Drug Topics - July 21, 2008 - (Page 4) 4 DRUG TOPICS JULY 21, 2008 www.drugtopics.com Of Interest to Pharmacists Wireless connectivity is making smart pumps wiser Martin Sipkoff idespread adoption of wireless connectivity is the future of infusion pump technology, according to major vendors. “The pump itelf used to be at the center of the infusion world,” said Nelson Patterson, senior director of marketing of large-volume pumps for Baxter Healthcare Corp. of Deerfield, Ill. “With the advent of new methods of gathering data and disseminating information from a pump throughout a health system, we gain a greatly enhanced ability to use real-time information about patients to improve Tim Vanderveen safety and workflow.” of Cardinal Health Approximately 90% of hospital patients receive some sees wireless form of intravenous therapy every year, but only about connectivity as future of smart half of the nation’s health systems use smart pumps. pumps Wireless communication between infusion pumps and W pharmacy departments and other hospital units has been marketed by major pump manufacturers for a few years, but of the health systems that do use smart pumps, only about one-fourth use wireless connectivity. Pump manufacturers say, therefore, that the safety and efficacy inherent in wireless connectivity remains largely unrealized. “Its potential lies in the improved speed of gathering data, and then offering a significantly improved ability to use that data to improve processes,” said Tim Vanderveen, Pharm.D., VP of the Center for Safety and Clinical Excellence at Cardinal Health. Virtually all intravenous infusion pumps have dose calculation features, offer free-flow protection and occlusion alerts, and all patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) devices are tamper resistant. The infusion pumps http://www.drugtopics.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Drug Topics - July 21, 2008 Drug Topics - July 21, 2008 Contents The Patient's Role in Preventing Drug Errors Wireless Connectivity Making Smart Pumps Wiser Hospira Markets Smart Pump with a New Interface Drug Topics - July 21, 2008 Drug Topics - July 21, 2008 - Contents (Page 1) Drug Topics - July 21, 2008 - Contents (Page 2) Drug Topics - July 21, 2008 - The Patient's Role in Preventing Drug Errors (Page 3) Drug Topics - July 21, 2008 - Wireless Connectivity Making Smart Pumps Wiser (Page 4) Drug Topics - July 21, 2008 - Wireless Connectivity Making Smart Pumps Wiser (Page 5) Drug Topics - July 21, 2008 - Hospira Markets Smart Pump with a New Interface (Page 6)
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