Inteleos and Shanghai Dr. Smile Medical Technologies Co. Ltd. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to form the long-term strategic partnership and initiate a pilot program of global CHIVA standards and certification development. On May 14, over 100 people around the globe gathered to launch the long-term strategic partnership and initiate a pilot program of global CHIVA standards and certification development. The audience represented experts from: France, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Romania, Spain, China, and the United States.

CHIVA is the French acronym for "Cure conservatrice et Hemodynamique de l'Insuffisance Veineuse en Ambulatoire" (Conservative and Hemodynamic treatment of Venous Insufficiency in outpatients). CHIVA was first described by Claude Franceschi in 1988 and is an alternative to common procedures for varicose veins. The aim of the technique is to lower transmural pressure in the superficial venous system and avoid destruction of veins while decreasing pain, cost, and nerve damage.

"Innovation in healthcare is advancing at an unprecedented speed, while many other fields are also changing and facing challenges. In such an ever-changing environment, we believe that medical innovation must go further, but stay closer to our heart and aligned with our mission," said ZHANG Qiang, MD, Founder and Chairman, Dr. Smile Medical Group. "I believe that the global CHIVA certification program is just the beginning of our long-term collaboration. In the future, with the rising digital health, a digital revolution taking on traditional healthcare, we, healthcare professionals, around the globe, will have to unite and take the initiative to embrace this digital transformation."

The MOU marks the beginning of the long-term collaborating journey between Inteleos and Dr. Smile Medical Group in building the quality healthcare standard, certification and related programs together to save lives, restore health, treat and prevent diseases.

"Healthcare has no borders," said Dale R. Cyr, CEO and Executive Director, Inteleos. "We are proud to partner with Dr. Smile Medical Group to establish a formal and long-term strategic alliance to ensure that quality healthcare standards, certification programs, education and training programs, and risk mitigation strategies will be developed for physicians, relevant healthcare communities globally and most importantly for the safety of patients".

About Shanghai Dr. Smile Medical Technologies Co. Ltd.

Shanghai Dr. Smile Medical Technologies Co. Ltd. (Dr. Smile Medical Group) is a leading medical organization focusing on vascular clinical practices and venous disease diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Smile Medical Group owns health service institutions, medical education platforms, medical technology, and medical devices R&D centers.

About Inteleos

Inteleos is a global non-profit medical certification organization that manages the following Councils and Foundation: American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography? (ARDMS?), the Alliance for Physician Certification & Advancement? (APCA?), the Point-of-Care Ultrasound Certification Academy?, and Inteleos Foundation. Over the past 40+ years, more than 158,000 sonographers, physicians and other medical imaging professionals from 70 countries have been certified by ARDMS, APCA and the POCUS Certification Academy.