Hospira launches new LifeCare PCA EMR-linked infusion pump

Hospira said yesterday it is launching the LifeCare PCA 7.0 patient-controlled analgesia infusion pump designed for patient pain management.

The company is touting the device as the 1st-PCA infusion pump to offer electronic medical record integration through the use of inegrated bar code identification of prefilled of pharmacy-filled drug vials.

“Hospira is proud to deliver the first PCA smart pump that can integrate directly with the EMR. With the new integration capabilities and enhanced cybersecurity features, the clearance of LifeCare PCA 7.0 ushers in a new phase in IV-EMR connectivity and pain management therapy. It also underscores Hospira’s leadership in delivering technology to meet the evolving needs of health care providers in medication error prevention and clinician efficiency,” Hospira U.S. infusion systems prez Julie Montgomery said in a prepared statement.

The company said the integrated bar code identification will help reduce the potential for drug and concentration errors. Medication errors affect 1.5 million people and cost $21 billion annually, Hospira said.

“It also enables improvement in the safety of administering high-risk narcotics. Improvements in the safety and efficacy of pain management have become a critical issue for institutions across the country. Integrating the LifeCare PCA 7.0 to the EMR increases transparency for clinicians, especially when changing patients from intravenous to oral medications,” Lancaster General Health chief quality and medical information officer Dr. Michael Ripchinski said in a press release.

The LifeCare PCA 7.0 pump comes with hospital-configured device passwords and enhanced customer network security settings, automatic detection and closure of unused network comm ports and updated communication technology eliminating root access to the pump.

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