Welch Allyn EcoCuff Helps Hospitals Control Cross-Contamination, Costs and Environmental Impact
Welch Allyn, a leading medical diagnostic device company that specializes in helping clinicians improve patient outcomes, has launched its new FlexiPort® EcoCuff™ single-patient-use blood pressure cuff. As hospitals continue to fight the never-ending battles against both cross-contamination and rising costs, EcoCuff provides a solution for both issues while also having less environmental impact than other disposable blood pressure cuffs.
The EcoCuff is designed to remain with one patient for the duration of the hospital stay and then be disposed of upon release. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the use of such patient-dedicated products to help reduce cross-contamination. As part of the FlexiPort line of disposable blood pressure cuffs, EcoCuff utilizes the FlexiPort single-point connection standardization system, allowing the EcoCuff to follow the patient into virtually every room and connect to nearly every device in the hospital.
Lowering the risk of cross-contamination may help hospitals avoid the estimated $5 billion that hospital-acquired infections cost U.S. hospitals each year. In addition, EcoCuff costs less than other disposable cuffs because it is manufactured using less material. It weighs 60 percent less than other disposable blood pressure cuffs, reducing transport and waste disposal costs for hospitals.
The lightweight EcoCuff is made of 100 percent polypropylene and does not contain BPA, DEHP, Latex, PVC or other materials that can leach into the environment in a landfill or release harmful chemicals when incinerated. EcoCuff is capable of being recycled in areas where polypropylene recycling is available. Although the practice is not yet widespread, a number of hospitals have implemented the practice of recycling medical-use polypropylene plastics. A lifecycle analysis by the Center for Sustainable Production at the Rochester Institute of Technology found that EcoCuff has 60 percent less overall environmental impact than other disposable blood pressure cuffs.
“EcoCuff improves the single-patient-use model, which is sometimes expensive and difficult for hospitals to implement,” said Sean Karla, global category manager at Welch Allyn. “EcoCuff is the first disposable cuff on the market that brings together cross-contamination control, cost containment and environmental impact. It’s an exciting product that rounds out Welch Allyn’s line of disposable cuffs.”
EcoCuff is available in four sizes and features a unique slot-fitting system that makes sure each patient receives the properly sized cuff. EcoCuff meets all the latest clinical standards and guidelines from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and the American Heart Association (AHA).
Welch Allyn will officially unveil EcoCuff at both CleanMed 2013, held April 24–26 in Boston, and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition, also in Boston, from May 20–23. The company has made the product available for trial and purchase and will be providing additional feedback at the shows from hospitals that have used the cuff.
About Welch Allyn
Welch Allyn is a leading global healthcare company that offers a complete range of digital and connected diagnostic solutions that help reduce risk and enhance workflow in a variety of clinical settings. Founded in 1915 and headquartered in Skaneateles Falls, N.Y. (USA), Welch Allyn is a family-owned business that employs nearly 2,700 employees in 26 different countries. The company specializes in helping doctors, nurses and other frontline practitioners across the globe enhance care by developing innovative products, breakthrough technologies and cutting-edge solutions that improve patient outcomes, safety and satisfaction. More information about Welch Allyn and its complete line of connected products and solutions may be found at www.welchallyn.com.