KNCAY Konica Minolta Inc (PK)

WAYNE, N.J. and DETROIT, April 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- In Detroit, where three out of every five children live in poverty, the infant mortality rate is two and one half times of the national rate – at 15 per 1,000 live births. Nearly 6 of 10 infants that die in Detroit did not receive adequate prenatal care.  These are sobering statistics that Covenant Community Care, a faith-based, charitable non-profit Community Health Center serving the people of Metro Detroit, is poised to change thanks to a charitable donation by Konica Minolta Medical Imaging.

Today, Konica Minolta Medical Imaging will donate a SONIMAGE P3 handheld ultrasound to the community health center that operates six clinics throughout Detroit, often providing care to patients who do not have health insurance and cannot afford to pay for the services.

"Forty percent of our patients are uninsured and they struggle to get access to diagnostic tests done," says Paul Propson, CEO of Covenant Community Care. "We struggle to help them get it done, as we can't waive those fees with referrals. An ultrasound study for our patients may be out of reach if it weren't for this generous gift from Konica Minolta Medical Imaging."

"Having ultrasound available in the clinic for prenatal care gives the providers an excellent tool to facilitate good prenatal care," says Dr. Lisa McIntosh, obstetrician/gynecologist at Covenant Community Care.  "This is particularly true in a low resource setting where it is difficult for patients to get rides and to obtain extra appointments at the hospital, much less pay for these services. With this ultrasound system, we have a window into the womb that can help us deliver the appropriate care to the mother and her unborn child."

The SONIMAGE P3 is a true portable ultrasound machine that gives clinicians the information they need in real time to make clinically confident and informed decisions at the point of care. With its small footprint and weighing less than a pound, this handheld ultrasound device can accelerate and improve interventions and decision making time, providing economic value for the clinician, patient, and healthcare system. The SONIMAGE P3 is intuitively designed like a smart phone offering worry-free operation so physicians can do more with less.  

"Konica Minolta understands the importance of enabling clinicians to deliver quality care at the point-of-care. For over 15 years, Covenant Community Care has been helping our most vulnerable patients – those living in poverty, without health insurance, and in many cases homeless," says David Widmann, President and CEO, Konica Minolta Medical Imaging. "That's why when Covenant Community Care reached out to us, and shared their need for diagnostic ultrasound to help combat the high infant mortality rate in Detroit by providing ultrasound for prenatal care, or to take into the field for their homeless outreach healthcare program, we listened and acted."

According to Dr. Scott Stryd, Chief Medical Officer at Covenant Community Care, "The SONIMAGE P3 will be used most urgently for ob/gyn appointments, as well as assist in the evaluation of other vascular and soft tissue conditions. Transportation is a huge issue, even if the patient has insurance, so this will help us remove several obstacles to care in addition to cost."

About Konica Minolta Medical Imaging

Konica Minolta Medical Imaging is a world class provider and market leader in medical diagnostic primary imaging. With over 75 years of endless innovation, Konica Minolta is globally recognized as a leader providing cutting-edge technologies and comprehensive support aimed at providing real solutions to meet customer's needs. Konica Minolta Medical Imaging, headquartered in Wayne, NJ, is a unit of Konica Minolta, Inc. (TSE: 4902).  For more information on Konica Minolta Primary Imaging Solutions, please visit www.konicaminolta.com/medicalusa.

About Covenant Community Care

Covenant Community Care is a non-profit 501c3 community health center providing a full range of medical, dental, and behavioral health care services to the people of Detroit and the broader metropolitan region. We have operated as a Federally Qualified Heath Center (FQHC) since 2008, and in 2014 served 15,622 patients. Above all, we provide services regardless of someone's ability to pay.

www.covenantcommunitycare.org

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SOURCE Konica Minolta Medical Imaging