Peachtree, NC  –  In conjunction with the observance of National Patient Safety Week (March 9 – 14, 2009) Murphy Medical Center announced the implementation of its new “smart” IV (intravenous) pumps designed to increase patient safety by preventing medication errors.

“Smart” pumps provide immediate value by incorporating healthcare best-practices in infusion therapy. These devices protect patients receiving medication from the programmed pumps and the clinicians with guidelines for medication dosages and rates of delivery.

Susie Aft, RN, BSN, Performance Improvement Coordinator, said, “These computerized ‘smart pumps‘ are a major advancement in medication safety.  Murphy Medical Center is committed to adopting this technology to improve patient safety and quality of care.” 

Murphy Medical Center purchased 64 Alaris PC computer units, 109 large volume and 5 small volume “syringe” modules, 15 patient controlled analgesia modules and 15 respiratory monitors. 

These new pumps are being utilized throughout the entire hospital, including outpatient infusions such as chemotherapy, antibiotics, blood products, arthritis treatments, and other specialty infusions.

The health-care industry has emphasized revising patient safety programs to prevent medication errors and reduce length of hospital stay. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report that estimated that 1.5 million preventable adverse drug events (ADEs) occur in the U.S. each year. These errors cause unnecessary harm and cost an estimated $3.5 billion annually to treat. Of the most serious potential ADEs, 61 percent are IV-related. 

About Murphy Medical Center:
Murphy Medical Center is a non-profit 57-bed hospital with a 24-hour Emergency Department and a 134-bed long-term healthcare facility including a 14-bed Alzheimer’s Unit.  It also operates Good Shepherd Home Health & Hospice Agency, MMC Urgent Care Center, Peachtree Rehabilitation and Athletic Center (PARC), Center for Women’s Health, and Murphy Group Practice, a multispecialty physicians practice.