This report originally appeared in the September 2009 issue of DOTmed Business News

Recently, new preventive software has been developed for smart pumps, which is great news for health care facilities worried about lawsuits involving human error, but will facilities be able to infuse their practices with these new technologies, or will budgetary concerns prevent implementation from going more than skin deep?

Manual administration of medication can be impractical, expensive and sometimes unreliable due to human error. Thus, improvements for infusion pumps and new lines of smart pumps are popular for manufacturers to roll out to customers. There will always be a need for fluid administration in patient care (due to chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, neurological conditions, etc.), so the future development of new innovations for infusion and intravenous pumps appears to be a healthy one.
According to Jason Hess of KLAS Enterprises, a company that offers impartial vendor performance information, the most recent advancement in smart infusion pump technology has been the shift to wireless technology. He stated, "Patient safety is the overarching reason for the existence of smart pump technology, and the most important driver for patient safety is the functionality of the pump itself." Wireless technology and remote access are key players in functionality and ease of use in the pump.

The company Micrel recently introduced a wireless offering called Rhythmic Connect. It uses a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) mobile phone integrated with an infusion device and allows the pump to communicate with a web server. This server provides access at any time through the web, sends warnings regarding the status of the infusion and can be remotely adjusted and controlled. This offers a higher level of convenience to staff and more mobility for patients as well as the ability to provide faster immediate care. Wireless pumps also contain dose calculations, error reduction software technology and drug libraries. This software monitors drug administration and initiates alerts to warn nurses of infusion issues and overdosing.

Because something as simple as a decimal point error can cause a potentially life-threatening discrepancy between a safe and unsafe dosage, infusion pumps must be designed to defend against medical errors, ensuring the correct medication gets to the right patient in the right amount every time.

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