARKRAY's technical support team^*1 via a network, allowing for two-way remote service.

Presently, in Japan, optimal operation conditions are maintained by routine maintenance and repairs conducted by service engineers. Furthermore, a remote monitoring service was launched in 2012 and has been adopted by many medical organizations. Conversely, in overseas areas, a small number of technical support staff have had to cover large regions, leading to difficulties in providing support with the same promptness and accuracy as that provided in Japan. By commencing overseas operation of the same remote monitoring service operating in Japan, ARKRAY will seek to enhance its after-sales support system.

Using this service, overseas technical support teams will monitor the status of devices and perform prompt repairs in the event that an abnormality or malfunction is detected. Doing so will lead to shortened device downtimes and improved customer satisfaction levels. This service will first commence for now-available HbA1c (hemoglobin A1c)^*2 testing devices^*3 and will then be expanded to cover urine test instruments^*4.

ARKRAY products are now being used in over 80 countries and regions. ARKRAY has also continued to focus on service activities that answer local needs, such as the establishment of a repair center at its Pinghu Factory in China. Continuing into the future, ARKRAY will strive to enhance its service activities both domestically and overseas and contribute to the medical field.

Service features

• Device operation state can be checked anywhere, anytime
The operational state of instruments is viewed by accessing the "Intelligence by Connected ARKRAY Products" web server.
As long as an Internet connection is available, devices' operation state can be checked anywhere, anytime.

• Easy connection
Medical devices are connected to a dedicated connectivity device via a LAN cable. Connectivity is possible by merely changing the settings of the device intended for monitoring (Internet connectivity utilizes the wired Internet of the facility in which the device is installed, or the cellular networks of each country)

• High-security connection
Connection is only permitted with the dedicated connectivity device. The operation state of the device is encrypted before being transmitted (the data sent from the device does not include personal nor medical information)

Primary functions

• Monitoring of devices' operational states
The device's newest information is caught remotely, and its state is monitored

• Malfunction prediction
Device abnormalities are predicted before malfunctions occur

• Device alert notification via email
If a malfunction prediction is detected, trouble occurs with the device, or if connection with the device is lost, and alert is sent, and staff are notified via email.

• Diagnostic report exporting
A report summary of the state of the remotely connected device can be created automatically (covering the last month)

• Free planning of permissions
The system administrator (including the distributor) can set user permissions at will ("Read Only" and "Read/Edit Enabled" patterns are possible)

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Terminology

*1 Support teams are from distributors entrusted by ARKRAY Group or with the sales and maintenance service activities of ARKRAY Group

*2 HbA1c is formed when hemoglobin within red blood cells combines with glucose and is a marker to identify the average blood glucose concentration in the last one to two months.

*3 ADAMS series: glycohemoglobin analyzers (subject models: HA-8180, HA-8180V, HA-8380V)

*4 AUTION series fully-automatic urine analyzers (subject models: AX-4030, AX-4060)

Service overview

Name	Intelligence by Connected ARKRAY Products
Start date	January 11, 2019

This service will be provided by "ARKRAY Infinity, Inc.". ARKRAY Infinity, Inc. is a contractor for ARKRAY, and provides services and maintenance for ARKRAY as well as other companies.