Avante Health Solutions Is Moving Cancer Treatment Forward

November 17, 2022

 Medical Linear Accelerators 

Medical linear accelerators, or LINACs, are used for external beam radiation treatment for cancer patients with malignant tumors. During the procedure, high-energy x-rays are focused on a patient’s tumor to destroy the cancer cells while maintaining the integrity of the surrounding tissue.  

 

Safety Precautions  

Because the treatment involves radiation exposure, precautions are taken to ensure patient and staff safety. Overexposure to radiation can cause radiation sickness, skin burns, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Even exposure to low levels of radiation can contribute to cancer risks. Safety precautions to minimize these risks for the patient include regular quality assurance tests on the LINAC and a thoroughly researched treatment plan that is developed by the radiation oncologist in conjunction with the radiation dosimetrist and medical physicist. Staff members are protected by the location of the LINAC, which sits in a room with thick lead and concrete walls. The special walls shield medical workers from radiation exposure during the procedure.  

 

Avante’s LINAC Testing Bunker 

While many healthcare equipment suppliers provide parts and services for LINACs, only one outside of an OEM is known to have invested in an in-house LINAC testing area: Avante Health Solutions.  

Avante’s investment resulted in a LINAC testing bunker with concrete, lead-lined walls measuring four feet deep for safety precautions. The bunker provides numerous benefits to Avante customers. First, the bunker and LINAC inside are used for quality assurance purposes to test parts that are for sale or used in repairs and services.  

Second, the bunker is used for in-house training purposes for Avante’s 40+ oncology field service engineers. These expert engineers, who average 15 or more years in the field, use the bunker to train new engineers and to update experienced engineers on new sub-systems, new technologies, or refresher courses. Training is documented in accordance with the ISO 13485:2016 certification through NSF-ISR.* 

Finally, the bunker is used for customer training so that customers can provide the most reliable therapy for their patients. Avante has a highly structured training program, which opened in 2019. Training includes courses on multiple machines from different manufacturers as well as standalone subsystems, such as a multileaf collimator, carousel system and vacuum station. Training allows engineers to work with fully functional LINACs and to assemble and disassemble parts of the equipment that are rarely accessible.   

 

Avante’s Oncology Services  

Avante Health Solutions is moving cancer treatment forward with improved efficiency, lower costs, and up to 99 percent uptime on qualifying equipment. As a partner to hospitals and cancer treatment centers around the world, Avante strives to provide market-leading equipment and outstanding, certified service and support for a fraction of the cost compared to an OEM. Avante offers professionally restored linear accelerators that guarantee all the performance and reliability of a new model at an economical price. Furthermore, Avante’s flexible service plans, remote access services, and vast inventory of parts and accessories keep customer equipment up, running, and serving their patients.   

 

About Avante Health Solutions  

Avante Health Solutions is moving healthcare forward. Avante is an industry-leading provider of diagnostic imaging, medical-surgical, oncology, patient monitoring, and ultrasound equipment. As a comprehensive provider, Avante partners with customers from consultation and installation to service, repair, and ongoing technical support. For more information, contact an Avante representative at (800) 445-4516 or visit avantehs.com.  

 

*The ISO 13485:2016 certification is the current quality management standard for the medical device industry. As the recipient of an ISO 13485:2016 certification, Avante’s Quality Management System demonstrates the ability to consistently meet customer, ISO, and regulatory requirements. 

 

 

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