Covidien gets FDA approval for RFID-oriented system
08 May, 2008
category: RFID
Covidien, provider of a range of health care products and technology, has won FDA approval for their contrast delivery system with RFID technology. The system uses RFID applications to enhance patient safety by reducing the risk of medical errors in radiology departments.
Covidien’s design combines its Optivantage DH power injectors with its unit-dose Ultraject prefilled contrast media syringes, which are labeled with RFID tags. The system creates an intelligent interface between the syringe and the power injector, enabling the injector to physically alter the RFID label on a syringe once it is used. This greatly reduces the chance of life-threatening air injections or air embolisms because the system automatically prevents the injection of contents from a previously used RFID-labeled syringe. The system also detects if the drug in an RFID-labeled syringe is past its expiration date.
In addition, the Covidien system automatically transfers drug and achieved exam protocol information onto a printed label for the patient record, reducing the need for manual data entry and improving efficiency and accuracy.
“Risk reduction is one of the key challenges facing the radiology community,” said Steve Hanley, president of the Covidien Imaging Solutions division. “Our new delivery system underscores Covidien’s commitment to helping our customers address safety-related concerns.”