3D printing is becoming the game changer in the arena of the healthcare industry. It has enhanced the capabilities and efficiency of many healthcare sectors by delivering the exceptional experience of treatment to the patient. Cosmetic care is one such industry which is adopting 3D printing in order to extend the flexibility in surgery and cosmetic treatment.
Founded in 2015 MirrorMe3D is a leading company which is taking forward the cosmetic industry by using the virtual surgical simulation and 3D printing.
In an interview with Insights Success, the CEO of MirrorMe3D Jordan Mills shares key insights over her organization’s journey and its specialized solutions and services. Below are the highlights of the interview conducted between Jordan Mills and Insights Success: Give a brief overview of the company, its uniqueness and its vision. MirrorMe3D is a health technology company that is laser focused on the patient. We’re empowering patients and surgeons by unleashing 3D data so that it can be accessed whenever, and wherever, it is needed.
What are the cutting-edge products/solutions offered by MirrorMe3D?
We approach surgeons and patients holistically which means we want to find as many ways as possible to make the delivery of care more inclusive. From planning to performance, we have products that help both patients and surgeons throughout the entire surgical process. This includes a digital platform that can be securely accessed by surgeons and patients for more fluid communication and cooperation as well as 3D printed models and guides that give surgeons the most accurate references during procedures.
Give a detailed description of the featured personnel’s influence over the company and the industry.
As CEO of MirrorMe3D, I drive product vision. We have really great relationships with influential surgeons in our community who are willing to give feedback and beta test with us so that anything we take to market has been designed intentionally to improve the surgical experience. We don’t want to be just any gadget or just another tool. With 3D printing, everything can be personalized. So we take the extra time of learning just what the surgeon needs and how they approach their process. For surgeons who use our 3D printed guides or order our 3D reports, we have a checklist that helps us get to know their surgical style. Things as simple as knowing if they are right handed or left handed can make a difference in how we design.
Because we’re so committed to delivering the best care possible and unifying the patient-surgeon team, we speak often on using technology to increase patient-specific care. There’s a lot more that goes into this than meets the eye. Data integrity is huge in 3D planning right now. With the proliferation of scanners on handheld devices, more and more people are taking interest in 3D planning but not many people have the same experience we do. We test every scanner or 3D camera that comes to market in an effort to keep our community aware of what’s worth investing in and what’s more hype than substance. We’re incredibly excited for scanning to be democratized but we want to make sure that patient data being relied on for surgical planning is exceptional (and not merely good enough which, unfortunately, we hear a lot!) We’re here to help the entire industry take a huge leap forward and are happy to collaborate with like-minded individuals.
Describe the experiences, achievements or lessons learnt that have shaped the journey of the company.
Something early on that surprised us was just how much patients truly want to be involved. Many medical professionals will flippantly say “patients should be included but patients can’t read CT scans” or “patients don’t really understand surgery.” However, patients want to be involved and giving patients greater context about what’s going to occur during surgery can make a huge difference in the patient experience. What MirrorMe3D aims to do is unite everyone around the 3D data, making it easier to give context to patients about anticipated postoperative changes. So, early on we were surgeon-focused but we quickly moved to include patients as it’s actually their medical journey that we’re supporting and we want to see to it that they have more say in it.
What are the challenges faced while providing 3D Printing Solutions and how is MirrorMe3D serving to tackle them?
There are three main challenges: data integrity, accuracy of the 3D printed model, and, of course, turnaround time. When it comes to 3D printing, your source data really determines the quality of the 3D printed model. As I mentioned earlier, we test as many scanners as possible to make sure we can educate our community of what is able to reliably produce accurate scans versus what is really more of a marketing tool and shouldn’t be relied on as something that can produce a 1:1 anatomically correct scan. Following source data, producing an accurate model or guide isn’t as straightforward as one might expect. I say this very often and it’s worth repeating: 3D printers are not microwaves. You cannot just press print and get a perfect result.
Understanding all of the variables in 3D printing (things such as print orientation or how to apply supports for accuracy) is not as prevalent as you might expect. 3D printing isn’t new technology but its application within personalized medicine is and therefore finding an expert is important whether you’re a doctor or a patient.
What according to you could be the potential future of 3D Printing Solution industry and how does MirrorMe3D envision sustaining its competency?
3D printing has huge potential in delivering advanced care options to patients globally. This includes patient specific medical devices, patient-specific care plans and more. I’m especially bullish on 3D printing being able to lower the cost of care once economies of scale are reached across all of healthcare. There are many fantastic examples from the dental community of how this can work and I think we’ll see the reach extended across many specialties over the next 10 years. The key is how we can do this safely and most effectively for the healthcare system as well as making it really easy for doctors and surgeons to harness the power of 3D.
Testimonials from MirrorMe3D’s Clients
From a plastic surgeon using one of our patient’s specific marking templates: “Why guess? Make it exact! Using patient specific templates means less estimating or eyeballing throughout the procedures.”
From another plastic surgeon using our models and guides “It’s absolutely archaic in 2018 that we rely on 2D photos instead of 3D models. With MirrorMe3D, I have more accurate references and less guesswork throughout planning and treatment.”
From a prosthodontist: “You guys have taken 20 years of best practices and, in 6 months, reduced this to a science. Your considerations include far more than what meets the human eye and elevate the entire process for everyone.”
