title: Impact of intelligent intravenous infusion pumps on directing care toward evidence-based standards: a retrospective data analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Published literature has successfully demonstrated the impact of intravenous (IV) infusion pump safety software on improving the quality of health care delivery. Much of this literature has focused solely on the ability of these devices to prevent potential medication errors, while overlooking the devices' additional valuable advantages. One non-reported benefit is the ability of IV infusion pump safety software to consistently administer doses of IV medication, which are based on evidence. This article describes the process undertaken to implement and evaluate the impact of IV infusion pump safety software on driving care toward evidence-based standards.
  
  
  METHODS
  An advisory group of expert users was convened for a 2-day session to develop consensus recommendations of best practices for IV infusion pump safety software. Using these recommendations, administrative data were collected from a community hospital to assess the endpoints identified by the advisory panel.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data analysis of rescue agents (ie, flumazenil, glucagon, and protamine sulfate) showed reductions in utilization in the post-implementation period of the safety software. The decreased requirement for blood transfusions in patients receiving heparin infusions suggests that heparin infusions were more safely administered in the post-implementation period. The decreased length of stay and mortality rate observed in patients with complex respiratory infections during the post-implementation period suggests that by correctly infusing antibiotics consistently, patient outcomes may be improved. Additionally, alert and edit data from the pumps demonstrated that the IV infusion pump safety software alerted to and influenced edits on many critical dose rate errors for benzodiazepines, heparin, and several antibiotics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravenous infusion pump safety software improves clinical outcomes through consistent application of evidence-based standards of dose rates for IV drugs.
authors: Aspen Healthcare Metrics, Centennial, CO, USA. bschilling@medassets.com
authors: M Blane
authors: MB
authors: Schilling
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Sandoval
mesh_terms: D000931:Antidotes / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007260:Infusion Pumps / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012984:Software / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000931:Antidotes