Jun 25 2015
In the wake of increasing unease regarding infection control due to concerns such as the Middle East Respiratory System (MERS) virus, the Ebola outbreak and contamination from construction or renovation projects, Primex Wireless® today announced the introduction of its new PrimexIAQ Series Differential Pressure Sensors.
The wireless indoor air quality sensors, which are centrally managed via the cloud-based OneVue™ platform, provide continuous tracking and automated documentation of the air pressure in operating rooms, protective environment rooms, isolation rooms, construction/renovation zones and other critical environments. The result is improved patient, staff and visitor safety while making it easier to ensure compliance with The Joint Commission, state and other regulatory agency requirements.
Key to the new PrimexIAQ sensors is their ability to detect ultra-low changes in air pressure that would not be noticed by other sensors, helping hospitals deliver an added level of protection from airborne contaminants. The sensors only require a miniscule amount of air flow through the unit to detect pressure changes. If air pressure does go out of range, the system not only provides a visual and audible alarm at the sensor; it also issues email, text and/or phone alerts to the appropriate staff members to allow measures to be taken to address the concern before patients, staff or visitors are put at risk.
"Patient safety is of paramount importance to hospitals, as it is an important measure of clinical quality and contributor to patient satisfaction," said Brian Balboni, president of Primex Wireless. "It is also critical to their financial health as hospitals are normally not reimbursed for treating conditions acquired within their walls. The PrimexIAQ Differential Pressure sensors, together with the OneVue platform, will help hospitals do a better job of ensuring they maintain the proper air pressure to contain airborne contaminants such as germs, viruses and construction dust. They will be able to minimize conditions that could make patients sicker while in the facility, which can extend the hospital stay, while also protecting their staff and visitors from exposure to these issues."
Using the intuitive OneVue dashboard, PrimexIAQ sensors can be easily monitored and managed centrally from any computer or mobile device. All monitoring data is sent wirelessly via the facility's existing network to the OneVue cloud-based software, making it easier to analyze the data to ensure superior performance and generate compliance and other reports. Additionally, since the monitoring data is tied to the room or area rather than the sensor, hospitals can maintain a complete, accurate history of compliance for a given room or area without having to perform the data manipulation normally required if a sensor is changed.
PrimexIAQ Series Differential Press Sensors offer several additional innovative features and capabilities, including:
- A lightweight, easy-to-install, portable design that makes it easy to set up and monitor for negative air pressure in construction or renovation areas; its sleek configuration includes a port cover to hide the tubing
- Alert delay settings that help minimize false positives by allowing time for a situation to self-correct rather than immediately sounding as soon as the air pressure goes out-of-range
- Door Open/Closed switch functionality to suspend alerts during cleaning, patient transfers or other situations where the door will be open for an extended period of time
- The ability to connect sensors to the OneVue platform via Ethernet or Power-over-Ethernet as well as through Wi-Fi
- Ability to run solely on battery power if desired
- Provides readings in inches of water (in. H20) or Pascal units, depending on user preference
"In an era of bundled payments and pay-for-performance, it is essential that hospitals take every measure they can to minimize risks to their patients, staff, visitors and the organization as a whole," Balboni said. "PrimexIAQ sensors can help them ensure they are taking the proper measures to maintain a level of air quality that meets regulatory requirements while promoting better health."
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