DUBLIN, Ohio, April 16, 2009 – Cardinal Health, a global provider of products and services that improve the safety and productivity of health care, today launched a new application to improve infant safety in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) through positive verification of a mother-to-child match for breast milk given in the newborn nursery setting.
Infants in the NICU have an added complication of not being able to breast feed directly from the mother, so they receive breast milk through other means. When breast milk is stored and then given to infants at specified times, there is potential for a mismatch error where an infant could receive the wrong breast milk. Because breast milk can contain bacteria and viruses, administration of the wrong mother’s milk can create potentially fatal consequences because of infants’ premature immune systems.
Pyxis® Infant Care Verification identifies and tracks breast milk in the hospital setting to help increase positive patient identification and patient safety. By using barcode verification technology, clinicians scan labels on the breast milk packaging and ensure a match to the infant’s barcoded identification. In addition to verifying a mother-to-child match, the system also tracks breast milk inventory and expiration dates for improved patient safety.
The new Pyxis® Infant Care Verification application is part of the company’s suite of positive patient identification applications, where hospitals can use one system to verify medication administration, lab specimen collection, blood transfusions and collect patient vital signs.
Cardinal Health unveiled the new product at the 42nd Annual Meeting and Exposition of the American Organization of Nurse Executives being held April 15-19 in San Antonio, Texas.
About Cardinal Health
Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a $91 billion, global company serving the health care industry with products and services that help hospitals, physician offices and pharmacies reduce costs, improve safety, productivity and profitability, and deliver better care to patients. With a focus on making supply chains more efficient, reducing hospital-acquired infections and breaking the cycle of harmful medication errors, Cardinal Health develops market-leading technologies, including Alaris® IV pumps, Pyxis® automated dispensing and patient identification systems, MedMined™ electronic infection surveillance service and VIASYS® respiratory care products. The company also manufactures medical and surgical products and is one of the largest distributors of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies worldwide. Ranked No. 19 on the Fortune 500, Cardinal Health employs more than 40,000 people on five continents. More information about the company may be found at cardinalhealth.com.
