ClearCount Medical Solutions Announces Launch And Market Availability Of Its Newly Designed SmartSponge System
Pittsburgh, PA & Anaheim, CA - ClearCount Medical Solutions, an innovator of patient safety solutions for the O.R., announced recently the market availability of its FDA-cleared, newly designed Smart Sponge System. As the only system to integrate counting and detection for the purpose of sponge management, the SmartSponge System provides patient safety with a return on investment. The system saves time, prevents unnecessary X-Rays and delays associated with count discrepancies. The SmartSponge System is being launched at the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) 55th Annual Congress in Anaheim, Ca., March 30-April 3, 2008.
"We're very pleased to make our SmartSponge System available for demonstration and sale at the important AORN Congress," said David Palmer, CEO, ClearCount Medical Solutions. "The FDA clearance and market availability of our comprehensive solution mean an improved patient safety benefit to hospitals. Our system will address the increased pressure on hospitals to eliminate retained surgical sponges – through an easy-to-integrate, efficient and thorough count reconciliation and detection solution."
SmartSponge System sponges are permanently affixed with a passive RFID tag smaller than a dime. The SmartBucket screen highlights any count discrepancies. A quick SmartWandTscan will identify any sponges that may be remaining in the patient. A SmartMatTunder the patient provides the user with feedback that a scan is proceeding properly. Through this comprehensive set of features, the SmartSponge System offers the most efficient, most thorough, and easiest solution to integrate into today's O.R.
"Through its combination of counting and detection, the SmartSponge System addresses the range of issues associated with maintaining control over sponges in the surgical setting," said John M. Skibber, MD, Professor of Surgery, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. "We're excited about the opportunity to try this innovative solution that has the potential to improve patient safety."
A retained sponge incident can lead to serious complications, including sepsis, unnecessary x-rays, need for repeat surgeries and even death. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and an increasing number of private insurers have indicated that in the near future they will no longer reimburse for procedures associated with "never" events such as left-behind surgical sponges. To address these issues, the SmartSponge System helps to improve patient safety while improving efficiencies.
SmartSponge System Benefits:
- System provides sponge counts and sponge detection
- No line of sight is required for RFID tags to be read
- Intuitive graphical interface provides a quick "In/Out" view of reconciliation
- Reduced handling of soiled sponges minimizes biohazard exposure
- Different sponge types and towels can be tracked and counted at the same time
- Uniquely identified sponges prevent the system from ever counting the same sponge twice
- SmartWand scanning provides quick detection in event of non-reconciliation
- SmartMat ensures the SmartWand is within range and ready for patient scan
- Data can be exported to your Hospital Information System (HIS) in standard HL7 format
- Printer option is available to document case
- Non-intrusive RFID tags are smaller than a dime and do not contain a battery
Visit ClearCount Medical Solutions at Booth #1892 at the AORN Congress.
SOURCE: ClearCount Medical Solutions