Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Ed Yeates ReportingFor the first time here, a revolutionary computerized brain will watch over the administering of intravenous drugs to every patient at two major Utah hospitals. The 2.5 million dollar investment will dramatically reduce the chance of human error and much more.
Alta Garrett was admitted to the University of Utah Hospital over the weekend. Not only did she get new generation drugs that pulled her out of a life threatening stroke, but also this revolutionary pump that infuses them safer and more efficiently.
Dave McGrath, Equipment Evaluator, University Hospital: "The thing that I really believe is neat, is that this starts capturing data that beforehand we didn't know we were making errors."
The new pump is a compact computerized "brain" that monitors and handles multiple IV infusions at the same time. Nurses simply plug in a module for each separate IV. In Alta's case, it's the blood thinner Heprin.
Alta Garrett: "If the nurse is programming that and happens to hit a wrong key stroke and the difference between a decimal point or a zero could make a significant difference in the amount of the drug that is given - the device or the brain will come back and say are you sure you really want to do that."
IN FACT, THERE ARE SOME PARAMETERS THE BRAIN WILL NOT ALLOW THE NURSE TO MAKE ANY CHANGE AT ALL. IN THOSE CASES, THE MESSAGE IS VERY EMPHATIC, the change is too risky; you cannot proceed.
Alta Garrett: "Receiving this medicine has been a secure feeling to me cause I want to live a long time."
Real time safety monitoring of every detail plus a memory that allows a review later on to improve infusion practices even more.
Bruce Garrett, University Hospital Education Council: "It's like, I mean it's beyond night and day. It makes a complete difference, a complete difference. I can't even describe it."
University Hospital and the new Huntsman Hospital have bought the new pumps for every patient room.
