Product News: November 2001

Cleaning packs that pack a punch
Rhein Medical's Blade Cleaning System safely removes tissue and debris from the most delicate instrument blades. The system is composed of a disposable cleaning pack, which is inserted into a reusable cradle. Each pack has one cleaning well and two rinsing wells pre-filled with cleaning agents. Simply soak the blade in the cleaning well for several seconds. The system's cleaning agent aggressively breaks down tissue and safely removes debris from diamond, sapphire, ruby and stainless steel blades. Then soak the blade in the rinsing well. This foam agent will remove any residual cleaning solution. The disposable cleaning packs can clean about 15 blades. At a compact 6 inches by 8 inches, the cradles require very little counter space, and according to the company, the whole system could cost your facility less than 50 cents per use.

For more information and a price quote call Rhein Medical at (813) 885-5050, visit www.rheinmedical.com, or circle 131.

Stay current with coding
Medical necessity is one of the most common reasons for improper payments from Medicare and healthcare payors. To keep physicians and facilities up to date on the complex medical necessity rules, MDeverywhere, a leader in handheld technology for physicians, and Info-X, a source for medical coding and compliance information, has developed ClearCoder. The ClearCoder provides physicians with the Local Medical Review Policy (LMRP) rules at the point of care on their personal digital assistants (PDA). The LMRPs vary from state to state and are in a perpetual state of change. The ClearCoder provides the physician or facility with the rules specific to their locations, and the software is updated daily. The program and updates are conveniently emailed to customers, and the software is available for both C and OS PDA devices.

ClearCoder costs $500 for the one time license fee plus 20 percent for maintenance per year. For more information contact the company by calling (919) 361-8240 or circle 132.

An easy-to-use pre-cleaner
Steris Corporation's PRE-Klenz Instrument Transport Gel has three purposes: It keeps the debris on used instruments moistened until the instruments are transported to central services for reprocessing; it thoroughly coats the instruments to prevent corrosion; and it contains a surfactant, which breaks down soil and debris for faster, easier cleaning. According to Steris, the gel formula does not add additional weight, which makes it easy to transport and lessens the potential for spills and contamination. And unlike foam cleansers, the PRE-Klenz gel is transparent, making it easier for personnel to see sharp instruments. The spray comes ready to use; no mixing is required, and product's pH is neutral, which makes it compatible with a broad range of instrument materials.

A case of 12 12-oz bottles lists for $115. For more information, call Steris Corporation at (440) 354-2600, visit www.steris.com, or circle 133.

Schedule with ease
The new AppointmentPRO 7.0, a Windows-based appointment scheduler from SpectraSoft, is designed to be flexible and easy to use. The program, which is laid out like a traditional appointment book, allows the facility to schedule any number of resources, including doctors, equipment, and operating rooms, and each resource can be assigned a different interval of time for the appointment. All the screen layouts, colors, and defaults can be customized not only by the facility but the individual user as well.

The program offers a large library of automatic reports. These include: "Patient Appointment Summaries," which list all the appointments scheduled for a single patient; "Cancellation Summaries," which list cancellations by reason or by date range; and "Practice Reports," which give a daily number of clients that arrived, were treated, or cancelled. Many other reports, designed to help streamline your facility, are also available. The program also displays more appointment details, such as co-pay, authorized visits, diagnosis, and referring physician. Also, the program has fine grain security, which can limit user access to information, and features at many different levels.

The system lists for $985 for a single user. For more information, call (800) 413-0450, visit www.ssoft.com, or circle 134.

A new way to dispose of disinfectants
PCI's new GluteOut II meets California EPA requirements for treating used Glutaraldehyde, which are the most widely used high-level disinfectants in medical facilities. These materials are classified as hazardous, and their disposal is highly regulated. A recent California Senate Bill allows medical facilities to treat and dispose of waste Glutaraldehyde and OPA with glycine neutralizer without having to be classified as a treatment facility or needing a special permit to do so. Facilities in other states may also this product, but they must have permits to dispose of it.

GluteOut II is glycine, an amino acid protein. Glutaraldehyde and OPA work by attacking proteins. When GluteOut II is added to these chemicals, they become overwhelmed with protein and are neutralized. It is recommended to use two ounces for every quart of glutaraldehyde or gallon of OPA for immediate disposal. Less can be used if you wait 1/2 to 1 hour for complete deactivation.

GluteOut II is available in 3 different sizes and prices range from $75 to $155 per case. For more information call PCI at (800) 862-3394 or circle 135.