Affidea
Innovations that Pave the Way for Quality HealthCare

Ever since the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus disease as a pandemic, life came to a standstill. While the current efforts to curb the spread of this disease rely on identifying the symptoms and isolating the COVID-19 positive patients, another section of the medical society is grappling with the threats posed by the “silent spreaders” of coronavirus. Studies have suggested the likelihood of an asymptomatic person carrying the fatal virus, which asserts the urgent need for rapid innovations in medical science. To bring this into perspective, let us explore the case of a 73-year-old male patient in Italy. The patient, who had already undergone a medium lobe resection for lung cancer in April 2016, arrived at an eminent diagnostic centre in Turin, in March 2020, to perform a PET-CT scan. Given the outbreak of the pandemic, the patient simultaneously underwent a COVID-19 triage, which resulted in negative results. However, the PET/CT scan revealed the presence of bilateral, diffuse, and intense FDG uptake in the lower lobes, and less intense uptake in the remaining lobes. The nuclear medicine team interpreted the PET/CT scan results as highly suggestive of bilateral COVID-19 pneumonia. The team, along with the COVID-19 task force, conducted another round of tests on the patient only to find him COVID-19 positive.

The first asymptomatic COVID-19 in Italy was thus confirmed, all thanks to the eminent diagnostic centre and medical team of Affidea, a leading provider of advanced diagnostic imaging, outpatient, and cancer care services in Europe. The company extends its extraordinary PET scanning technology to patients dealing with cancer, introducing them to the best clinical practices, even in the scenario of national restrictive directives.

“We deliver fast, cost-effective clinical excellence, using innovative medical and digital technology, and offer an outstanding patient experience with a focus on continuous improvement,” says Giuseppe Recchi, the CEO of Affidea.

The story of Affidea dates back to 1991 when it opened its first centre in Hungary to provide advanced medical imaging services. Today, after almost 29 years, Affidea has successfully expanded its services across 16 countries in Europe to provide patients and doctors with high-quality medical service that is delivered with empathy, built on professional trust, and driven by innovation. From building its first cancer care centre in 2008 in Poland to implementing a unique Dose Excellence Program (DEP) in 2014 to opening the first ExpressCare Centre in Ireland in 2018, Affidea’s success graph has always maintained a positive linear curve.

Affidea’s comprehensive suite of services can be broadly categorised into advanced diagnostics, primary care, coordinated medical care, and cancer care. Operating over 1370 diagnostic imaging and cancer care machines in 280 centres, Affidea’s wide range of advanced diagnostics include Pet/CT scan, MRI, CT scan, Ultrasound, Digital X-ray, Digital Mammography, Bone Density Scan, and Gamma Camera. “We continuously invest in the best technology to ensure the most accurate and fast diagnostics,” mentions Recchi. In addition, Affidea works in close proximity with general physicians (GPs) to deliver outstanding primary care services to patients. Combined with the GPs’ multidisciplinary expertise and Affidea’s clinical excellence, patients now undergo diagnostic tests and receive results within hours, something that seemed impossible earlier. Furthermore, Affidea also specialises in providing holistic care coordination for insured patients by incorporating digitally-enabled call centres that allow the patient to contact the right specialist at the right time. Besides, Affidea’s impressive cancer care, chemotherapy and radiation oncology services use the latest advanced medical technologies to target precise tumour sites, without affecting the healthy tissues.

With the belief that “nothing is more important than health”, Affidea constantly upgrades its services to become the powerful engine that drives the standards of its business metrics, ensures operational excellence, improves patient experience, and provides world-class customer service. “In Affidea, we foster the culture of lean management and Kaizen mindset. This helps us to constantly progress through ideas and innovation, brings us in close affinity to doctors and patients, and eventually builds trust and fidelity in everything we do,” concludes Recchi.