Welch Allyn Adds Spirometry Module to Connectivity-Ready Electrocardiograph Device

Welch Allyn, a leading medical diagnostic device company that delivers pragmatic innovation at the point of care, today announced the availability of an optional spirometry module for its Welch Allyn CP 150™ Electrocardiograph (ECG).  Now available in the U.S., the new module is designed to help clinicians meet American Thoracic Society (ATS) standardization guidelines for pulmonary function testing (PFT) that can be useful in detecting lung disease long before patients become symptomatic.

According to a 2013 World Health Organization study, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was the third leading cause of death in 2012, and the number is rising.  “Routine spirometry testing in an office practice setting could significantly improve early identification of COPD,” said Peter Glocker, senior manager, Cardiopulmonary at Welch Allyn.  “Fortunately, the use of spirometry to detect COPD is on the rise since it offers an easy, accurate method to identify potential problems before they become costly or maybe even life-threatening.  It’s a fast and accurate test that has the potential to save lives so we’re happy to make it available in our ECG device.”

The optional spirometry module for the Welch Allyn CP 150 ECG performs pre- and post-bronchodilator FVC testing with automatic interpretation and reversibility analysis.  It can perform single- or multiple- flow calibration with automatic printing and automatic lung age calculation to help with smoking cessation programs.   Four incentive videos help clinicians coach their patients to complete successful, ATS-compliant efforts.

The CP 150 ECG can administer traditional ECG and spirometry tests at the push of a button and can interface with the Welch Allyn CardioPerfect® Workstation to connect, manage and share patient information with an electronic health record (EHR) system.  It features a seven-inch, color touch-screen display with a user interface that eliminates the need to track between the display and keyboard and allows for fast and easy entry of patient data to help save time and reduce errors. A lead quality display is also incorporated into the touchscreen, to help easily and efficiently identify lead connection problems. The lone button on the device is the power button, which has an ‘instant-on’ feature that powers up the CP 150 ECG without delay.

“Clinicians are trying to do more with less these days, so easy-to-use devices that can administer multiple tests and manage patient information from one platform are in high demand,” Glocker added. “Our flexible ECG with optional spirometry offers the best of both worlds—simple, accurate testing and intuitive data management in a convenient single device. The product is designed to help lower cost for the practice while reducing the time it takes to perform both tests."

The CP 150 ECG can be transported easily with the battery-powered operation and up to 100 test results can be stored on the device. ECG results can also be transferred directly to a USB memory stick for additional storage or uploaded to the practice’s data management system.