Celebrating 10 years of Innovation by Design, the 2021 honorees include nearly 600 projects, products, and services from Nike, Verizon, Microsoft, and others.
HOUSTON – September 30, 2021 – United Imaging, a global leader in advanced medical imaging and radiotherapy equipment, was honored in Fast Company's 2021 Innovation by Design Awards for its groundbreaking magnetic resonance system, the uMR OMEGA.
The 10th anniversary of the awards, which can be found in the October 2021 issue of Fast Company, recognize people, teams, and companies that transform businesses, organizations, and society through design. One of the most sought-after design awards in the industry, Innovation by Design is the only competition to honor creative work at the intersection of design, business, and innovation, recognizing the people, companies, and trends that have steadily advanced design to the forefront of the business conversation.
"Design is not just a beauty contest," said Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. "It's something that can change the world and create solutions in a time when we face pressing global issues such as systemic racism, climate change, and a global pandemic. Many of these entries showcase these challenges while providing hope for the future through their steadfast commitment to elevate design."
United Imaging Healthcare Solutions CEO Jeffrey M. Bundy, Ph.D echoed the idea that design reflects a larger objective. "We design all of our scanners with great purpose. These machines do complex things, but have to be simple to operate so that healthcare providers can standardize and scale to accommodate more patients, and streamline training for their clinical personnel. At the same time, we strongly believe that scanners need provide access for more patients, making them as comfortable as possible and making their exams fast and more tolerable. We also think aesthetics have an impact on how patients perceive their exam. Design matters in multiple ways and can effect not only the patient experience but the health outcome. It's important to United Imaging that as we innovate, we consider how to eliminate barriers to the best healthcare and help make exams more accessible and impactful."
In the case of uMR OMEGA specifically, which was awarded its honorable mention in the Health category, the scanner is designed to improve the experience of getting MRI exams, which can be notoriously intimidating for patients. It was launched with a 75 cm bore, which is the world's largest high-field MR, making it more accommodating for those with broader body types, children, older patients, pregnant women, and people with claustrophobia who may have difficulty completing what is often a life-saving exam. Influenced by human-centered principles of design theory, it also has unique calming interior lighting and other features that can help make patients more comfortable remove the feeling of spatial disorientation that can sometimes occur during exams, increasing the likelihood that people can be successfully scanned and diagnosed.
The judges in the 2021 Fast Company awards include renowned designers from a variety of disciplines, business leaders from some of the most innovative companies in the world, and Fast Company's own writers and editors. Entries are judged on the key ingredients of innovation: functionality, originality, beauty, sustainability, user insight, cultural impact, and business impact.
ABOUT FAST COMPANY
Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. The editor-in-chief is Stephanie Mehta. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication, Inc., and can be found online at fastcompany.com.
ABOUT UNITED IMAGING
At United Imaging, we develop and produce advanced medical products, digital healthcare solutions, and intelligent solutions that cover the entire process of imaging diagnosis and treatment. Founded in 2011, our company has subsidiaries and R&D centers across the world. Our North American headquarters in Houston includes our corporate offices, factory, product showroom, service training center, and service parts distribution center. With a cutting-edge digital portfolio and a mission of broader access to healthcare for all, we help drive industry progress and bold change.
To learn more, visit united-imaging.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @UnitedImagingHC.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Krista Stein
krista.stein@united-imaging.com
212-920-9694