Nationwide Children’s Hospital Becomes First in Columbus with Continuous IV Monitoring Technology

COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Patients at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, one of America’s largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric health care systems, now have the latest enhancement for intravenous (IV) therapy with the installation of the ivWatch Model 400.

The ivWatch Model 400 is a first-of-its-kind and FDA-cleared device that continuously monitors peripheral IV sites. The device, which is being implemented in the operating room at Nationwide Children’s, provides early detection of inadvertent leakage of fluid or medication from the vein into the surrounding tissue.

“Patients receiving IV therapy during surgery can be at risk for IV complications as the IV site is often not accessible for visual and tactile assessment during the procedure,” said Scott Hensley, vice president of sales and business development at ivWatch.

When the ivWatch system detects a leakage, known as an infiltration, it alerts the medical team to inspect the IV site or supports their own evaluation that an infiltration has occurred.

“Nationwide Children’s is the first institution in Columbus and among the leading pediatric hospitals in the country to adopt ivWatch infiltration detection technology,” said Hensley. “Our goal is to provide a technology platform that offers real-time patient monitoring to support Nationwide’s commitment to delivering the highest quality care and creating the best outcomes for children.”

Approximately 80 percent¹ of hospital patients in the U.S. receive peripheral IV therapy during a visit or extended stay. A continuous monitoring solution can provide confidence to clinicians that their patients will be protected from infiltration harm. Clinical studies confirm the device has the capability of detecting these events in as little as 0.22 mL of IV fluid with average detection of an infiltration at just over 3 mL of IV fluid.²

To learn more about ivWatch, visit www.ivWatch.com.

¹Helm, R. E., Klausner, J.D., Klemperer, J.D., Flint, L.M., and Huang, E. (2015). “Accepted but Unacceptable: Peripheral IV Catheter Failure.” Journal of Infusion Nursing, 38(3), 189-203.
²ivWatch Internal Document: DR-1001024: Device Validation for Infiltrated Tissues

About Nationwide Children’s Hospital:

Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report‘s 2018-19 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric health care systems providing wellness, preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative care for infants, children and adolescents, as well as adult patients with congenital disease. Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 13,000 providing state-of-the-art pediatric care during more than 1.4 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded freestanding pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.

About ivWatch:

ivWatch, LLC is the leading medical device manufacturer and biosensor technology company focused on improving patient safety and the effectiveness of intravenous therapy. Our dedicated and passionate team is focused on our company vision of eliminating patient harm caused by infiltrations and extravasations. Through our innovative monitored IV solutions, we help minimize the risks associated with adverse IV events. Follow us on Twitter @ivWatch or Facebook @ivWatchLLC. https://www.ivwatch.com/

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