Verathon® is pleased to offer a free Infection Prevention Information Kit designed to help hospitals implement strategies to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CA-UTIs). As of October 1, 2008, Medicare no longer will reimburse for treatment of preventable nosocomial CA-UTIs.1 This important regulatory change means hospitals may face significant cost increases based on reduced reimbursements for CA-UTIs contracted during a hospital stay.
Infection control and prevention is an increasing concern in healthcare settings — and UTIs are the most common hospital-acquired infection.2, 3 In 2002, the CDC estimated that UTIs accounted for 36% of all nosocomial infections. That year, more than 13,000 deaths were attributed to hospital-acquired UTIs.4 Up to 25% of hospitalized patients have a urinary catheter placed during their stay. The use of indwelling urinary catheters accounts for 80% of nosocomial UTIs. 2, 5 According to a study in the American Journal of Medicine, the annual cost of UTIs in hospitals may be as much as $451 million.6.
The Infection Prevention Information Kit includes the following clinical articles:
- Preventing Hospital-Acquired Urinary Tract Infection in the United States: A National Study, Dr. Sanjay Saint, et al, Clinical Infectious Disease, January 2008.
- Federal Register, Changes in Reimbursement for catheter-induced UTIs.
- Nonpayment for Harms Resulting from Medical Care: Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections, Dr. Heidi Wald and Dr. Andrew Kramer, JAMA, December 19, 2007.
- Lax Catheter Policies Seen At Many Hospitals, Eric Nagourney, New York Times.
- Bladder Ultrasound–Avoiding Unnecessary Catheterizations, Elizabeth Stevens, RN, MEDSURG Nursing, August 2005.
About Verathon Inc.
Verathon®, formerly Diagnostic Ultrasound Corp., designs and manufactures reliable, state-ofthe-art medical devices and services that offer a meaningful improvement in patient care to the health care community. The company’s noninvasive BladderScan® instrument is the standard of care for bladder volume measurement. The brand is found in over 60 countries in Urology and Primary Care practices, as well as Acute and Extended Care facilities. With the January 2006 acquisition of Saturn Biomedical Systems in Vancouver, Canada, Verathon® entered Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Emergency markets with the GlideScope® Video Laryngoscope (GVL®) brand. Verathon® is headquartered in Bothell, Washington and has over
350 employees worldwide. For more information, please visit www.verathon.com.
Media Contact: Rick Goetter, Brand Director – BladderScan®, Verathon Medical®,
425.867.1348 (Ext. 5608). Alternate Contacts: Jane Mueller, VP of Marketing, 425.867.1348
(Ext. 5600) and Nansea Carmichael, Executive Assistant – Marketing, 425.867.1348 (Ext. 5607).