Drug Topics - July 21, 2008 - (Page 6) 6 DRUG TOPICS JULY 21, 2008 www.drugtopics.com Of Interest to Pharmacists Capsule’s DataCaptor Connectivity ing on findings can happen in days Suite with its Colleague Volumetcompared to months and years,” ric infusion pumps. The arrangesaid Vanderveen. ment will provide Baxter with a A survey of health systems uswireless component to its pump ing smart pump technology by that can communicate with a very the healthcare technology research wide range of hospital information company KLAS, in Orem, Utah, systems, thereby allowing for “the found that only 30% of the systems rapid transfer of data between the had even rudimentary wireless coninfusion pumps and a hospital’s exnectivity, and that lack of this feaisting information infrastructure,” ture was the single most common said Baxter officials. self-identified flaw in each health Baxter’s Patterson said that it system’s smart pump technology. Hospira’s new Symbiq smart is conceivable that one day smart According to KLAS officials, “al- pump features pumps using wireless connectivmost everyone is asking for wireless, easy-to-read LCD display ity could be used to check or even but few have implemented it.” One health system that did is Sharp HealthCare in monitor patients for vital signs and communicate that San Diego, Calif., which added wireless connectivity to information to pharmacy departments and nurses' staits smart pump technology about three years ago. Ac- tions, although such an application would need approval cording to Sharp officials, analysis of CQI data found by the Food & Drug Administration. “We believe that that at least 13 harmful events were avoided within two wireless connectivity, once widely adopted, will broaden the scope of smart pump functionality,” he said. “There months at a single hospital. Baxter recently announced a business deal focusing is a natural tension between innovation and caution, on improving its ability to integrate wireless connectiv- and all changes in technology are governed by capital ity with its smart pumps. The company announced a constraints and education. But the future of smart deal with Capsule, a medical device connectivity soft- pump technology lies with wireless connectivity.” ware company in Andover, Mass. Baxter will market THE AUTHOR is a writer based in Gettysburg, Pa. Hospira markets smart pump with a new interface Following product research into what healthcare providers want in an infusion pump interface, Hospira—one the largest manufacturers of smart pumps—changed the front of its new Symbiq infusion pump. The device features an easy-to-read LCD display with large font and color prompts that provide nurses with an at-a-glance view of medication status from as far as 12 feet away. “This is a completely unique approach,” said Glenn Davis, the company’s director of medication management systems technology. “This is what we call human factor design. Symbiq also uses simple layouts and touch-activated buttons to minimize the potential for programming errors.” In addition, using a proprietary software named Hospira MedNet, the Symbiq pump allows for the easy adoption and programming of hospital-defined medication guidelines, said Davis. “We designed the pump to allow for readily accessible reprogramming,” he said. “It is highly configurable. The combination of a touch screen that is well lit and brightly colored with software that allows a health system to customize dose and rate limits for multiple medications delivered greatly enhances patient safety.” The Symbiq pump also allows nurses to customize sound alerts. “An adult ICU is an extremely noisy department,” said Davis. “We wanted to design a pump that could be easily and distinctly heard over that din, and we wanted to allow the nurses using the system to be able to adjust the alarm as they see fit.” St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, N.Y., has adopted the Symbiq infusion pump. About 25,000 St. Joseph’s patients receive I.V. therapy annually. St. Joseph’s has acquired 585 of the Symbiq pumps to meet that demand. The “Symbiq infusion system is a natural fit with St. Joseph’s ongoing efforts to enhance patient safety, because of its built-in safety software and easyto-use design,” said David Grygiel, director of materials services for St. Joseph’s. “I.V. therapy is an important part of everyday patient care at our hospital, and this medication delivery system helps us reduce any potential risk of medication errors." Symbiq’s built-in drug library software is designed to allow dosing information to be automatically programmed into the pump, said Davis. “The need for clinicians to manually enter a lot of data into the infusion pump has been virtually eliminated,” he said. “Not only are potential medication errors averted, this also increases workflow efficiency and allows clinicians to spend more time at a patient’s bedside.” 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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