Polycom Enables Delivery of Anytime Anywhere Healthcare

Polycom Enables Delivery of Anytime Anywhere Healthcare with Launch of its High Definition (HD) Video Enabled Polycom® RealPresence® Practitioner Cart® 8000

Practitioner Cart Brings Versatility and a TGA Registered Solution to A&Es, Specialists’ Offices, Remote Clinics – Wherever Patients Need Care

New Zealand – Nov. 12, 2013 – Polycom, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCM), the global leader in open standards-based unified communications, today announced the launch of its Polycom® RealPresence® Practitioner Cart® 8000. This new ergonomic telehealth cart allows healthcare specialists to meet with patients using high-definition video collaboration technology, regardless of their location, improving equity of healthcare for all.

Designed to meet the needs of Australia and New Zealand’s (ANZ) healthcare industry, the Polycom RealPresence Practitioner Cart helps healthcare providers to deliver expert care to patients quickly and cost-effectively, even if those patients are located far away from a major hospital or clinic. Its ability to connect with patients across geographically dispersed locations makes it ideal for ANZ healthcare providers responsible for delivering healthcare services to patients living in sparsely populated areas. The new cart also has TGA registration in Australia, and is expecting NZ registration shortly.

Telehealth allows the delivery of medical care and education by remote transmission of audio and video. By engaging live with patients and on-site caregivers via secure high-definition (HD) video and audio, including viewing content via a PC connection or mobility device, medical professionals can improve remote consultations with patients to help save lives, time, and money. It also supports clinical care collaboration across geographic regions, enhancing equity of access to healthcare and improving team collaboration.

“Healthcare reform and cost-cutting initiatives are accelerating the adoption of telehealth as providers seek to deliver quality care to remote populations while reducing the cost of transporting patients to large hospitals or sending specialists into the field,” said Gary Denman, Managing Director, Polycom ANZ.

Denman continues, “In New Zealand, the Ministry of Health recently announced plans to develop an integrated national telehealth service which we welcome. The future is most certainly now and our latest Practitioner Cart is a smart investment for DHBs looking to establish a sustainable telehealth solution in their region.”

The new Polycom RealPresence Practitioner Cart 8000 is built upon Rubbermaid Healthcare’s small and lightweight mobile cart platform. The durable frame protects internal electronics from spills, is easy to clean, and provides a superior level of maneuverability and flexibility.

“When developing this cart with Polycom, we saw an opportunity to create a highly ergonomic, mobile and versatile platform that uniquely meets the needs of today’s very demanding telehealth environment,” said Kevin Boyle, business leader for Rubbermaid Healthcare. “The Polycom RealPresence Practitioner Cart is a world-class solution that gives providers and patients access to the highest quality medical care no matter where they are. Rubbermaid is thrilled to have played a role in developing it.”

Equipped with a simple-to-use, Polycom® HDX® 8000 telepresence unit and Polycom® EagleEyeTM camera, the Polycom RealPresence Practitioner Cart enables greater productivity with HD video technology for sharp, clear images, and Polycom StereoSurround™ technology for natural and crisp conversations.

Additional leading-edge features include:
• Mobility and Ergonomics. With a small, sturdy base, users can easily maneuver the cart in tight spaces and take full-stride steps when transporting the cart. To ensure video participants maintain eye-level contact, a powered electronic lift enables fast and easy height adjustments. A battery power system allows users to operate the cart anywhere a network connection is available.
• Medical Device Integration and Connection. Clinicians have a host of input options for connecting laptops and medical peripheral devices, such as digital in-band stethoscopes and video scopes through an integrated, extensive plug-and-play side connection panel.
• Security. The new cart protects patient data with AES encryption to assist in the compliance of HIPAA requirements, and secures contents with a keyless entry drawer and lockable storage bin.

Because the Polycom RealPresence Practitioner Cart can be implemented in a variety of environments, budget-strapped organizations around the world use collaborative video solutions to derive the maximum value from their investment, from supporting prevention and wellness programs, to stroke and neurology consultations, to psychiatry and mental health sessions.

Telehealth in New Zealand
In New Zealand, the Canterbury and West Coast District Health Boards (DHBs) have implemented a telehealth programme with a focus on pediatric care. To date, the paediatric service has used telehealth for outpatient clinics in Greymouth and Westport to decrease the amount of time children have to wait to see a specialist. For more information, please watch the Canterbury and West Coast District Health Board Telehealth Case Study.

Demonstrations
Polycom will also be showcasing several telehealth video solutions at Healthcare Informatics New Zealand (HINZ) 2013 in Rotorua on 27-29 November.

Availability
The Polycom RealPresence Practitioner Cart 8000 is now available in Australia and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.polycom.com/healthcare.

About Polycom Healthcare Solutions
Healthcare organizations the world over are turning to Polycom video collaboration solutions to transform how they learn, teach, and deliver care. Polycom solutions eliminate the distances between patients and caregivers, between physicians and educators, and between medical facilities. Eight of the top 10 U.S. hospitals and all of the top 12 pharmaceutical companies worldwide are Polycom customers, using Polycom technology to reduce patient evaluation times, allow caregivers to treat patients remotely, improve medical education, enhance caregiver productivity and quality of life, streamline hospital operations, reduce costs, and ultimately help save lives.

About Polycom
Polycom is the global leader in open standards-based unified communications (UC) solutions for voice and video collaboration, trusted by more than 415,000 customers around the world. Polycom solutions are powered by the Polycom® RealPresence® Platform, comprehensive software infrastructure and rich APIs that interoperate with the broadest set of communication, business, mobile and cloud applications and devices to deliver secure face-to-face video collaboration in any environment. Polycom and its ecosystem of over 7,000 partners provide truly unified communications solutions that deliver the best user experience, highest multi-vendor interoperability, and lowest TCO. Visit www.polycom.com or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to learn how we’re pushing the greatness of human collaboration forward.

ENDS

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