DERBY, Conn. and SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Planetree, Inc., a mission-based not-for-profit organization that partners with healthcare organizations around the world, and Velano Vascular, a medical technology company transforming and enhancing the care experience for hospitalized patients and their care givers, announced today that they have signed an agreement to define and establish a more patient-centered standard of care for one of the most common procedures in medicine – the inpatient blood draw.
“Working with innovators such as Velano Vascular that have developed technologies solving very real patient and healthcare challenges helps us achieve our ‘Triple Aim’ of identifying ways to provide better care and better health outcomes at lower cost,” said Susan Frampton, Ph.D., Planetree president. “We are excited to join Velano Vascular on its journey to enhance the way inpatient care is delivered, benefiting medical professionals and their patients while improving upon an age-old medical practice.”
Planetree has helped healthcare organizations around the world transform how they deliver healthcare by providing a strategic, structured pathway for creating truly patient-centered care. With a goal of radically improving the healthcare experience for patients and staff alike, Planetree is always seeking new and innovative ways to enhance the delivery of care.
Through the partnership, Planetree and Velano Vascular are developing immediate and measurable approaches for facilitating clinical use and adoption of Velano Vascular’s novel blood-draw technology. The Velano device is designed to reduce unnecessary pain and anxiety for patients receiving medications and hydration via intravenous (IV) delivery, while providing a safer work environment for healthcare providers conducting blood draws. Together, Planetree and Velano Vascular are developing a “Patient-Centered Care Plan” which is designed to accompany adoption of the Velano Vascular medical technology in hospitals around the world.
“Planetree is a recognized, global leader in establishing and cultivating patient-centered care environments, and they represent the ideal partner to help our company and our hospital customers integrate novel technologies and approaches into the inpatient environment,” said Eric M. Stone, co-founder and CEO of Velano Vascular.
In the United States alone, hospital inpatients experience needle sticks (clinically known as venipunctures) approximately 350 million times annually. Research conducted by Velano Vascular suggests that one out of every three of the 36 million Americans hospitalized every year receives two or more blood draws daily, with a significant subset of these inpatients receiving as many as three blood draws or greater - with additional needle sticks typically required to access a vein.
“Every day, traditional, inpatient blood draws create significant pain and fear for countless patients – including children and the elderly,” said Barbara Stumpo, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer of Griffin Hospital, Planetree’s flagship hospital. “Changing this practice would eliminate a major source of patient anxiety and dissatisfaction, allowing patients to focus on getting well.”
Velano Vascular and Planetree staff will share initial outcomes from their collaboration next month at the Planetree International Conference on Patient-Centered Care in Boston, Mass. (October 11-14), including results from a pilot conducted at one of Planetree’s signature hospital members.
About Planetree
Planetree is uniquely positioned to represent the patient voice and advance how professional caregivers engage with patients and families. Its dedication to the widespread adoption of patient centered care is supported by a structured process that enables sustainable change. Planetree is a not-for-profit organization that supports an alliance of more than 500 healthcare organizations (including acute care hospitals, long term care communities and ambulatory care centers) located across the United States and 15 foreign countries that are committed to patient empowerment, improving the patient experience, and the delivery of patient centered care.
Velano Vascular
Velano Vascular technologies transform patient care by enhancing the blood-draw experience during hospitalization. The company’s innovative medical technologies aim to reduce the pain and discomfort associated with these procedures for patients while improving provider safety and efficiency. Founded by a patient advocate and a physician, Velano Vascular is backed by First Round Capital, Kapor Capital, Safeguard Scientifics, White Owl Capital, Griffin Hospital, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and several health-industry veterans. Velano Vascular’s clinical collaborators include several of the leading hospital systems in the United States. More information is available at www.velanovascular.com
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