| Respironics to Break Ground for New Facility Respironics, Pittsburgh, plans to build a corporate services facility in Murrysville, Pa, in the spring of 2001. The facility will be adjacent to the company’s home care division headquarters at Murry Ridge Corporate Center. The two-story, 55,000-sq-ft building will house the corporate services group that supports the company’s four divisions: home care, hospital, asthma and allergy, and international. Corporate services include human resources, information technology, administration, customer satisfaction, quality assurance, marketing communications, finance and accounting, legal, and reimbursement services. “The design of the new facility will complement our corporate culture and create synergies between the corporate services group and the divisions they serve,” says Jim Liken, Respironics president and CEO. “This will ultimately allow us to improve the way we serve our customers.” (800) 345-6443; www.respironics.com.
WTW Architect’s design features a skylit atrium, |
QRS Releases USB Electrocardiograph
QRS Diagnostic, Plymouth, Minn, unveiled its USB (Universal Serial Bus) electrocardiograph monitor for real-time cardiac monitoring. The palm-size device connects to the USB port on Windows®-based laptop and desktop computers and comes in 6-channel and 12-channel configurations. The 6-channel version is for remote monitoring applications, telemedicine, and home disease management programs.
“The cost savings and convenience of performing spirometry, pulse oximetry, and electrocardiography on one computer are significant,” says David Lerner, director of engineering.
In other news, the company promoted Steve Wilhelmy to director of manufacturing and quality assurance. Wilhelmy, who joined QRS in January 2000, helped launch three PC Card medical devices last year. (800) 465-8408; www.qrsdiagnostic.com.
Criner Joins Vapotherm Medical Advisory Board
Vapotherm, Annapolis, Md, appointed Gerard Criner, MD, to its medical advisory board (MAB). Criner is a professor of medicine and medical director of medical respiratory intensive care and ventilator rehabilitation units at Temple University of Medicine, Philadelphia.
“Of particular relevance to Vapotherm is [Criner’s] recent work on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and noninvasive mechanical ventilation, both areas in which we anticipate important clinical applications for the Vapotherm™ 2000i,” says Owen Bamford, MD, chairman of the Vapotherm MAB. (410) 974-9255.
ResMed Releases SleepTrack Program
With the introduction of the SleepTrack™ program, a software application that combines compliance data with efficiency and leak data to help determine whether or not patients are treated effectively, San Diego-based ResMed has added another tool to the arsenal of sleep disorder treatment professionals.
“The SleepTrack program allows doctors to get a detailed picture of how the patient is complying and how effectively the treatment is working,” says Peter Farrell, PhD, chairman and CEO of ResMed. “The program increases durable medical equipment referrals by providing technology that saves valuable time normally spent trouble-shooting and adjusting treatment.” (800) 424-0737; www.resmed.com.
Kaiser Awards Radiometer Blood Gas Contract
Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, Calif, chose Radiometer, Westlake, Ohio, as the sole source supplier of blood gas systems for its 8.1 million members. Included in the award are related supplies and accessories, blood collection products, and transcutaneous monitors. (800) 736-0600; www.radiometer.com.
Pulse Oximetry Study Finds Masimo SET Effective
A study entitled Pulse Oximetry Performance Can Affect Caregiver Time Utilization received the Best American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) award from the Society for Technology in Anesthesia. The study, presented at the ASA meeting in October, evaluated the impact of Masimo SET pulse oximetry on the frequency of oximeter malfunction and potentially wasted caregiver time.
The study’s authors, Charles G. Durbin, Jr, MD, FCCM, professor of anesthesiology at the University of Virginia, and Stephanie K. Rostow, RRT, monitored adult cardiac surgery patients in intensive care with both a Masimo SET and a conventional pulse oximeter. Their results showed a more than tenfold increase in functional time for the Masimo SET device as compared to the conventional pulse oximeter. (877) 4-MASIMO; www.masimo.com.
Monaghan Product Recognized by Alliance of Children’s Hospitals
Monaghan Medical, Plattsburgh, NY, received the Seal of Acceptance from the Alliance of Children’s Hospitals for its AeroChamber Plus™ Valved Holding Chamber family of pediatric aerosol products and the TruZone™ Peak Flow Meter. The Seal of Acceptance, which requires extensive research and evaluation by a committee comprised of health care professionals from member children’s hospitals, recognizes performance, pediatric user-friendly product features, clinical support, manufacturing capability, customer service, and market reputation.
“We are very pleased to receive the Seal of Acceptance recognition from a distinguished organization that applies a rigorous evaluation of products for their clinical effectiveness and patient compliance,” says Mitchell Baran, president and CEO.
