




Healthcare Industry News: neutral displacement
News Release - June 13, 2012
ICU Medical's Custom IV System with MicroClave(R) Needlefree Connector Shown to Help Reduce NICU Infection Rates and Medication Errors
Study shows that collaboration between hospital clinicians and ICU Medical, Inc. yielded an innovative closed IV system for use in the NICU that contributed to a 60% reduction in infection rates over a three-year periodSAN CLEMENTE, Calif., June 13, 2012 -- (Healthcare Sales & Marketing Network) -- ICU Medical, Inc. (ICUI) announced today that a clinical case study prepared by clinicians from Women & Infants Hospital in Providence, R.I. showed that a collaboratively-developed custom IV system featuring the MicroClave® needlefree neutral displacement connector helped reduce NICU infection rates and medication errors, while also addressing recent FDA concerns regarding the safety of positive displacement needlefree connectors. The study, titled Developing a Closed, Intravenous Medication System for a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, is featured in the current issue of Neonatal Intensive Care magazine.
In addition to selecting the MicroClave, the task force worked collaboratively with ICU Medical to develop a custom IV set to meet the specific needs of the NICU, including a feature that would effectively close the IV system and limit the administration technique to a single delivery method with the fewest connections possible. Working from an initial design developed by a member of the task force, the ICU Medical custom set development team created multiple prototypes for clinical evaluation, followed by delivery of sterile sets for use in a patient trial. Results of that four-week trial led to further modifications to the system based on clinician feedback. Clinician data gathered during initial testing of the system and the first two years of full clinical implementation showed the number of reported medication errors and infection rates decreased from 5.0 infections per 1,000 line days in 2008, prior to implementation, to 2.0 infections per 1,000 line days in 2011—a 60% reduction in three years.
As the result of collaboration between the task force at Women & Infants Hospital and ICU Medical, the study concludes that the customized closed IV system met the unique needs of the NICU environment, allowing a standardization of the medication administration process that "fosters a high degree of nursing compliance." In addition, the study concluded that the active engagement and involvement of the nursing staff in designing and training on the use of the system has resulted in "documented reductions in NICU infection rates and medication errors." The on-line issue of Neonatal Intensive Care magazine can be found here.
Contact: Tom McCall
Vice President, Marketing
949-366-4368
tmccall@icumed.com
About ICU Medical, Inc.
ICU Medical, Inc. develops, manufactures and sells innovative medical devices used in vascular therapy, oncology and critical care applications. ICU Medical's products improve patient outcomes by helping prevent bloodstream infections and protecting healthcare workers from exposure to infectious diseases or hazardous drugs. The company's complete product line includes custom I.V. systems, closed delivery systems for hazardous drugs, needlefree I.V. connectors, catheters and cardiac monitoring systems. ICU Medical is headquartered in San Clemente, California. More information about ICU Medical, Inc. can be found at www.icumed.com
Source: ICU Medical
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