European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel
Profile of one of our Corporate Sponsors
ArjoHuntleigh
Dedicated to increasing the quality and efficiency of care … with people in mind.
ArjoHuntleigh is part of the Getinge group, a leading global medical technology company with operations in the areas of surgery, intensive care, infection control, care ergonomics and wound care.
With more than 4,400 employees, nine production sites, five international Research and Development sites and products distributed through thirty-one sales companies in more than 100 countries, our vision is for ArjoHuntleigh to be World Leader in integrated solutions for the care of people with reduced mobility and related conditions.
Our focus: understanding and meeting the needs of those directly involved in the care process:
The Patient, the Care Giver, the Healthcare Provider
Our goal is simple, to reduce the risk of avoidable injury to patients and care givers in order to deliver lower cost to the healthcare provider and improved quality of life. We aim to enhance patient care in a number of key areas by providing tailored cost-efficient and people-centred solutions.
Making everyday care routines safer and more comfortable
High quality care is delivered in order to maximise the patient's level of independence and mobility whilst minimising risk of avoidable complications such as pressure ulceration and deep vein thrombosis. Lower treatment costs and improved prevention outcomes are achieved by focussing on the importance of education, training and the provision of clinically effective equipment. This concept has been developed into a fully integrated, risk-sharing injury prevention programme managed by Diligent™ Services; a sister company.
To maintain and improve patient mobility
ArjoHuntleigh produces a wide range of medical beds and easy to use lifters designed to work synergistically in order to create a safe, ergonomic working environment.
We provide optimised solutions for all levels of mobility and a full range of bariatric equipment enabling care givers to reposition and transfer patients with minimum effort and no manual handling.
With the aim of stimulating independent and assisted mobility, quality of life can be enhanced while the risk of pressure ulceration, shear-induced tissue injury and venous thromboembolism (VTE) is reduced.
To provide secure, convenient access to showering and bathing
The ArjoHuntleigh portfolio of showering and bathing solutions provides safe, comfortable, ergonomic access for all levels of patient mobility. Access to bathing solutions enables thorough cleansing and skin inspection, both essential for pressure ulcer avoidance, while providing a safe and pleasant alternative to the traditional 'bed-bath'.
To reduce the humanitarian and economic burden of wounds
WoundASSIST® TNP therapy is a portable, easy to use, wound care solution that promotes healing by applying topical negative pressure (TNP) across the wound. TNP therapy has well documented therapeutic benefits for the management of complex wounds and healing times. The WoundASSIST® TNP system is a complete, cost-effective solution for providing negative pressure wound therapy that can easily be moved between care settings. A patient can take the compact system home to continue therapy after a hospital stay. The system can be integrated with our therapeutic surfaces in patient management programmes. For healthcare facilities, the shorter healing period associated with effective therapies can help to reduce treatment times and patient length of stay.
To reduce the incidence and enhance the treatment of pressure ulcers
ArjoHuntleigh designs and manufactures a comprehensive range of both 'active' (dynamic, alternating) and 'reactive' (constant low pressure) therapeutic mattresses and cushions for the prevention and management of pressure ulcers across all care environments. In contrast to reactive systems, our active therapy systems such as NIMBUS® and AUTO logic® mattresses are designed to maximise the potential for tissue perfusion during off-loading thus mimicking spontaneous movement or manual repositioning. These systems have been trialled in the most challenging environments; from intensive care and spinal injury where risk is highest, to home care where constant skilled nursing intervention is lacking. When put to the test, these products consistently deliver excellent clinical and cost-efficient outcomes.
Our therapy mattresses are ideally placed to assist with patient management in line with the new (2009) International Pressure Ulcer Clinical Practice Guideline with active therapy indicated for the most vulnerable patients such as those who cannot move while specialist Wound Valves on selected mattresses will comfortably provide permanent off-loading over high risk areas such as the heels without raising the leg, extending the knee or shifting the pressure to the calf. When these mattresses are paired with an advanced bed frame, such as the Enterprise® bed, the profile further reduces pressure applied to the tissue and minimises the effect of shear.
We also provide sophisticated systems suitable for those with specific needs such as intensive care, rotation or prone nursing and bariatric patients. The range also covers seating solutions which, when used together with bed surfaces, ensure 24-hour therapy.
To reduce the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE)
Aside from the immediate risk to health, VTE is associated with a high incidence of post-thrombotic syndrome and subsequent recalcitrant leg ulceration. Effective and non-invasive DVT prophylaxis is delivered by use of the Flowtron(r) range of intermittent pneumatic compression devices. Gentle compression, delivered by a garment applied to a limb increases venous blood flow and stimulates endogenous fibrinolytic activity and can be used either as a sole method of DVT prophylaxis or as adjunct to pharmacological methods.
To reduce the likelihood of cross-contamination
In all aspects of product design, infection control is integral; from built-in disinfection systems in our bathing units, to the bio-filters and easy to clean surfaces of our beds, mattresses and lifters.
We also manage state-of-the-art decontamination and service facilities to serve our rental customers.
To provide reliable, robust clinical outcome data to drive and inform quality initiatives
ArjoHuntleigh also provides a comprehensive range of equipment and clinical assessments; including self-assessment tools through to fully managed quality programmes. The new 'PASSPORT to clinical excellence™' programme brings a new dimension to pressure ulcer outcome data interpretation.
This programme recognises that facility audit frequently reports up to half of the pressure ulcers encountered having occurred during an episode of care - thus potentially avoidable. Nor is it unusual to find a high level of deviation from prevention protocols and critical gaps in care processes.
Rather than taking the typical approach of simply counting ulcers, this programme uses case-mix adjusted analysis tools to report key quality markers, trends over time, legal and financial risk. The programme builds on the Advanced Clinical Education programme and is structured to target 'hot spots' while rewarding best practice.
ArjoHuntleigh
Give patient safety the green light
Passport offers a new approach to clinical prevalence audit from ArjoHuntleigh, which targets the quality of care delivered rather than simply counting and describing the adverse events.
Greater emphasis is placed on measuring local protocols, including early risk management, preventative care plans, and timely targeted evidence-based interventions.
ArjoHuntleigh's clinical experts will work with you to identify and measure the key quality indicators in your facility, compare against agreed benchmarks, present results and recognise excellent performance and/or improvement.
To find out more, visit:
www.passport-to-excellence.com
For more information or to pick up brochures, clinical evidence and product information please visit our website at: www.arjohuntleigh.com
® trademark of the ArjoHuntleigh group of companies.
© ArjoHuntleigh 2009.