Roundtable: Infusion Therapy

Infusion therapy devices are important tools when it comes to delivering quality health care with positive outcomes. Legislation and new technology are factors our panel of roundtable experts pointed out when discussing infusion pumps and infusion therapy devices. The expert panel is made up of Jorge Perez, CBET, Unique BioMedical Services; Nate Smith, Co-Owner/Vice President of Elite Biomedical Solutions; Sarah Stem, Director of Sales & Marketing, J2S Medical; and Jeff Taltavull, Director of Sales, AIV Inc.

Q: What are the latest advances or significant changes in infusion therapy and in the infusion therapy market?

PEREZ: A lot of newer infusion pumps are now communicating wirelessly and sending all information straight to electronic medical records for each patient.

SMITH: The infusion therapy market has expanded to incorporate smart technology to allow institutions to tailor programs to meet delivery protocols specific to each patient infusion.

STEM: Legislation surrounding expanded reimbursement from managed care with regards to patients leaving the acute setting with a prescription for home infusion by device will bring significant change to the homecare side of the market. The latest advancement on the device side is the incorporation of “smart” technology across all OEM platforms (ambulatory to pole mounted); integrating patient safety software with EMR while keeping in line with HIPPA requirements.

TALTAVULL: More integration with wireless delivery and monitoring systems will become more prevalent as the technology becomes more accessible/affordable.

Q: How will those changes impact the infusion therapy market in the future?

PEREZ: These changes will provide better patient care, less paperwork and safer equipment.

SMITH: These changes will improve the safety and efficiency of each patient infusion and allow institutions to document delivery protocols and monitor the efficacy of drug delivery.

STEM: Expanded reimbursement on the homecare side will provide additional benefits to the patient who will receive elevated care from their providers who will be able to afford more supplies and continuing education. “Smart” technology also benefits the patient who receives peace of mind when hearing the facility is using software that could prevent a patient incident from occurring. Additionally, the facility benefits with biomed features that allow all key presses to be recorded for legal purposes.

Q: How will new technology and other advances impact the maintenance of infusion therapy devices?

PEREZ: Maintenance will be slower, but reports will be better.

SMITH: Utilizing statistical tools, software and materials currently available, Elite Biomedical Solutions is applying these tools to offer long-term solutions to meet the current needs of biomedical engineering departments.

STEM: New IV pump technology promises to help with efficiency in regards to preventative maintenance schedules as well as ensure proper testing procedures are adhered to, improving patient safety. In addition, the biomed must understand this technology and how it is utilized in a clinical setting, in order to help keep devices patient ready.

TALTAVULL: With any new technology, the people working on them will need to be properly trained on the ways to use and fix these new systems.

Q: How can a facility with a limited budget meet the infusion therapy needs of today?

PEREZ: Rent pumps while setting a budget to maybe upgrade a few units at a time.

SMITH: We are offering high-quality, cost-effective solutions to allow institutions to maintain and service with minimal downtime. Our goal is to provide repair parts so these devices can be repaired right the first time and thus eliminate the need for multiple replacements for the same issue on each device.

STEM: An easy way to incorporate new technology on a limited budget is to buy pre-owned equipment one department at a time and slowly integrate, as budgets will allow. This is especially cost effective when considering equipment that utilizes the same disposables providing no change to the long term-cost. Additionally, asking for an extended warranty to be built into a price can provide a greater return for a cost-conscious buyer.

TALTAVULL: Facilities with limited budgets can take advantage of the third-party refurbished pump market. At AIV, we bring the used equipment back to like-new condition; enabling facilities to meet all of their infusion therapy needs for a fraction of the cost of a new pump.

Q: What do you think TechNation readers need to know about purchasing and servicing infusion therapy?

PEREZ: They should be sure to try out any pumps before purchasing them and make sure parts and service are available here in the USA. Ask your biomed/service technician for their opinion before you buy it.

SMITH: When considering a vendor, select a vendor that has the experience with the capability to evaluate and implement long-term solutions.

STEM: Most importantly readers should consider how a company that promotes infusion therapy sales and service positions themselves, an ISO should always have the customer’s needs at hand, that is what sets them apart from the big box OEM. My opinion is that the customer experience always comes first and catering to a customer is not found across all providers on the market.

TALTAVULL: Have a good partner. Whether it’s the OEM or a third-party vendor, use someone you trust to handle the work that you need to send out of your biomed shop. Being on a first-name basis with your service provider enables both of you to understand and anticipate the needs of your facility together.

Q: What are the most important things to look for in a reputable third-party infusion therapy provider?

PEREZ: The most important things to look for in a third-party provider are communication, service, turnaround time and price – but always remember, “You get what you pay for!”

SMITH: We believe to be considered as a provider in the marketplace, a vendor should have the knowledge and experience base to provide solutions and products that have been thoroughly tested and can meet the demands of the environment. The vendor should be able to demonstrate these capabilities and provide documentation to support the due diligence during development of the product being offered.

STEM: The most important things to look for are warranty, liability insurance coverage, in the event it’s needed, and references. My opinion is that the ultimate compliment comes in the form of a customer referral. Reliable customer service should be at the heart of any reputable third-party infusion therapy provider.

TALTAVULL: Quality and longevity. Chances are a company that has been around for 30-plus years is doing things right when it comes to your biomedical needs. You should also see what others are saying about third-party vendors through your local biomed/HTM organizations.

Q: How is the growth of the home health care market impacting the sales and service of infusion therapy devices?

PEREZ: Sales are probably great, but home health care and smaller medical clinics tend to not have their equipment serviced and maintained properly. At least that is what we have seen. We try to let administrators and/or maintenance supervisors know their equipment needs preventive maintenance or, at least, an electrical safety test to make sure equipment is safe to use on a patient.

SMITH: The additional growth has been extremely positive. We are evaluating and incorporating these products in our product portfolio.

STEM: Impacts include, pharmacies renting long-term to fill orders while avoiding capital shrinkage. Spikes in homecare use after flu-season mean supplies go on backorder so planning is essential in keeping customers satisfied. Requests for new technology is very high right now with pharmacies looking to upgrade so they can market to their consumer base that they are current; this also means addressing education at the visiting nurse level and overnight troubleshooting calls to service providers.

TALTAVULL: Advancements in infusion technologies allow more infusion processes to be done outside of the traditional acute care setting. With more home health infusion available, we are seeing increased growth in this market.

Q: How can purchasers ensure they are making a wise investment in infusion therapy devices? How can they ensure they will receive the necessary literature and training tools?

PEREZ: They should compare and try the units first. They should get the biomed’s opinion, too. On any equipment purchase always ask to include an extended warranty, in-service training for staff and service technicians, operator manuals, service manuals for service technicians to use for any service needed and one or two biomed service training schools with all expenses paid.

SMITH: We are constantly incorporating new tools, training and processes to assist customers in cost-effective, long-term solutions. The goal is to provide a long-term solution and minimize recurring repairs thus reducing device down-time, cost and labor. We are constantly reviewing and acquiring available literature for these products, attending training programs and can provide these to customers for product support.

STEM: Purchasers should always inquire about the warranty that comes with the equipment they are buying. It should be matched to that of the OEM as well as inquire on what standards of testing prior to shipment the equipment receives. All equipment should be tested in accordance with OEM specifications with PM paperwork included in each shipment. Training tools and literature should be easy to access either by way of the seller’s website or come furnished at the point of sale.

TALTAVULL: Having the knowledge to purchase exactly what you need is always a benefit. When looking into infusion devices, take into consideration your needs and how long the pumps have been on the market. For older units, does the OEM still support them? If not, is there a third-party that still provides parts and services to keep them running?

Q: What else would you like to add or do you think is important for biomeds to know about infusion therapy devices?

PEREZ: Old pumps are almost gone and new smart pumps are here! Biomed/service technicians will need to be trained on how to maintain/operate them, connect to network, troubleshoot them, repair them and keep maintenance/repair reports on file.

SMITH: When selecting a vendor, analyze the total cost and make the selection based on the provider that can provide a long-term, high-quality, cost-effective solution.

STEM: Provided parts are available, both new and end-of-life infusion equipment can be maintained at a cost effective rate.

TALTAVULL: The world of infusion therapy is constantly evolving. Staying on top of the rules, regulations and technologies is essential to keeping infusion therapy safe for patients. Taking advantage of trade shows and meetings that offer CE credits is a great way to keep you on top of the latest industry news and technologies. Subscribing to the many blogs and industry newsletters that are available is also a great way to get the latest information delivered right to your inbox.

This article was originally posted on TechNation.