- Barcode point-of-care system adds support for equivalent doses, automatic drug updates -
SAN DIEGO, March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- IntelliDOT Corporation, a leading provider of wireless, handheld barcode point-of-care (BPOC) solutions to hospitals, today announced that it will present information about its industry-leading NDC matching capability at HIMSS 2009 Annual Conference & Exhibition in booth 1476.
The new NDC matching capability, released in version 2.6 of the IntelliDOT System, takes advantage of IntelliDOT’s industry-leading medication database, which allows the system to store multiple brands of the same medication. Unlike other BPOC systems that rely on matching a single, brand-specific NDC code to a medication order, the IntelliDOT System database can store multiple NDCs and barcodes for different manufacturers of the same medication (e.g. - ibuprofen or brand-name versions such as Advil and Motrin). The IntelliDOT System accurately links the correct NDC number for each dose scanned at bedside and automatically sends it to the hospital’s billing system. By assuring accurate NDC matches for all medications administered in outpatient areas, the IntelliDOT System enables hospitals to meet the billing requirements of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and prevent lost revenue due to inaccuracies.
The IntelliDOT System is a best-of-breed wireless, workflow manager that connects caregivers with the information systems they need at the point-of-care. Designed by nurses for nurses, the IntelliDOT System enables clinicians to perform safety checks and safely administer and document medications at the bedside using a lightweight, handheld device. The IntelliDOT System satisfies Joint Commission standards for patient identification and assures accuracy by verifying the five rights of medication administration: right medication, right dose, right route, right patient, right time; as well as ensuring required follow-up documentation, such as pain scale, is performed in a timely manner and accurately recorded.
NDC problems can jeopardize patient safety
BPOC systems that do not accurately support multiple NDCs and barcodes from all brands used in the pharmacy can cause mismatches during bedside scanning. This can result in work interruptions or workarounds that can erode patient safety. To overcome these scanning problems, some BPOC software systems allow nurses to select a patient ID number from a list in the software instead of scanning the specific medication. Since no scanning is required, the nurse can complete the medication check on a computer outside the patient’s room without confirming that it is the right medication and dose, defeating the patient safety benefits of BPOC.
IntelliDOT’s approach assures a successful scan regardless of medication brand. As a result, the system does not need alternative methods of selecting drugs at bedside.
“IntelliDOT is committed to eliminating roadblocks to patient safety by addressing common scanning problems that can occur at the bedside,” said David Swenson, Chief Clinical Officer at IntelliDOT Corporation. “By providing a solution that adequately addresses bedside issues such as NDC mismatching and generic equivalents, we help ensure that caregivers will use the system as intended - without workarounds. The latest advancements in version 2.6 take the system to a new level, and in turn, help hospitals achieve safer medication administration - all the way from the pharmacy to the bedside.”
Version 2.6 adds equivalent doses support
Another new function in IntelliDOT System version 2.6 is Medication Equivalent Dose Support. This feature provides flexibility that nurses sometimes need during medication administration. During setup, pharmacists build groups of the same medication in varying doses. When nurses are faced with an urgent medication order and the ordered strength is not available, this feature allows the nurse to scan two or more dosage amounts of the same medication to satisfy an order. For example, if the strength of a prescribed medication is 40 mg, this new feature allows the nurse to scan either two 20 mg tablets or one 40 mg tablet to satisfy the order without receiving a wrong medication alert.
In providing this flexibility, IntelliDOT’s handheld device does not compromise patient safety. The amount of each medication is checked to assure the total dose is satisfied exactly and not exceeded or under-dispensed. This feature also accommodates range orders, commonly used for narcotic analgesics, allowing the nurse to select from the smallest necessary cartridge size required to satisfy the order. This avoids the need to dispense large dosage sizes of controlled drugs when only a small amount is needed.
“This is a very nice feature that will lead to greater efficiencies between the pharmacy and nursing,” said Marc Rafferty, Pharmacy Informatics Coordinator at the 144-bed Jane Phillips Medical Center, Bartlesville, Okla. “This enhancement is completely configurable and is one more example of how IntelliDOT develops features that can be customized to each end user.”
Easy Check provides automatic clinical drug updates
IntelliDOT’s Easy Check feature is enhanced in version 2.6. Easy Check helps pharmacists stay up-to-date with continually changing drug information, such as NDC codes, by providing an automated update to the hospital’s IntelliDOT formulary. Easy Check’s NDC auditor and look-up feature automatically identifies outdated and missing NDC codes in the database, identifies valid replacements, and then emails a designated pharmacist to inform them of the pending changes. Once approved by the pharmacist, Easy Check automatically updates the database with the new information.
“Easy Check provides the pharmacy with a more efficient mechanism for maintaining our formularies within IntelliDOT,” said Rafferty. “This is another tool for the pharmacist to do that more efficiently and effectively.”
About IntelliDOT(R) Corporation
IntelliDOT is a leading provider of wireless, handheld, barcode point-of-care (BPOC) solutions that connect to any healthcare information system to improve patient safety and nurse workflow. When using the IntelliDOT system, nurses can easily manage all tasks associated with five-rights medication administration safety checks and related documentation. Additional system modules that run on the same handheld device include: IntelliDOT Phlebotomy Specimen Collection(TM), IntelliDOT Blood Product Administration(TM), IntelliDOT Mother-Baby Breast Milk Matching(TM), and IntelliDOT Vital Signs Collection(TM). IntelliDOT was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in San Diego. More information can be found at www.intellidotcorp.com.
Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with market acceptance of the CAREt System, whether the company will be successful in raising additional funds, the risk that sales of the CAREt System will not increase to target levels, and the effectiveness and marketability of healthcare information technologies, as well as other risks.
IntelliDOT and CAREt are registered trademarks of IntelliDOT Corporation. Other product and company names in this news release are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
CONTACT: Michael E. Donner, VP Marketing and Inside Sales of IntelliDOT
Corporation, +1-858-746-3104, mdonner@intellidotcorp.com
Web site: http://www.intellidotcorp.com/
