Rob Pupelis, CEO, Spectros Medical Devices
Today, technology is playing a significant role in every industry while changing our personal lives. Technology has changed many various industries drastically, especially the healthcare industry. This combination of technology and healthcare is responsible for advancing and saving countless lives around the world. The continuous growth of these technological innovations has allowed healthcare professionals to better diagnose and treat their patients saving countless lives and improving the quality of life over time. Harnessing the power of technology, Spectros Medical Devices, a leader in non-invasive sensing and remote monitoring is changing the way medical care is delivered around the world. The pioneering company offers innovative biomedical optics with a ground-breaking use of white LEDs in small, non-invasive sensors that improve the outcome of people through non-invasive monitoring. Equipped with a dedicated and knowledgeable team that consistently delivers innovative and customer-centric products and services, Spectros makes advanced molecular sensing devices and software which shed light on tissue health and diseases related to vascular performance.
The company is focused on developing life-changing patient and medical devices based on in-vivo molecular optical technologies, including clinical devices for the detection of ischemia, systemic perfusion, and vascular performance.
Fascinating Journey of Spectros
Spectros MDI was founded by Rob Pupelis. Before its inception, Advanced Ambulatory, Inc. the distribution Company performed an asset purchase of Spectros Corporation located in Campbell, CA. AAI had distributed their predicate device. Soon, Rob learned that their sales within the State of Texas accounted for more than 80% of that company’s total sales. “I felt it was time to elevate the device. There were improvements needed that current ownership didn’t want to invest in, so we leveraged our sales and pursued a purchase. Knowing ownership was inevitable, we began a redesign of a next generation device3 months before the purchase was finalised beginning in January of 2018,” shares Rob.
Rob had seen first-hand the great need for a tissue oximeter for the field of microsurgery in Plastic & Reconstruction for both cancer reconstruction patients and traumatic wound reconstruction. During that time, the company had no staff engineers, so they worked with outside engineering contractors to design a new device from the ground up. The project was funded with existing sales and shareholder investments. It was designed and built with the latest hardware and medical device software(s) available.
The teams at Spectros MDI have worked in the world of Plastic and Reconstruction for over 25 years, and they could consult and seek guidance from their thought leaders. With valuable surgeon feedback, the team turned ideas into the existing design. Since its launch in early 2020, the company has launched three major software updates and continues to develop. Spectros’ products interact with several departments in each hospital and have added both creature comforts and supportive tools to improve, train and educate through simple interaction with the device.
Spectros also has a secondary web-based software where data from the T-Stat is automatically uploaded to a website every minute. This data is replotted into the graphic form so that surgeons can observe real time patient data on any computer or mobile device. The real-time data on the devices allows the doctors to get back to a patient in need and they can even retroactively obtain the data stored to perform research on previous patients.
The customer-centric company has an Intra-oral sensor that reads systemic oxygen saturation that can be used in so many specialties to help guide care in neonates, and monitor how medications are affecting systemic oxygen health in any patient in real-time where the need to monitor is critical. They also have an endoscopic sensor which has a myriad of potential uses.
Going beyond sales and distribution, the company trains and supports its customers. “Our representatives are in hospitals everyday training and supporting. This creates an environment of great feedback. It’s always the starting point for what we do next,” asserts Rob.
Supporting Healthcare Professionals During the Pandemic
The continued success of Spectros MDI comes from its commitment to improve patient outcomes and improve the surgical experience. While the world was battling the global pandemic during the past 2 years, Spectros was striving to bring its best efforts forward to help its customers navigate through the crisis. During that time, vendor personnel were not allowed in the hospitals to train and had to support remotely; the company had to be creative by holding Zoom In-Services, creating scripts and homemade videos to help train and support.
Rob explains, “It’s funny: At the time it felt like the bare minimum, but in the end, they became a huge resource. Earlier this year, we re-scripted training videos for every department illustrating and narrating how hospital staff will interact with the devices. We then had them professionally filmed and voiced over. They have become a staple to our training process for both new and existing hospitals and surgeons.”
Advancing into the future, Spectros intends to continue working with its core surgeons on a set of applicators to be used in various challenging anatomical areas where its sensors could use an anchor like the tongue or pharynx, or even buried muscle. “These are projects we are already waxing on with our Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs). Exciting times ahead here as we continue to grow and develop,” concludes Rob.