The Power of Simplicity in the Treatment Room

In healthcare, everything revolves around the patient, but who takes care of the therapist? A well-designed device does so much more than just what it’s supposed to do. It thinks along with you, prevents mistakes, and brings peace of mind. And that’s exactly what Elexeo does. This modular platform for physical therapy combines award-winning design with real-world insights. Geert Paulussen, Jochen Jaspers, and Ivo Remans from Gymna, all closely involved in the development of Elexeo, enthusiastically shed a light on the software behind Elexeo.

The Problem: Complex Technology in a Busy Practice

Technology is meant to make our lives easier, but in practice, that doesn't always work out as planned. As a physiotherapist, you’re probably not a stranger to losing precious time searching for the right treatment protocol, setting up a therapy device, and explaining what you’re doing to a patient.

Jochen, Innovation Manager at Gymna, describes it perfectly:

"Electrotherapy is inherently a very complex therapy modality. As a result, a physiotherapist doesn’t always use it properly in the way it was intended, for example, by using the same protocol for every patient. Inevitably, the treatment often doesn’t work or doesn’t have the desired effect and electrotherapy gets sidelined in future treatments. That’s obviously not ideal."

How great would it be if the technology in physiotherapy practices worked intuitively, like your smartphone? That’s exactly the idea behind Elexeo.

In our blog, Your Practice, Your Path, Your Elexeo, you’ve already discovered what Elexeo is and how the modular system will undoubtedly benefit you and your practice. Whether your practice is compact or large, and whatever patient groups you treat, it’s all taken care of for you in the Elexeo system. But Elexeo’s many assets don’t stop at its compactness and its handy modules. Elexeo supports you in your work from the very start to the finish.

Read more about Elexeo 

The Elexeo User Interface: Simple and Adaptive

Geert Paulussen, responsible for software development at Gymna and the brain behind the design of the Elexeo user interface, is more than eager to tell us what makes the user interface of Elexeo so special:

"Our user interface is in the first place very simple and intuitive, so anyone can use it. This simplicity is reflected in the walkthrough menu and also in the colour scheme of the software itself. And even better: all modules share the same user interface."

Ivo, Product Manager at Gymna, adds:

"During a treatment, you evidently want to use the offered techniques to their full potential. If you have five devices, each with its own user interface, you waste a lot of precious time learning how each device works. With Elexeo, you only need to familiarize yourself with one single user interface. That saves you a lot of time."

Automatic Adaptation to Connected Modules

Geert excitedly highlights another great advantage:

"The software dynamically adapts to the connected modules. When you click an additional module onto the system, Elexeo will recognise it and automatically adjust the entire menu structure. And what’s more: the preset treatment protocols also adjust automatically in response to the connected modules."

Time Savings Thanks to Easy and Intuitive Navigation

Evidently, easily and intuitively navigating through software is enjoyable and saves time. But what makes Elexeo’s navigation so intuitive?

Geert:

"When you start your Elexeo system, you get access to a main menu with three options. You can set up your own personal treatment protocol, you can open a previously saved protocol, or you can select a pre-programmed therapy protocol. If you choose the latter, a clear walkthrough menu follows. Since all elements are clearly organised and the list of protocols is quick and easy to navigate, the entire treatment setup process is a breeze."

Easier Adjustment of Treatment Parameters

Another drastic improvement, according to Geert, is that adjusting the treatment parameters is now much easier than with previous devices:

"Up until now, you had to adjust treatment parameters by pressing a plus or minus, and the value would change on the screen. That meant that if you wanted to increase or decrease a value by a significant amount, you had to hold the button down for a long time. Now, with Elexeo, it’s much easier. You select the parameter you want to adjust, and a pop-up with a slider appears to adjust the parameter smoothly and quickly. Additionally, you get to see a dynamic visualisation of the parameters, so you can see your changes occurring in real-time on the waveform itself."

Assistance in Choosing the Most Suitable Treatment Protocol

Like all new Gymna products, Elexeo is equipped with the handy Guided Therapy System, or GTS. You’ve probably come across this term before, but what exactly is it?

Geert:

"GTS is a clear-cut software that supports and guides you during your treatment so that you can completely focus on your patient. The intuitive layout quickly and efficiently directs you to the right treatment protocol, so even less experienced therapists can confidently treat patients using Gymna equipment."

The proposed treatment protocols are supported by clinical guidelines and therapy recommendations and are continuously monitored by Gymna staff.

User-Friendliness Through Feedback, Visualisation, and Handy Extras

As a physiotherapist, you’re often juggling many tasks at the same time. Elexeo helps you with that too. For example, think of the visual and auditory feedback provided by Elexeo. If the ultrasound treatment head is not in proper contact with your patient’s skin, or if your pace is too fast or too slow, the device will inform you. And if an electrode falls off or isn’t positioned correctly, you’ll get a notification on your screen and even hear a warning sound. Should this be the case, Elexeo will automatically stop the treatment for safety reasons. The stimulation and rest phases in electrotherapy are also audibly guided. But don’t worry about a cacophony of sounds coming out of your Elexeo. All visual and auditory feedback elements that are not critical safety warnings can be individually turned on or off in the settings.

Clear Dynamic Visualisation of Treatment Parameters

According to Geert, the major benefit of the dynamic visualisation of treatment parameters is that it makes adjustments quicker and helps you better understand what you’re precisely adjusting:

"If you’re not that at home in the world of electrotherapy, or could do with a bit of a refresher, visual support comes in very handy. You’re now able to see how adjusting the pulse duration, pulse pause, and swelling rate directly impact the waveform."

Useful Extras: From Contraindication Lists to Video Library

But Elexeo offers even more elements that contribute to user-friendliness. For instance, your treatment screen always has a sidebar with overarching menus. Here, you can find a list of contraindications for the therapy modes of the connected modules, an anatomy library—with 91 musculoskeletal body locations—and a video library for guidance and instructions. Geert:

"You always have access to this menu during the treatment. And what’s even handier: while a protocol is running, you can prepare up to three treatment protocols in advance, for example, for combination therapy or simply for your next patient. Even if you set up these protocols during a treatment, you can still go through the protocol list."

Regarding combination therapy, Geert highlights a special feature:

"When you choose a protocol with combination therapy, you’ll see exactly where to plug in each cable on your screen, thanks to a simplified representation of the modules.."

Furthermore, you can personalise your treatment screen according to your needs and wants, So during a treatment you can choose to display a large clock, extra information about the treatment, or placement images for electrodes or the ultrasound treatment head on the treatment screen. Elexeo is truly designed to make your life as a therapist easier.

Discover the handy features of Elexeo 

Always Up-to-Date via USB Connection

Elexeo is equipped with a secure USB connection, so you can safely and without risks perform eventual software updates. These updates can range from small changes, such as adjustments to a set of parameters based on the latest scientific insights, to larger updates, like a completely new waveform. When updates are available, you’ll be notified on the website and can download the relevant update for free. This ensures that your Elexeo stays up to date.

Winner of Two European Design Awards

The well-oiled team behind Elexeo has clearly thought of everything. The modular concept, intuitive user interface, and application of the latest electronics—Elexeo has it all. If you can handle a smartphone, you’ll undoubtedly be able to handle Elexeo. It’s no surprise that Elexeo has won both the Red Dot Award and the European Design Award, two prestigious European design prizes.

Curious about what Elexeo could mean for your practice? Discover the possibilities and configure your ideal Elexeo setup here.

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