A syringe pump that saves you money
Ending your high-priced pump woes
A nickel saved here and a dime saved there adds up in the course of a year. And all those nickels and dimes could be the difference between being profitable or becoming another casualty of the cost-savings move sweeping the health care industry.
Ken Foerster, RPh, vice president of clinical services for Ultra Care Home Medical in Chicago, has found a way to save not just change, but dollars, on every visit. His secret? The Freedom 60 Syringe Infusion System from Repro-Med Systems of Chester, NY.
"We started using the pump in December of 1997," says Foerster. "We saw our managed care contracts dramatically squeezing our margins. So our staff began researching our options, and we decided to go with IV push to administer IV medications. We did cost studies and looked at safety, efficacy, and the number of drugs that could be administered with IV push via syringe pump."
Once Ultra Care decided to go to IV push, it found the Freedom 60 was a perfect fit for its antibiotic patients.
"Cost was one of the original factors, because we had to make money in a managed care world," says Foerster of his decision to use the Freedom 60. (When Foerster bought the pumps more than a year ago, the cost was $45 each. Now, however, the price has increased to $65.)
The savings have been tremendous. "We’re saving about $4 per dose," says Foerster. With Ultra Care’s average antibiotic patient staying on service for 21 days, if patients average two infusions per day, Ultra Care saves $8 per day per applicable patient.
Foerster points out that the pump is well worth its price. First, the Freedom 60 is anything but complex.
"It is a simple pump to operate," says Foerster. "We provided pharmacy and nursing staff with training and an inservice. In January during our annual nursing skills check, they were tested on the pump with a written test and return demonstrations. Adequate training is important to give staff the skills and confidence."
Patients like speed, ease of use
But lower cost and a simple pump for staff are not the only benefits.
"Another benefit has been that the patients really like it," says Foerster. "The infusion can go a little faster [than gravity systems] and it’s easy to use, so that was a value-added benefit."
He adds that he has had no problems since purchasing the pumps a year ago.
"The pumps are very durable," he says. "They take the standard abuse of being cleaned or dropped. We have not had one mechanical problem."
Foerster says the Freedom 60 is a good choice for any home infusion provider like his, doing 40% to 50% or more of business in antibiotics.
The pump comes with an unconditional two-year warranty, does not require batteries or electricity to run, and is FDA approved. For more information on the pump, contact Repro-Med at (800) 624-9600.
You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
- Award-winning Medical Content
- Latest Advances & Development in Medicine
- Unbiased Content