Category: People

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Steve Riendeau on Pais Positivio

PTS Diagnostics CCO Steve Riendeau
Featured in País Positivo

The following interview with PTS Diagnostics CCO Steve Riendeau recently appeared in the November issue of País Positivo, a monthly editorial magazine on current affairs in Portugal. The original article, written in Portuguese, can be found here. The text below is an English translation.

Master Your Diabetes

Steve Riendeau, Commercial Director of PTS Diagnostics, presents us innovative solutions for people with diabetes, tests for professional or outpatient use with fast, reliable and accurate results.

With regards to the portfolio in the field of diabetes, what can be highlighted?

PTS Diagnostics is the manufacturer of the A1CNow®+ Test System for professional use and the A1CNow® Self Check at-home systems.  Both systems are able to test a person’s A1C using a small fingerstick blood sample and calcuate the result in 5 minutes. The product is NGSP-certified and IFCC-traceable. What sets A1CNow apart from traditional large lab analzyers is that it is small, portable, and battery-powered. Thisallows for ease of use in a variety of settings.

 The A1CNow+ professional product line allows for informed conversations to take place at the point of care between physician and patient. They can discuss how a patient is managing their diabetes in minutes and not have to wait a few days for the test results to come back.

For many individuals living with diabetes  thi could bes as a “game changer” in that they can have a direct insight into the effectiveness of their glucose management efforts and take the proper actions to either maintain or improve those efforts it moving forward. 

How is PTS Diagnostics addressing the future of patient care?

At present, new models of addressing and accessing patient health care have led to an increased focus on closing gaps in care as discrepancies between the recommended medical practices and the care that’s being provided continue. The health care industry is in search of better ways to fill in the gaps.

Those gaps in care are the difference between the health care that we are receiving and what is considered medical best practices. These are becoming increasingly an issue due to the current COVID-19 environment, because getting access to health care has been more challenging for people.

An examples of a gap in care would be where you are supposed to be getting an age-related screening and you’ve missed that screening.  As a result, you may be missing some insight into your health

We have the ability to help close those gaps utilizing our point of care solutions. PTS Diagnostics, bring certified accuracy, precision and speed together to innovate point of care. 

Quality of life is important for diabetes patients. In response, what innovative solutions does PTS Diagnostics offer in order to facilitate the day-to-day life of these patients?

We have been in business for well over 20 years. Here in the U.S., we develop and manufacture a series of point-of-care instruments through which, with a simple fingerstick,  people can gain actionable insights into their health.

Our A1CNow+ test system offers those living with diabetes a method by which they can test their HbA1c and obtain anaccurate HbA1c result in a matter of minutes. This can give both healthcare physicians treating their diabetic patients and the patients themselves, a direct look into how a patient’s diabetes is being managed. Based upon the result calculated, it allows for face-to-face dialogue and consultation between the healthcare provider and the patient.

Our A1CNow solutions are configured so they can be utilized in a professional healthcare facility, wellness event, or inside a patient’s home.  

How do PTS Diagnostics products combine technology and diagnostic solutions to facilitate patient/healthcare provider interaction?

One of the benefits of our devices is that the professional user can  have consultation directly with the patient and discuss their numbers, their
results, their understanding of how they’re managing these diseases. With our
diagnostics solutions, portable technology can deliver test results all at the
point of care, creating the ability for a patient’s medical information to be
shared in a matter of minutes rather than several days.

The key to success for patients in their long term health and well-being is their engagement or disease processes. There’s nothing that maximizes that better than having results of a test readily available and immediately discussed with the provider through its people,
technology and service.

Where do you see your technology being utilized more in the future?

Access to testing continues to improve  with the help of our technology in alternate health care settings such as the pharmacy, the workplace, telemedicine, and most recently inside the patient’s homes. The points of care have been redefined. Presently, we are now looking an increase in the care at home, with options from visiting nurses and other entities.

 

screenshot of article from Pais Positivo with a link to the full publication

There is nothing more valuable than being able to provide a lab test at that time of that visit. Pharmacies have now become a critical access point for patients because they have a tendency to go there frequently and can get several needs met at one time, as we’ve seen with COVID-19 vaccinations here. 

We see our point of care testing solutions fulfilling possible new roles and services that these sectors, particularly ones that the pharmacies are being asked to provide by terms of testing for cholesterol, glucose, etc. As the roles of the pharmacies are changing worldwide, we are growing with them through this time as evident by the work we’ve been focused on with groups such as Alphega Pharmacy.

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Using Point-of-Care Testing and Compliance to Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease

A heart attack occurs every 40 seconds and heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a reality that I know all too well – just last year, I went into cardiac arrest without warning. I owe my life to the heroic efforts of my son, a former Special Forces Army medic who assisted me until the paramedics arrived, as well as the medical team at Baylor Medical Center-Dallas who successfully completed my heart transplant.

I’m thankful to have the opportunity to continue my career as Medical Director of PTS Diagnostics and to help improve the lives of those suffering from comorbidities such as diabetes and heart disease.

This personal experience further ignited my passion for helping to curb our nation’s heart disease epidemic. Unfortunately, it’s my professional opinion that the prevalence of heart disease will continue to grow. This is due to an aging population and busy lifestyles that cause millions to forgo physical activity, regular doctor’s visits and healthy food options, as their health declines.

These regular doctor’s visits, termed ‘compliance,’ are an often-overlooked issue when caring for patients with or at risk of heart disease. If a doctor sends a patient to a laboratory, there’s a chance they may forget to go or opt not to because traditional laboratory tests can be time-consuming and intrusive. Moreover, if a patient takes an intravenous test onsite, results often take days to come back and the doctor may have trouble reconnecting with the patient to share them. This disconnect in the testing process costs many people time that they really don’t have in terms of reducing the risks of further complications if heart disease is present.

Emergent technologies, such as point-of-care testing, can slow this trend and reduce the spread of heart disease by providing timely results and reducing treatment gaps.

In the past, patients had to fast for 8 – 12 hours before a blood test. Now, non-fasting lipid panels (cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides) and fingerstick blood glucose control can be performed via A1C testing for the greater convenience of the patient. The sooner that a doctor can identify a potential heart issue, the earlier treatment can begin. Our CardioChek® product line is CLIA-waived, meets NCEP guidelines for accuracy and precision, and delivers a full lipid panel in as little as 90 seconds.

The ability to walk into a clinic, pharmacy, or physician’s office and leave with test results and a plan for care has the potential to take a huge burden off of our healthcare system. It’s my hope that the healthcare workers on the front end of our nation’s heart health epidemic will take steps to incorporate point-of-care technology into their treatment plans.

For more information about heart health and how PTS Diagnostics is innovating point-of-care testing, stay tuned to our social media channels and check out resources such as the CDC or the American Heart Association.

Dr. James H. Anderson | Medical Director
Dr. Anderson trained in Internal Medicine and specializes in Endocrinology. He has 35 years of clinical and research experience, including Interim CEO at Antigen Express, Inc.; Director and Senior Scientific Advisor of Generex Biotechnology Corporation; CEO and President of Symcopeia Company; Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine; and Senior Medical Director for Diabetes and Cardiometabolic Medicine at Eli Lilly and Company. Fellowships include the American College of Endocrinology and the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine of the Royal Colleges of Physicians (UK). Dr. Anderson has degrees from Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, and Centenary College of Louisiana. 

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PTS Diagnostics Turns 25: A Quarter-Century Commitment to Point-of-Care Solutions

Looking back, it’s hard to believe that I’ve called PTS Diagnostics home for 10 years – joining our family in 2007 in a domestic sales capacity before making the transition to global sales, then Chief Commercial Officer earlier this year. It’s even more humbling to comprehend that for 25 years, PTS Diagnostics has been offering innovative and affordable point-of-care solutions impacting those living with chronic diseases.

As we charge into 2018, it behooves us to reflect upon the people and organizations that have played a role in our growth and success the last quarter-century.

PTS Diagnostics’ Mission and Growth
PTS Diagnostics was founded on the premise that testing for more than just glucose could be a quick, accurate and relatively inexpensive process. It was our vision, dating back to 1992, to expand point-of-care capabilities and bring testing to health fairs, physician’s offices and consumer’s homes. Little did we know that that this ambitious, yet relatively simple concept would change the world over the next 25 years.

Any type of “disruptive” technology encounters resistance in its infancy phase. Initially, central labs and pathologists were very skeptical of point-of-care technologies principally due to accuracy concerns. As such, they forced the device manufacturers to up the ante as it relates to the quality of results and conformity to quality control compliance standards. Fast forward to 2017 when many point-of-care test results are indistinguishable from central lab results and are even relied upon to drive merit-based healthcare incentives.

One of our biggest challenges has been the ability to cling to our core Midwestern values while scaling the business globally in accordance with growing demand for PTS Diagnostics’ solutions. This is a mission that Bob Huffstodt, our President and CEO, and our entire leadership team is committed to and cognizant of, even as we grow at rates that are four times the industry average.

Our Place in Global Point-of-Care Diagnostics
We have grown from being “The Little Engine that Could” to a global force on the point-of-care diabetes and cardiovascular disease stage. There are many times when I step back and have to take a deep breath understanding the responsibility that goes along with our role in the global healthcare market.

With the advantage of a quick turnaround time and immediate coachable moments serving as discernable benefits, I would challenge the healthcare system to operate effectively and efficiently without point-of-care solutions. Think patient satisfaction, provider satisfaction, population health management and health outcomes, and try to do that without point-of-care solutions; I don’t think it can be done and that to me is why we’re poised to help solve major healthcare problems.

Recent Successes
It is a great time to be working at PTS Diagnostics. Our overall growth continues at such a pace that we are planning to build a new global headquarters in Indianapolis, which will open in 2019, and position us well for the foreseeable future. We have very ambitious growth plans for not only our core products, but a number of promising R&D and business development initiatives. We also continue to enjoy the support of our parent company, Sinocare, who has been a great partner since acquiring PTS Diagnostics in 2016. They are very committed to our mission and our people.

Our footprint and overall business presentation have evolved significantly over just the past 10 years, and we have increased automation and office space as the business has grown. Our thriving Sunnyvale location was added in late 2013 when we acquired the A1C Now® product line from Bayer. Shortly, we will be announcing a new retail point-of-care software and a new portable data capture system for screening professionals that are poised to craft a niche in the growing field of population health.

In our line of work, success equals transformation of healthcare and access for traditionally underserved or critically at-risk patients. Therefore, I’m exceptionally proud of the projects that we are working on with the World Health Organization in Africa, National Diabetes Prevention Program in the UK, Discovery Health in South Africa and the Federal Government in Mexico. These are truly transformational and impact the health of entire sub-populations. I get excited when we open up new vertical markets in the U.S. and around the world because that to me equals access, which ultimately equals positive change.

Invaluable Customers and Distribution Partners
The main reason that we are who we are today is that we have always listened to our customers and our distribution partners.

I encourage customers to embrace this commitment and to continue to let us know what they need and what the market needs to help control and manage the chronic diseases that we help to identify and manage every day. Above all, know that we appreciate our partners, the patients and the responsibility of what we do, and are thankful for being a small part of making the world a better place.

Employee Values
PTS Diagnostics is a company that has more than once been told that what we are trying to do is impossible. Whether it be ambitious product improvements, daunting shipping deadlines for massive tenders or bringing a new high-quality product to market in record time. This company ALWAYS delivers. We work evenings, weekends, holidays, whatever it takes to get the job done and that is a true badge of honor, especially given the Midwestern roots of many of our employees.

When we acquired the Sunnyvale operation in 2013, I did not know what to expect. Yet, I have to say I have been blown away as they share the same values and work ethic as the Indy team and the global sales teams. I really think the “PTS Diagnostics-way” is contagious within our organization and for that, I really can just thank everyone as this team is the best in the business top to bottom.

Positioning for Future Milestones
Factors within the global marketplace such as where testing is accessed and how it is paid for change rapidly, making it important to be flexible and staying ahead of the curve, given that we transact in more than 140 countries.

Additionally, we must innovate, not only due to competitive forces but to meet the needs of a world that necessitates better access to technology. Highly accurate, non-refrigerated, stable platforms which require minimal pre-analytical interaction and can be delivered in a cost-effective manner are paramount in the world in which we live. We need broader menus and ability to transmit results to a plethora of data capture tools that exist today and are being developed for the future. The to-do list is staggering, but that is why this industry is a blast to be a part of.

A Sincere Thank You
From the bottom of my heart, I’d like to say thank you to ever
yone who has made our success possible, and who dedicates themselves to ensuring that those suffering from chronic conditions receive the quality and efficiency of care that they deserve. It’s important that we remember the real-world impact that our company has and use this as motivation to continue to grow, innovate and revolutionize our industry over the next 25 years.

Stephen Riendeau | Chief Commercial Officer

Mr. Riendeau joined the PTS Diagnostics in 2007 after 17 years of industry-wide sales experience with Specialty Laboratories, Inc., Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Orca Medical Systems, and Abbott Laboratories, Inc. His professional experience prior to PTS Diagnostics included the servicing of individual accounts, territory management, field sales management, and executive direction of corporate accounts. He has overall responsibility for PTS Diagnostics’ global sales in all healthcare segments, sales distribution, and the development and execution of the company’s strategic sales plan. Mr. Riendeau received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Florida State University.