New Study Shows ICU Medical's SwabCap® Reduced Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections and Blood Culture Contamination, Corresponding To $3.2 Million Annual Savings

In commenting on the peer-reviewed study by clinicians at New York City's Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, an editor for the New England Journal of Medicine noted that use of these devices could "markedly outweigh the added cost" in most institutions.

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ICU Medical, Inc.

Jan 13, 2016, 08:00 ET

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., Jan. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ICU Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: ICUI) today announced that a new study published in the December 2015 issue of the peer-reviewed journal Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology showed that the company's SwabCap® disinfecting cap for needlefree connectors reduced central line–associated bloodstream infections (HA-CLABSI) and blood culture contamination (BCC) among hematology-oncology patients.¹ The study by clinicians at New York City's Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center found that the reduction in HA-CLABSI and BCC using of SwabCap "corresponded to an annual savings of $3.2 million in direct medical costs."

Memorial Sloan Kettering's Mini Kamboj, MD, et al conducted a multiphase prospective study with two preintervention phases in which use of the SwabCap disinfecting cap resulted in a 34% decrease in hospital-wide HA-CLABSI rates and a 63% and 51% reduction in BCCs in high-risk units and general oncology units respectively. Based on their study findings with the SwabCap product, researchers concluded that the use of the product was "a practical and low-cost intervention for catheter care."

"Our study provides evidence on the efficacy of disinfection caps in reducing HA-CLABSI rates among high-risk cancer patients and promotes a hospital-wide reduction in contamination among blood cultures," the researchers said. "Because of the improved clinical outcomes and substantial cost savings associated with use of CVC disinfection caps, we recommend routine use of this device in hematology–oncology practices."

In commenting on the study in the January 8, 2016 New England Journal of Medicine Journal Watch, deputy editor Richard T. Ellison III, MD said that "the use of these devices appears to carry no apparent risk, and the cost savings in reducing the rates of CLABSIs and contaminated blood cultures could markedly outweigh the added cost of these devices in most institutions."²

ICU Medical acquired the Excelsior Medical SwabCap disinfecting cap from RoundTable Health Partners in October 2015 as a complement to its complete line of needlefree IV connectors and specialty infusion products.

"ICU Medical has always been deeply focused on safety for both the patient and the clinician in the infusion therapy category. The SwabCap used in conjunction with our Clave^® family of needlefree connectors, offers a best in class solution for clinicians," said Alison Burcar, Vice President and General Manager of ICU Medical's Infusion Systems Division.

¹ Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2015;36(12) :1401–1408
² http://www.jwatch.org/na40059/2016/01/08/how-effective-are-iv-catheter-disinfection-caps

Contact: Tom McCall
949-366-4368
[email protected]

About ICU Medical, Inc.: ICU Medical, Inc. develops, manufactures and sells innovative medical devices used in vascular therapy, oncology and critical care applications. ICU Medical's products improve patient outcomes by helping prevent bloodstream infections and protecting healthcare workers from exposure to infectious diseases or hazardous drugs. The company's complete product line includes custom IV systems, closed delivery systems for hazardous drugs, needlefree IV connectors, catheters and cardiac monitoring systems. ICU Medical is headquartered in San Clemente, California. More information about ICU Medical, Inc. can be found at www.icumed.com.

SOURCE ICU Medical, Inc.