Wireless technology at Baptist lives in places where people may not even notice or even realize the far-reaching implications for patient care.
Wireless IV pumps rank as one of those hidden technologies that are bringing a new level of care and safety to patients. Introduced in March 2016 at Baptist DeSoto, Women’s, NEA and Golden Triangle, the pumps will eventually be in all Baptist facilities.
Found in clinical areas like ICU and pediatrics, the new wireless IV pumps allow the clinician to program an IV based on patient location, medication or fluid, and the reason the patient receives the medication. The clinician basically chooses the prescribed drug, knowing the safety software will double check the rate and volume the clinician enters. If the clinician chooses a rate or volume that doesn’t match the parameters, the IV pump will either alert the clinician or stop the infusion.
Wireless IV pumps offer a few, unique key functions. While a doctor’s order still initiates the process, the clinician now has the ability to choose from a “Drug Library.” Working with the pump vendor, Hospira, Baptist pharmacy and nursing teams developed the library, as well as the parameters and criteria for each drug. As new medications release, the library will be updated.
The IV Smart Pump Project involved many Baptist teams, including nursing, pharmacy, informatics, networking, server management, site support, security and education. The team spent months assessing, testing and planning while miles of cable were laid behind the scenes to allow the pumps to wirelessly interact with the servers.
During the next two years, Baptist will install the pumps across the system. The new IV pumps will eventually integrate with Epic, allowing for greater connections among more Baptist teams like regulatory, pharmacy and reimbursement.