3M and Sage Products Announce Unique Infection Prevention Offering

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3M’s Infection Prevention Division and Sage Products are working together to offer surgical staff and patients a new preoperative prepping kit to help address surgical site infection (SSI) risk within three main reservoirs of bacteria in the body:  the nares, the oral cavity and the skin.

Each reservoir creates a need for a systematic intervention which may help reduce the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI). Patient flora is the leading cause of SSIs which result in as many as 3.7 million additional hospitalization days and an annual overall cost of 1.6 billion in the United States.1,2 In an attempt to decrease infection trends and costs, Medicare’s reimbursement structure will be based on a pay-for-performance philosophy beginning in 2013.  Facilities will be required to demonstrate a reduction in healthcare-acquired infections (HAI), under which SSIs are categorized, in order to receive full payment.

The Nose to Toes™ kit is a new system designed to reduce bacteria on the patient’s skin and in the oral cavity. This antiseptic solution does not impact a facility’s antibiotic stewardship program. The kit includes these three products:

  • 3M™ Skin and Nasal Antiseptic (Povidone-Iodine Solution 5% w/w [0.5% available iodine] USP) Patient Preoperative Skin Preparation— reduces bacterial counts in the nares in one hour and maintains this reduction for at least 12 hours.3
  • 3M™ Peridex (Chlorhexidine Gluconate 0.12%) Oral Rinse and Sage® Ultra-soft Toothbrush —provides antimicrobial activity during oral rinsing.
  • Sage® 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate Cloths — Patient Preoperative Skin Preparation – contains 500mg of rinse-free 2% CHG solution per cloth for rapid, broad spectrum skin antisepsis with persistent activity.

Packaged together, this comprehensive kit helps clinicians and staff control the process for preoperative prepping, eliminating patient non-compliance in these areas.

“This simple intervention is easily and quickly applied in the preoperative environment. Reducing the patient’s skin flora before they enter the operating room promotes positive patient outcomes,” said Scott Brown, president and COO of Sage Products.

The Nose to Toes™ kit is exclusively available for sale from Sage Products.

About 3M Infection Prevention
3M Infection Prevention Division is truly on a mission to provide health care professionals with solutions to minimize the risk of healthcare-associated infections. Combining science and technology, 3M’s distinct technology platforms and comprehensive portfolio of quality products help the healthcare industry define and address current infection prevention best practices. With its systems of people, products and processes, 3M Infection Prevention is committed to helping customers lead the way in controlling the risk of infection, improving patient outcomes, and managing their bottom lines. Learn more at www.3m.com/infectionprevention.

About 3M Health Care
3M Health Care offers solutions in the medical, oral care, drug delivery, food safety and health information markets. We have an unparalleled ability to connect people, insights, science and technology to think beyond today, solve problems, and make better health possible. Our culture of collaboration empowers us to discover and deliver practical, proven solutions that enable our customers to protect and improve the health of people around the world. Learn more at 3M Health Care.

About Sage Products Inc.
Since 1971, Sage Products has developed disposable healthcare products trusted by leading healthcare facilities worldwide. The company has a core belief in prevention—that evidence-based interventions improve outcomes. Sage is pioneering Interventional Patient Hygiene (IPH) with industry-leading brands including Toothette® oral care, Sage® 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate Cloths forpatient preoperative skin preparation, Comfort Bath® prepackaged bathing, Comfort Shield® Barrier Cream Cloths all-in-one incontinence care, Prevalon® pressure-relieving heel protection and Prevalon® Turn and Position System. The company’s goal is to help improve patient safety and outcomes by preventing skin breakdown, healthcare-associated pneumonias, surgical site infections and other adverse nosocomial events. For more information about Sage Products, visit www.sageproducts.com.