Healthcare Purchasing News articles from May 2003

Healthcare Purchasing News archives from May 2003

The friend of the devil. (From the Editor).
May 1, 2003... When a person enters a hospital, seeking treatment for a broken limb or a heart attack, for complicated cardiac surgery or simply for assurance that even though it hurts everything will be ok, the best treatment, aside from technology, is...

For preventing SARS wash hands, wear masks. (Newswire).
May 1, 2003... An infectious disease expert with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has outlined strategies hospitals should use when treating a patient suspected of having severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). As reported by the American...

VHA to honor six organizations with leadership awards. (Newswire).
May 1, 2003... Irving, TX-based VHA Inc. honored six healthcare organizations with VHA Leadership Awards for their efforts toward improving clinical effectiveness, operational performance, supply chain management and community health. The winning...

JCAHO won't call first in '06. (Newswire).
May 1, 2003... The board of commissioners of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations announced it will conduct all regular accreditation surveys on an unannounced basis beginning in January 2006. Unannounced surveys will be...

NY Fire Department to use B. Braun Safety IV Catheters. (Newswire).
May 1, 2003... B. Braun Medical Inc., Bethlehem, PA, said that the New York City Fire Department has signed a contract for its Introcan Safety IV Catheter, an IV catheter designed to protect against accidental needlestick injuries that can cause exposure to...

Betty J. Shultz is new AORN president. (Newswire).
May 1, 2003... Betty J. Shultz, RN, CNOR, has become the national president of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses and will serve a one-year term in that job. Shultz is the president and perioperative educator at Surgical Services Specialists,...

Flu shots could cut cardiac hospital stays. (Newswire).
May 1, 2003... Flu shots may do more for the elderly than fend off the flu, new research shows. The shots may also protect against heart disease and stroke. A study of more than 286,000 people older than 65 that appears in The New England Journal of Medicine...

Fast stats. (Newswire).
May 1, 2003... 6.2% The annual rate that severe sepsis cases are increasing annually according to a recent study from the University of Pittsburgh.. 6.9% The annual rate that complex severe sepsis cases are increasing annually over the past...

AmeriNet puts contracting process on website. (Newswire).
May 1, 2003... St. Louis-based GPO AmeriNet said it now handles all contracting inquiries and its bid calendar process for potential suppliers through its website, www.amerinetgpo.com. According to the group, prospective suppliers should look at the site for...

Novaplus line posts record returns. (Newswire).
May 1, 2003... Irving, TX-based Novation says that its Novaplus private-label program has provided hospitals the most savings in the program's 18-year history. According to Novation, by choosing to purchase Novaplus brand products, VHA and UHC members saved...

CDC urges more smallpox vaccination exclusions. (Newswire).
May 1, 2003... Three days after the government suspended smallpox vaccinations for people known to have heart disease, The New York Times reports that a panel of medical advisers recommended that people who have three or more major risk factors for cardiac...

Guidant buys stake in bioabsorbable stent developer. (Newswire).
May 1, 2003... Indianapolis-based Guidant Corporation announced plans to acquire an early-stage company founded by SyneCor, LLC, a medical technology generator of new life sciences companies based in Research Triangle Park, NC, and Menlo Park and Santa Rosa,...

Novation to tighten drug distribution rules. (Newswire).
May 1, 2003... Irving, TX-based Novation, says it has put into effect initiatives in place to help address the integrity of the drug distribution supply chain by adding specific language to contracts that focuses directly on appropriate drug distribution to...

Addition. (Newswire).
May 1, 2003... An article that appeared in the March 2003 issue of Healthcare Purchasing News ("Worker safety demands strong policies, safe products and some luck," pg. 10) also included a listing of Internet resources. In that list, the Premier Safety...

Blechschmidt named to Neoforma board. (Newswire).
May 1, 2003... Edward A. Blechschmidt, retired chairman and chief executive officer of Gentiva Health Services, has been appointed to the board of directors of San Jose, CA-based e-commerce exchange Neoforma Inc. Blechschmidt, who the company says brings...

Lawson in pact with MD system. (Newswire).
May 1, 2003... St. Paul, MN-based Lawson Software announced it has signed a multi-suite contract with Shore Health System, a two-hospital, 236-bed integrated delivery network based in Maryland's Mid-Shore area. The nonprofit system of hospitals licensed...

Shrugging off bankruptcy, Maxxim Medical stays afloat and seems to prosper. (News).
May 1, 2003... Buoyed by consistent, if not strong sales and unafraid to launch new products and tinker with other key lines to meet customer demand and stay active in the race with competitors, Maxxim Medical has the appearance of a solid company that's...

Lengths of stays shorten. (Snapshot).
May 1, 2003... The average length of stay for discharges of all ages has been declining and was significantly shorter in 2007 than it ad been in 7970(4.9 compared with 7.8 days). This was also true for discharges aged 1 5-44, 45-64, and 65 years and over. The...

It's always 'Orange Alert' for health facility security. (News on the Cover).
May 1, 2003

A primer on critical care nursing. (News).
May 1, 2003... When patients who are in danger of losing their lives need intense help, critical care nurses step forward with their unique skills and, aided by a range of high-tech products, save lives every day. This month in San Antonio, the American...

A methodical, mobile approach to tracking equipiment. (What Work).
May 1, 2003... Managing the care of surgical instrumentation and mobile patient equipment from the decontamination process through delivery is a challenge common to most medical facilities. The sterile processing department at Fort Sanders Regional Medical...

Automatically orders tongue depressors before you can say "Ah".
May 1, 2003... Lawson's Procurement solution helps you standardized and optimize your ordering process, allowing you top manage margins and patient care requirements more efficiently than ever. Features include * Pre-built integration to suppliers...

TX Alzheimer's group supports alternatives to physical restraints. (Outpatient Connection).
May 1, 2003... Many nursing home residents with Alzheimer's are physically restrained from wandering even when alternative methods of intervention are available, according to the Alzheimer's Association Coalition of Texas. The coalition, comprised of five...

Demand up for better glucose self-monitoring devices. (Outpatient Connection).
May 1, 2003... An increasingly savvy consumer base coupled with the growing incidence of diabetes is spurring the growth of the glucose self-monitoring devices markets. With healthcare specialists and manufacturers investing resources towards creating...

Age-old I.V. solutions market mature, but still important. (Operating Room).
May 1, 2003... Pay a visit to just about any patient in any hospital and you will likely see that patient receiving some sort of fluid intravenously. With a few notable exceptions, the devices used to deliver the solutions and the medications themselves make...

Trade groups stay active in lobbying efforts. (Washington Report).
May 1, 2003... AHRMM: Medical liability, hospital mortgage bills head to Senate It's the Senate's turn to consider medical liability legislation now that the House has passed H.R. 5, the so-called Health Act of 2003. The legislation, which is backed by...

Join us at AACN for healthcare purchasing news education sessions. (Vendor Spotlight).
May 1, 2003... HPN readers are invited to attend one or both of these Special Educational Sessions at the American Association of Critical-Nurses! National Teaching Institute 2003 conference at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. The trade...

Hand-rub use sparks controversy. (Infection Control Update).
May 1, 2003... Last October, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published new guideline for hand hygiene that promoted the use of alcohol-based hand rubs, it's unlikely that the agency considered the issue of fire prevention. But since the...

CS departments feel heat from regulatory, liability pressures. (Infection Connection).
May 1, 2003... It isn't easy being a sterile processing professional. While that statement is hardly a revelation, it seems especially accurate in today's challenging climate. Not only are sterile processing personnel being plagued by age-old indignations...

Best practices for sharps safety in CS/SPD. (Self-Study Series).
May 1, 2003... Background There are millions of healthcare workers who, on a daily basis are exposed to any number of microbes. Depending on the nature of the exposure, the end result of the exposure can be mild, very severe, or even life threatening....

What exactly is gas plasma? (CS Questions - CS Answers).
May 1, 2003... Q & A Editor's Note: CS Questions, CS Answers is a feature of Healthcare Purchasing News in which we offer practical solutions to questions and problems that are common to many central service and sterile processing departments. HPN welcomes...

Professor makes CSMM certification, career validation main mission. (Viewpoint).
May 1, 2003... As many of the nation's sterile processing professionals struggle for recognition both in the field and in their facilities, a college professor in Massachusetts has dedicated herself to giving them the credit they really deserve. Joyce...

Prion removal could cut vCJD in blood. (New Technology).
May 1, 2003... New research indicates that a filtration technology in development by Pall Corporation, East Hills, NY, could help reduce infectious prions in blood below the detection limit of current methodologies. Prions, often referred to as rogue...

Minimally invasive mitral valve repair. (New Technology).
May 1, 2003... The world's first sutureless mitral annuloplasty repair was performed in March by W. Randolph Chitwood, Jr., M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Surgery and Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Brody School of Medicine at East...

Latest in furniture, flooring products help create improved hospitals. (Products & Services).
May 1, 2003... Talk about getting no respect There aren't too many elements of a modem hospital that receive less recognition than furniture and flooring. But in much the same way that an umpire who quietly and effectively does his job and goes unnoticed...

K-C has the blues: Gambles that new wrap will be a safe bet. (Products & Services).
May 1, 2003... Kimberly-Clark, as most Americans know, is an enormous corporation that produces numerous branded consumer items along with respected lines of disposable healthcare products. The company has trotted out an extremely successful lineup of...

Uretero-Reno-Fiberscope. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... Karl Storz Endoscopy-America just launched its Flex-X Uretero-Reno-Fiberscope, which features superior performance in several key categories including ease of entry to the lower pole calyces and navigation of the entire renal collecting system....

Hibistat towelette. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... Regent Medical is now offering healthcare practitioners a towelette application of Hibistat, a waterless alternative to liquid soap when routine hand washing is not possible or convenient. The combination of a recognized effective level of...

Surgical lighting system. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... The new System One surgery lighting system represents a breakthrough by providing the features demanded in surgery at a fraction of the cost typically associated with lights of this level. A large 20" (508mm) diameter, multi-faceted reflector,...

TouchPad controlled storage. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... Spacesaver Corporation offers a cost-effective device that limits aisle access on its high-density, powered mobile storage systems. The TouchPad control restricts entry to authorized personnel who enter a four-digit code on the 10-digit key pad...

Antimicrobial cleaning brushes. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... Spectrum Surgical Instruments Corp. is now offering a new and improved line of surgical instrument cleaning brushes. The wire-twisted cleaning brushes are now produced using antimicrobial nylon bristles. Designed to protect hospital staff, the...

Adult disposable briefs. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... Hospital Specialty Company is now offering its At Ease Supra adult disposable briefs for discreet protection against heavy to complete loss of bladder and bowel control. The Supra briefs have a Comfortex cloth-like backsheet, which is quiet and...

Safe parts carrier. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... DJ Products is offering a walk-behind self-propelled cart that carries large amounts of food, materials and linens called the PartsCaddy. The unit, which can haul loads of up to 2,500 lbs., is designed for moving heavy loads in hospital...

Disposable suction liner system. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... DeRoyal introduces the Relia Flex disposable suction liner system, a cost-effective alternative for the medical aspiration market. The liner is designed to improve how a hospital collects and disposes of aspirated fluid wastes with new features...

Non-mercury oral thermometers. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... The Geratherm oral glass thermometer is made with Galinstan (non-toxic substitute for mercury), meets FDA requirements and is ideal for infection control usage. Geratherm thermometers are easily read, durable, dual scale and color-coded (green)...

Vital signs monitor. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... Pilot six-parameter monitors are available from DRE incorporated. The Pilot is a full-function vital signs monitor for anesthesia featuring the latest technologies in Colin NIBP, Nellcor Pulse Oximetiy, and integrated End Tidal C02...

Latex-Free Standard Procedure Trays. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... Maxxim Medical introduces its Latex-Free Standard Procedure Trays, which can be used in the operating room, labor and delivery, emergency room and day surgery, eliminating the need for several custom trays. Cost-saving benefits include...

Relief glove for arthritis sufferers. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... Thermoskin has developed the Thermoskin Arthritic Wrap-Around Glove, a new arthritic pain relief glove for arthritis and repetitive strain sufferers designed to relieve pain and discomfort in the fingers and hands. The glove, which the...

I.V. Carts. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... MetroMax I.V. Carts are available in six models and are constructed from a combination of state-of-the-art polymer components and epoxy-coated open-wire baskets and dividers. Reinforced polymers give the cart's superstructure strength, which...

Baby wipes. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... Donovan Industries announces the introduction of DawnMist Baby Wipes. Made of a super soft, embossed material, these wipes are alcohol-free, hypoallergenic and are formulated with aloe and lanolin to help protect and soothe baby's soft skin....

Two weeks aboard a navy hospital Ship. (People & Opinions).
May 1, 2003

Navigating the issue of local purchasing and its effect on the community. (AHRMM Ideas).
May 1, 2003... As materials management professionals, we are charged every day with obtaining goods and services for the lowest possible price and best quality. Although that objective seems simple enough, very often there are other factors that influence the...

Perspectives on HIMSS 2003. (Having My Say).
May 1, 2003... The top concern at this year's meeting of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) was reducing medication errors and patient safety. There were almost 20,000 attendees and 272 education sessions along with over 680...

Striking fear in our hearts -- undergoing an internal audit. (ASHCSP Angle).
May 1, 2003... Most individual departments in a hospital audit their functions either periodically or continuously, whether formally -- using charts and forms and methodically logging hours and expense -- or informally -- staying generally aware of how things...

Letters.
May 1, 2003... Ortho economics To the Editor, I read your comments about the orthopedic market ("Orthopedics, the place to be," From the Editor, Healthcare Purchasing News, March 2003) with some interest as our system has continually struggled with...

Worth repeating.
May 1, 2003... "Less than 10 percent of hospitals have less than 50 percent of physicians entering any orders directly into a computer System." -Sheldon Dorenfest, who publishes the Dorenfest Integrated Healthcare Delivery System Database, an annual...