The U.S. Army Medical Research Materiel Command awarded approximately $3.25 million in funding to acquire and continue development of Signal Hill, Calif.-based Integrated Medical Systems’ MedEx 1000 “suitcase” intensive care unit (ICU). The product’s capabilities include physiological monitoring, low-rate and high-rate infusion pumps, a fluid warmer, and a ventilator that can monitor carbon dioxide as well as deliver oxygen. The ICU, which can operate by battery or external power source, is intended for use in hospitals, aircraft, ambulances, field hospitals and extended care facilities.
Matthew Hanson:
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LED Lighting
Clover, S.C.-based Jameson said its new LED field hospital light, the PaxLight, provides five times the brightness of halogen lights but remains cool to the touch. Users can adjust the light between “warm amber tones” to increase the contrast between skin and internal tissue and “cool white tones” for looking at deep cavity tissue in more detail. The PaxLight does not emit infrared energy, minimizing potential tissue damage, according to the company. The company later this year plans to release additional versions of the light, including one that runs on a battery.
Charlie Weaver:
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MR System
Waukesha, Wis.-based GE Healthcare said its new magnetic resonance system, the Optima MR450w, has a wider bore than other systems, providing a larger field of view to scan obese and claustrophobic patients. The scan quality remains good, the company said, avoiding the traditional trade-off in quality versus scan size. Features include “anatomy-optimized” imaging of the breast, spine and cardiovascular regions; an optical radio-frequency system and 145-centimeter-long magnet for uniform tissue contrast; and a removable table, to minimize the time between scans.
Philip R. Goodridge:
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Hospital Sanitizer
Experts at Johns Hopkins University developed a 7-foot-tall cubicle-like device that can sanitize hospital equipment of all shapes and sizes within 30 minutes, from blood pressure cuffs to oximeter wires to computer keyboards and cell phones. The self-cleaning unit, nicknamed SUDS, is the result of a fouryear project spurred by the trend to use more disposable items in hospitals to cut down on the spread of bacterial infections such as MRSA.
Instead of hospital workers wiping down oft-used equipment with disinfectant, the device sprays up to 15 items at a time with an aerosolized, commercially available disinfectant chemical, or biocide, called Sporicidin. Developers announced results of a study of the device in the Annals of Surgical Innovation and Research online this summer.
“Our study results with the prototype offer strong evidence that more can be done to disinfect noncritical equipment through automated decontamination processes in heavily trafficked areas of the hospital,” said the study’s senior author, Dr. Bolanle Asiyanbola, a surgeon and assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “We believe this SUDS device has the potential to further protect our patients and staff from hospital infections and save health care dollars by making it possible to clean and reuse more kinds of hospital equipment.”
Medical PC
Burlingame, Calif.-based Tangent introduced the Vita LT, a notebook PC designed to replace medical carts. The PC weighs 10.5 pounds and is 1.4 inches thick with an 18.5-inch LCD screen. The company said the PC is 72 percent more energy efficient than standard PCs and can run as long as 20 hours per charge. The display can be tilted from -5 degrees to +25 degrees. The PC features 802.11 wireless connectivity, built-in speakers and up to 2 GB of DDR SDRAM, up to 250 GB hard drive, and a 10/100/1000 gigabit local area network.
Mike Zabaneh:
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Half-Mask Respirator
The new 400 Series half-mask respirator from Pittsburgh, Pa.-based Advantage is certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The respirator features the company’s AnthroCurve II multi-ethnic face-seal design, for different head sizes and facial contours. Advantage said the mask’s facepiece has a “textured sealing surface” that eliminates leaks and slips less in hot, humid conditions.
Spanish Auxiliary Labels
Ivyland, Pa.-based Medi-Dose/EPS introduced a line of Spanish language pharmacy and nursing auxiliary labels, measuring 3/8 of an inch by 1 1/2 inches. Using the company’s software, pharmacists and nurses can create their own auxiliary labels in both English and Spanish and include bar codes, graphics, special fonts, Tall Man lettering, shapes and logos.
“Hospitals are like families: no two are alike,” said Bob Braverman, the company’s director of marketing. “Each has unique requirements, and the practitioners in the hospitals know best how to serve their patients’ needs. Our new line of ‘off-the-shelf’ Spanish auxiliary labels … helps facilities call attention to specific medication information they believe vital in promoting safety, increasing awareness and reducing error.”
Robert Braverman: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it