U.S. Patent Office Approves Vestibular Technologies’ Latest Patent Application

The patent will protect Vestibular Technologies' proprietary process of identifying a patient’s risk of falling (and also quantifying their risk) in less than 60 seconds by using its unique force platform and software. A medical practice guideline recommends that all physicians routinely assess all patients age 55 and over for risk of falling. The company's product simplifies that task for physician's by making it possible for their staffs to do the initial screening.

Cheyenne, WY (PRWEB) October 4, 2006 -- Vestibular Technologies, an FDA-registered medical equipment manufacturer specializing in balance assessment and treatment, has just been notified of the allowance of its fourth patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The patent centers around a proprietary process of identifying a patient’s risk of falling, and also quantifying their risk, in less than 60 seconds by using Vestibular Technologies’ unique force platform and software, along with such further assessment, diagnostic testing and treatment by physicians, PTs, OTs, audiologists and other clinicians, as may be needed. The force platform and software involved in the patent were invented by Guido Pagnacco, Ph.D. and Elena Oggero, Ph.D., bio-mechanical engineers and part owners of Vestibular Technologies.

We are very pleased to receive notice of the allowance of this patent because it validates and protects our core technology and strength –the ability to quickly, accurately and effectively identify the millions of Americans who are at increased risk of falling but who are completely unaware of that fact

“We are very pleased to receive notice of the allowance of this patent because it validates and protects our core technology and strength –the ability to quickly, accurately and effectively identify the millions of Americans who are at increased risk of falling but who are completely unaware of that fact,” said Bob Henderson, Manager of Vestibular Technologies.

“Respected medical authorities such as the American Geriatric Society, the British Geriatric Society and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons have said for years that most people who are at increased risk of falling do not realize it because they don’t recognize their symptoms. So they never tell their doctor, and nothing is ever done to prevent them from falling. As a result, they remain unidentified until they fall and sustain a serious injury such as a hip fracture. In fact, falls now cause more than 1,000 hip fractures every day in this great country, and that’s absolutely appalling, since most of those falls could be prevented with early identification and treatment.”

“Because they recognize that most falls-risk patients are never identified until it’s too late, a medical practice guideline recommends that all physicians routinely assess all patients age 55 and over for risk of falling. Unfortunately, most doctors don’t have the time to do assessments the way they’ve always had to be done. But with our CAPS™ force platform and Paradigm (U.S. Patent Allowed, Registration Pending), their staff can identify an at-risk person in less than 60 seconds and provide the doctor with an immediate, quantified report of that patient’s risk, using age-based norms. The physician can then perform or order such further assessments, diagnostics and treatment as may be reasonably medically necessary, all of which is covered by Medicare and other insurers. In fact, Medicare now requires that all new Medicare enrollees be screened for risk of falling.”

Henderson added “Nothing is more important to older persons than maintaining their independence and quality of life, and since falls are the number one reason for emergency room visits and nursing home admissions in older persons, preventing falls should be their top priority. Now that physicians can easily identify at-risk patients with CAPS™, we hope that all older patients will be asking their doctor for the simple CAPS™ screening.”

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