Plymouth, Minn.-based Smiths Medical announces that smart pump programming of its Medfusion 4000 wireless syringe infusion pump is live with HCA’s electronic medical records system (EMR) at nine HCA Capital Hospitals. These sites include: Chippenham, Johnston-Willis, Henrico Doctors—Forest, Montgomery, Portsmouth, Reston, Spotsylvania, StoneSprings, and Terre Haute. Combined, they have successfully programmed more than 1,500 infusions. HCA continues to optimize integration through people, process, and technology.

Smart pump programming allows clinician order parameters to be sent directly to the pump that will help ensure that the correct medication, concentration, rate, and dose be delivered to the patient. This will increase patient safety by reducing possible programming errors.

Moreover, smart pump programming is supported by Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE), an initiative by healthcare professionals and industry to improve the way computer systems in healthcare share information. IHE promotes the coordinated use of established standards such as DICOM and HL7 to address specific clinical needs in support of optimal patient care. Systems developed in accordance with IHE communicate with one another better, are easier to implement, and enable care providers to use information more effectively.