Smart Pill Press Release
SmartPill® Now Available to Patients in Wisconsin
Physicians at GI Associates Using Capsule Technology
MILWAUKEE — Tuesday, July 21, 2009 — Physicians at GI Associates are the first and only physicians in the state of Wisconsin to offer the latest in gastrointestinal (GI) testing, the SmartPill® GI Monitoring System.
The SmartPill GI Monitoring System, featuring the SmartPill Capsule, is an exciting advancement in GI health care utilizing the latest in minimally invasive diagnostic technology. Physicians use SmartPill to evaluate slow gastric emptying, a GI motility disorder known as gastroparesis. Symptoms of gastroparesis include heartburn, nausea, vomiting of undigested food, abdominal bloating and an early feeling of fullness when eating. The condition affects a wide range of patients, including up to an estimated 50 percent of diabetics.
The SmartPill Capsule is a wireless, ingestible medical device about the size of a large vitamin pill. The patient ingests the single-use SmartPill Capsule in the doctor’s office, then returns to his or her daily activities. As the capsule travels through the gastrointestinal tract, it collects pressure, pH and temperature data and wirelessly transmits that information to the SmartPill Data Receiver. The receiver, which is worn on the patient’s belt or around the neck on a lanyard, is later returned to the physician’s office, where the data is downloaded to a computer providing gastric emptying time, combined small and large bowel transit time, and total GI transit time.
Michael J. Schmalz, MD, FACG, president of GI Associates and American College of Gastroenterology governor for Wisconsin, is extremely pleased with the data that SmartPill is providing. “SmartPill provides a way to clarify what is going on with my patients who have been suffering for months or even years,” Schmalz says. “It allows me to finally identify the cause of these conditions and implement the appropriate therapy, ultimately leading to a better quality of life for my patients.” As evidenced by their pioneering implementation of SmartPill, GI Associates is committed to consistently delivering the best in innovative treatment and compassionate patient care.
“With the SmartPill Capsule, my patients have a more convenient, comfortable and less-invasive alternative to traditional procedures,” says Schmalz. “Traditional testing usually means a hospital visit of several hours, as well as X-ray exposure, where SmartPill eliminates the need for potentially harmful radiation and allows patients to go about their daily activities after a short 15-30 minute office visit.”
In addition to the SmartPill Capsule and Data Receiver, the SmartPill GI Monitoring System also includes the SmartPill Data Receiver Docking Station and laptop computer with SmartPill MotiliGI software.
About GI Associates
Established in 2000, GI Associates is the largest single-specialty gastrointestinal (GI) group in Wisconsin. With 14 locations in 12 communities and members of GI Associates on staff at 12 area hospitals from Kenosha to Watertown, care is easily accessible to anyone in southeastern Wisconsin. The group has always been among the first to bring new technology and treatment plans to its patients, and it is internationally known for its treatment of highly specialized gastrointestinal disorders. GI Associates’ focus on exceptional patient care, comprehensive digestive health education and cutting-edge research has made it one of the most trusted GI groups in the nation. GI Associates is home to 22 gastroenterologists, including a pediatric subspecialist and a transplant hepatologist, who work together to offer personalized care to patients of all ages. To learn more about GI Associates, visit www.wigia.com or call (414) 908-6500 or (414) 454-0600.
About SmartPill Corporation
SmartPill Corporation is a leading developer of capsule-based medical devices that aid in the diagnosis, definition and therapeutic intervention of gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders and diseases. The company’s flagship product – the SmartPill GI Monitoring System – features the SmartPill Capsule, an ingestible medical device that provides data, heretofore unavailable, that can assist physicians and researchers in the evaluation of gastroparesis, a GI motility disorder. SmartPill Corporation’s SmartPill GI Monitoring System was granted 510(k) release from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2006. Visit www.smartpillcorp.com for more information.