Do Smart Pumps Really Work?

By Peter DePaolis
Attorney

Smart pump technology has demonstrably reduced mistakes in the management of intravenous drug delivery, but software malfunctions and other frightening complications continue to occur.

The FDA reported last month that CareFusion’s Alaris Pump 8100 was recalled due to a software failure. Since 2009, CareFusion has been forced to recall this same product three different times.

brain injuryA 2012 malfunction on the Alaris was severe enough to have potentially led to serious injury or death. This time around, CareFusion has issued a statement assuring the public that no adverse events or deaths have been reported.

The FDA continues to work with manufacturers on problems with infusion pumps, and CareFusion is the hardly the only pump manufacturer with serious problems in the past several years. Stryker, Abbott and Baxter also issued recalls due to system malfunctions resulting in nine adverse events.

The FDA has heard many reports of adverse events, serious injuries and deaths linked to infusion pumps. Over a four-year stretch, 87 infusion pump recalls were announced to deal with safety concerns. The agency also discovered, in a 2010 study, that many infusion pump problems were related to basic insufficiencies in design and engineering.

I Have Been Harmed by a Smart Pump Error and I Need a Medical Malpractice Attorney

When negligence is to blame for a smart pump error, you may be entitled to compensation under medical malpractice law. Call our firm today. We want to hear your situation, your experiences. Feel free to comment below or visit our Facebook page to tell us your story.

Koonz’s Did You Know: Compared with other routes of administration, intravenous delivery is the fastest way to distribute medications throughout the body.

Koonz, McKenney, Johnson & DePaolis L.L.P.

Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia Injury Attorneys

Source: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/errors-continue-plague-smart-pumps

About the Author
Peter DePaolis joined the firm in 1980 and has since represented a large number of individuals involved in automobile collisions, truck accidents, bus crashes, defective products, and medical malpractice cases. A significant portion of Mr. DePaolis’ practice is devoted to working on behalf of people suffering from asbestosis, mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related cancers. He has led his firm’s fight against the asbestos industry and has recovered over $30 million in damages for asbestos victims and their families.