Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH), a private, not-for-profit community healthcare system serving 17 counties in North Florida and South Georgia, and Axial3D, a UK-based medical technology firm focused on driving the global adoption of 3D printing within healthcare, proudly announce a new relationship designed to enhance patient outcomes by delivering a transformative approach to pre-surgical care through the use of 3D Printing for Medical Models.

“At Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, we have a commitment to bringing the best patient care to our community, this includes identifying, vetting and introducing new technology,” explained Mark O’Bryant, President & CEO of Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare. “Our neurosurgery program is already the leader in the region and the opportunity to introduce 3D printed models adds a new dynamic to the program that can lead to better outcomes and greater understanding for our patients.”

The strategic partnership between TMH and Axial3D delivers state-of-the-art medical 3D printing services to patients across the southeast with an initial focus on neurosurgical services. Plans to expand across other surgical specialties in the organization will follow. As Axial3D’s first and only neuroscience industry partner in the United States, TMH will collaborate with other international partners to collate data on the use of 3D Printing for Medical Models in neurosurgery, and participate in ground-breaking research and complete case studies, from both the clinical and business perspective.

“Our 3D printed models are used extensively by leading surgical centers across Europe and as we continue to develop our presence in the United States, we are excited about the clinical and research potential of this partnership with TMH,” said Daniel Crawford, Founder & CSO of Axial3D. “Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare offers a leading neurosurgery program and by utilizing 3D printing, it is expanding its already high standards and providing a better experience for its patients and clinical team.”

3D printed models are generated from medical scans using specialized software and medical engineers, and considered the gold standard for pre-operative planning in complex cases. 3D models offer a variety of benefits to the surgeon, the clinical care team and most importantly the patient, including: better insight into the patient anatomy, improved patient understanding of procedure during pre-operative consultations, ability to plan and simulate surgery before entering the operating room, shorter surgery time, and an improved patient experience.

“Much of what we do in neurosurgery is 2D,” said Matthew Lawson, MD, Neurosurgeon at TMH. “Being able to utilize a 3D model and hold it in your hands prior to surgical intervention is very insightful for the patient – it helps them understand surgical interventional risks and benefits. 3D models have been shown to increase patient consent rates and aid in patient understanding of the planned procedure.”

Up Next: Axial3D teams up with Feedback Medical to transform hospital patients experience