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To do their share in making a difference, Virtua administrators decided to focus on preventing medication errors where they occur most, right at the patient bedside. An early adopter of digital and clinical technologies, Virtua researched wireless "smart medication infusion pumps" and medication administration systems.

Their rigorous 18-month analysis led them to implement advanced technology infusion pumps developed by Hospira.

"Using technology to simplify, rather than complicate, is the best way to avoid errors in fast-paced, incredibly demanding hospital environments like ours," said Robin Keyack, R.Ph., clinical resource manager, Virtua Health.

Virtua chose Hospira as its exclusive partner for medication infusion systems including general purpose infusion devices, pain management systems, intravenous solutions and sets. The decision streamlined existing disjointed systems into a coherent whole for improved safety and management.

For example, Virtua installed Hospira MedNet safety software on Hospira’s Plum A+ medication infusion devices. As part of the implementation process for the new system, Virtua standardized its drug library across its four-hospital system. Developing or updating the hospital’s drug library is an important task in helping to reduce the risk of medication errors and enhancing clinician workflow.

When used in conjunction with safety software, Hospira’s "intelligent pumps" or "smart pumps" not only help minimize risk, medication errors and the associated costs to the hospital, but the pumps are also upgradeable so the capabilities can be expanded with Virtua as its needs continue to evolve. This also helps ensure that the hospital continues to see a return on its capital investment in the future.

After the installation, Keyack said, "Using the Hospira MedNet drug library every time medication is administered is the best recipe for safe I.V. patient therapy."

The Plum A+ 802.11a/g wireless connection to the hospital’s data network facilitates updating the medication library wirelessly at periodic, predetermined intervals. Wireless technology further enables safety performance reporting and communication of infusion data details back into the patient’s electronic health record in "real time." Without wireless connectivity, loading safety software and downloading infusion usage reports can mean individually touching and connecting each I.V. pump into a laptop for upgrades.

Virtua’s network has hundreds of infusion pumps, constantly on the move as patients are transported to procedures. With a wireless system in place, updates to the drug library, infusion reporting, notification alerts and other key activities need not be delayed.

The Hospira MedNet safety software provides an additional safety check to ensure that the programmed dose is within the limits defined in the drug library for the ordered medication. If the dosage is outside of the hospital’s parameters, an alert triggers, asking the nurse if he or she wants to continue programming or change the dose. Hard limit alerts based on the hospital’s best practices require the nurse to change the dose before going forward with the infusion. All alerts and the corresponding responses are recorded by the software and available in detailed graphic reports for data analysis.

Instead of forcing a nurse to navigate complex screens, Hospira’s pump shares only the relevant, actionable information, such as patient dosage, at the patient’s bedside. This frees the nurse from having to memorize formulas or calculate weight-based dosages — tasks where errors can easily occur.

Hospira MedNet has the ability to link the infusion device and other hospital information systems to the point of care. Having the right information at the bedside helps streamline clinical workflow, while verifying the five rights of medication administration: the right drug, right dose, right patient, right time and right route.

Reduced medication errors and improved efficiency are not the only benefits. Studies have shown that approximately 35 percent of a nurse’s time is spent performing documentation tasks.1 The smart pumps can assist with documentation when integrated to Point of Care and eMAR (electronic medication administration record) systems within the hospital, freeing up the nurse to spend more time providing quality patient care.

For patients, that means more hands-on time from their nurse. And for nurses, who are balancing increased workloads and staff shortages, it means another safety check — giving them greater assurance as they provide care.

Nurses have also noted the benefit of the unique audio alarms on Hospira infusion devices that are designed to be distinguishable from the many other beeps, bells, and alarms in busy areas. The Institute of Medicine report recommends that manufacturers create organized alert systems to help enhance safety. This is particularly helpful in high-stakes environments — such as emergency rooms, labor and delivery units, and critical care units — where safety is measured in seconds.

"Virtua is an early, but thoughtful, adaptor of technology, committed to quality and safety," said Ninfa Saunders, M.S.N., Ph.D., executive vice president, Health Services, Virtua Health. "We focus on four areas when choosing products: capability, viability of the technology, the life cycle of the cost, and the commitment of the supplier to deliver an outstanding experience at Virtua Health. This is the reason Hospira was the right choice for us."

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