The Power of Infusion Pump and Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Integration
Infusion pumps are critical to a patient's care as they are used to deliver fluids, medications and nutrients.
In fact, over 90% of hospitalized patients receive IV therapy during their stay1, with infusion pumps being the primary delivery method. As connectivity in healthcare continues to advance, integrating infusion pumps with Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) has become a vital component in furthering patient safety and care efficiency. However, in a national survey of smart pump use, only 15% of responding U.S. hospitals had implemented smart pump interoperability.2
Today, Baxter has integrations live across the three largest EMR systems in the U.S., and just recently worked with a customer on the first-ever EMR integration with our Novum IQ syringe infusion pump. Understanding the complexities of an integration project, our best-in-class team works closely with our customers to help ensure a smooth and collaborative experience.
How do clinicians perceive EMR integration? Below you’ll hear from members of our clinical care team -- John Arena, clinical nurse executive, Jenny White, medical liaison, and Robin McBeath, clinical nurse manager -- on the importance of an integrated infusion pump system for both clinical staff and the patients they serve.
Relieving Clinician Burden
John: "I've been with Baxter for 30 years and am currently a clinical nurse executive. Prior to Baxter, I 
worked as both an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and operating room nurse. I know first-hand that clinicians are incredibly busy, juggling multiple patients, administering treatments, managing paperwork and responding to emergencies, all while providing compassionate care in a fast-paced environment.
When a patient requires urgent treatment, clinicians are focused on saving the patient's life while often under intense pressure trying to document their actions. With an integrated pump, the system automatically associates the treatment data, ensuring all information is accurately captured and seamlessly transferred to a patient’s record. This integration is a significant time-saver, reducing the documentation burden on clinicians and allowing them to focus on providing critical care."
It's estimated that auto-programming and auto-documentation saves clinicians approximately 10 minutes per infusion.3
Personalizing Patient Care
Jenny: "I've been at Baxter for three years and am a medical liaison on the medical affairs team. I've been a nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for 10 years and, during that time, was a NICU and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) critical care transport nurse. I also still work in the NICU a few hours a month, in addition to my work with Baxter. 
Throughout my time working as a nurse, I'm often thinking about a patient's experience. I know the hospital is the last place they want to be, so every moment spent at their bedside is critical. My role is not just to provide care, but to create the safest, most stable environment possible. A key part of that is being a compassionate listener for both patients and their families.
With an integrated pump, the time I used to spend on documenting and paperwork is now focused on being present with my patients – offering support and a friendly face. Automatic programming technology enables me to be the best caregiver I can be."
The integration minimizes the potential for human errors and enhances patient safety; an analysis of pump-related events from ECRI Institute Patient Safety Organization database showed that 75% of analyzed infusion-related errors could potentially be avoided with smart pump interoperability.4
Improving Infusion Safety
Robin: "I’m a clinical nurse manager for Baxter and have been in this role for seven years. I focus on the educational component of our customer rollout of infusion pumps, specifically helping to educate our 
customers through the implementation process. I've been a nurse for over 35 years working as a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) nurse with a special focus on IV therapy and vascular access.
With my experience as an IV therapy nurse, I know how important EMR integration is to intelligent infusion therapy because it ensures seamless, real-time communication between patient data and the infusion systems.
Without integration, clinicians must manually enter orders for patients, which can lead to accidental finger-strokes. However, with an integrated pump, orders are automatically transmitted from the EMR to the infusion pump and the clinician simply needs to confirm the order."
Rx only. For safe and proper use of products mentioned herein, please see appropriate Operator's Manual or Instructions for Use.
Baxter and Novum IQ are trademarks of Baxter International Inc. or its subsidiaries.