Implant Connect(SM) Launched through Collaboration between MedicAlert Foundation and Champion Medical Technologies

WASHINGTON, May 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- MedicAlert® Implant Connect(SM), a new service which aims to improve the safety of patients with implanted medical devices by creating a safe and secure system to store and link each patient to vital information about their implanted device, launched today at the National Patient Safety Foundation’s Patient Safety Congress. Implant Connect(SM) is a combined effort of MedicAlert Foundation and Champion Medical Technologies. The service empowers patients and improves patient safety while complementing the FDA’s Unique Device Identification (UDI) initiative.

MedicAlert Implant Connect(SM) enables patients to enroll in the registry service so that their medical device information is always available when needed most. Combined with MedicAlert Foundation’s live 24/7 emergency response service, which provides realtime access to patient medical information, Implant Connect(SM) will help to improve patient care in multiple scenarios, including medical emergencies and revision surgery. Equally important, it will provide peace of mind to patients and their families by ensuring key information on their implanted device(s) is readily available. In addition, this solution is designed to solve a continuing problem for patients, providers, and device manufacturers on how to effectively track patients and their devices when there is a medical device product recall or some other critical issue related to an implanted device. In medical emergencies, Implant Connect(SM) will improve patient safety by ensuring timely information on the nature and type of device is readily available to first responders and emergency department staff for use in treatment decisions.

The corporate mission of Champion Medical Technologies (CMT), which provides UDITracker® software, is to help hospitals manage and track all implantable devices. “CMT had been searching for a partner to assist in fulfilling our mission of improving visibility of medical devices from manufacturer to patient. MedicAlert Foundation was the perfect fit to close the gap between the hospital and patient with their history of addressing patient safety,” said Peter I. Casady, President and CEO of Champion Medical Technologies.

“We continually seek innovative ways to empower patients to help improve their care and our joint effort with Champion Medical Technologies brings a new level of safety to patients with implanted devices,” said Andrew B. Wigglesworth, President & CEO of MedicAlert Foundation.

About MedicAlert Foundation

Established in 1956, MedicAlert Foundation pioneered the use of medical IDs and systems to relay vital medical information to emergency responders on behalf of its members so they receive faster and safer treatment. Today, MedicAlert provides the functionality of an ehealth information exchange through an innovative combination of a unique patient identifier linked to an emergency medical information record and a live 24/7 emergency response service. MedicAlert medical IDs alert emergency personnel to a member’s primary health conditions, medications, and/or implanted medical devices. In addition to its live 24/7 emergency response service, MedicAlert Foundation also provides family and caregiver notification so that members can be reunited with their loved ones. MedicAlert services are available around the world through a network of international nonprofit affiliated organizations licensed by the Foundation. Learn more at www.medicalert.org.

About Champion Medical Technologies

Champion Medical Technologies is an applied information technology company dedicated to revolutionizing how the medical industry tracks valuable inventory. Champion Medical Technologies has over 25 years of software design and development experience in healthcare and 20 years of experience in tissue graft and medical device storage, distribution, and tracking. Their programs, including GraftTracker® (tissue tracking software) and UDITracker® (implant tracking software), were specifically designed to help hospitals manage their growing inventory of expensive medical devices while improving patient safety and ensuring Joint Commission and FDA compliance. For example, medical device recall investigations now take seconds rather than days or weeks. These programs allow hospitals to convert from handwritten implant log books to an automated system. Revolutionizing How The Medical Industry Tracks Valuable Inventory. Learn more at www.championmt.com.

SOURCE MedicAlert Foundation