Norwalk Hospital Chooses Dräger for a Comprehensive Anesthesia Solution

At Norwalk Hospital, clinicians are reaping the benefits of a multi-tiered platform in one, user-friendly format. D-12409-2011

When Eric Kitain, MD, of Norwalk Hospital rooms and obstetrical suites where general About Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, Connecticut sought to replace anesthesia is less often required; and his department‘s anesthesia equipment, he Fabius Tiro®, a compact, feature-rich Norwalk Hospital is a not-for-profit, acute had several ambitious safety, quality and option for anesthesia in remote locations care, community teaching hospital in financial goals to achieve. “We needed such as Endoscopy and Radiology (see Fairfield County, Connecticut. Hospital machines at various performance levels sidebar). The three-tiered system allowed services include oncology; an emergency corresponding to the requirements of our the hospital to get the level of care and level-2 trauma care; in- and outpatient in- and outpatient settings,” says Dr. Kitain. required while minimizing expenditure. ambulatory surgery; diagnosis and “We also wanted some standardization treatment of sleep disorders; hyperbaric among these machines so that if users In addition, the choice equipped the hospital medicine; in- and outpatient psychiatric were trained on one, they could use them with a range of devices incorporating the services; and in- and outpatient addiction all. To meet these needs, we looked for latest ventilation and gas delivery technology rehabilitation. one vendor who could provide machines at — all with the same familiar user interface. multiple platform levels. We also knew that “This is a huge safety issue because it FY 2007 using a single vendor would allow us to allows us to respond effectively during Licensed Beds: 328 negotiate a better service contract and a emergency and critical care situations,” Emergency Department visits: 48,715 better, more cost-effective deal.” says Dr. Kitain. “Also, having a range of platforms enabled the hospital to purchase After a careful review, Dr. Kitain and his less costly machines with the same high colleagues chose the Dräger suite of operating standards for its lower-acuity anesthesia workstations: Apollo® for the outpatient areas.” main ORs; Fabius GS® in the outpatient 02 | DRÄGER COMPREHENSIVE ANESTHESIA SOLUTION

About Eric Kitain, MD FEATURES FOR OPTIMAL PATIENT CARE such as those using a laryngeal mask In making their choice, Dr. Kitain and his airway,” says Dr. Kitain. “The addition of colleagues ultimately narrowed the field to pressure support ventilation allows us to Eric Kitain, MD include Dräger and a competitor. “Dräger keep CO levels more stable and Chairman, Dept. of Anesthesiology 2 worked with us to provide a total, flexible compatible with normal levels.” Norwalk Hospital package that also included staff training, Norwalk, CT bioengineering training and equipment Other attractive clinical features include servicing,” says Dr. Kitain. continuous flow volume loops that enable Eric Kitain, MD has been Chairman clinicians to gauge lung compliance and of Norwalk Hospital’s Department In addition to an attractive purchase compensate for any changes they observe. of Anesthesiology since 2004. contract, Dräger machines offered “This helps us make the best possible A graduate of Cornell University numerous features that Norwalk anesthesia ventilation decisions for high risk patients,” Medical College, Dr. Kitain clinicians found beneficial in their practice. says Dr. Kitain. “Considering the completed a fellowship in For example, they were impressed by the increasing numbers of older, obese, and cardiothoracic anesthesia at way the Dräger machines handled water chronically ill patients who are now New York University. He is a vapor. In contrast, water condensation in surgical candidates, that‘s a considerable Diplomate of the American Board the competitor‘s machines required manual asset,” he adds. Also helpful to clinicians of Anesthesiology and also serves drainage of the water trap. “Dräger‘s is the Low Flow Wizard™ software to help as a national oral examiner for the contain a heating element that reduces them use anesthetic gases efficiently and board. condensation,” says Dr. Kitain. “This is not avoid waste. only more convenient, but supports safe use of the machine.” However, even the most advanced equipment is not useful if training and Other safety features were appreciated by installation prove difficult. Dr. Kitain says the staff, notably, the way Dräger machines that these critical processes went quickly,

facilitated the exchange of the CO2 due in large part, to the common user absorber canisters. “They just pop out and interface. The hospital has also benefited pop in,” says Dr. Kitain. “You can even from ongoing support from Dräger‘s staff. replace the canister during a case without This was particularly critical when they opening up the circuit - a considerable experienced a higher-than-expected rate of safety issue.” And in terms of convenience, self-test warnings during the initial period the Apollo® machines were unique in that of use. “These machines are very sensitive, they perform a fully automatic self-test for and sometimes pick up small things,” says leaks and other potential problems, freeing Dr. Kitain. “This is actually a positive point, users to complete other tasks. “This is because it shows us that they are working. something that we used to perform Dräger stepped in and provided education manually,” says Dr. Kitain. regarding what these meant so that we were comfortable using the equipment in In addition to outstanding safety features, light of occasional warnings.” Norwalk clinicians were impressed by Dräger‘s advanced ventilation modes, which help them to deliver optimal patient care. For example, users may choose between pressure-controlled, volume- controlled and pressure support ventilation options. “These are particularly useful in administering newer forms of anesthesia, | 03

The equipment has proven to be reliable THE PURCHASE DECISION Components of Norwalk Hospital‘s and also flexible enough to accommodate Like other hospital anesthesia departments, Total Anesthesia Solution their information system requirements. Norwalk Hospital looked for a solution With a line of machines suited to According to Dr. Kitain, the machines have combining high functionality, safety, flexibility different clinical environments, proven to be sturdy “workhorses” with very and affordability. Practical concerns, such Dräger met Norwalk Hospital‘s few problems. “When we do experience an as the cost-effective training of clinicians acuity needs at a lower cost while issue, our bioengineering staff is trained to and bioengineering staff were also maintaining high quality standards trouble-shoot it, which avoids machine important considerations. and a common user interface. down-time,” he says. Also, Norwalk has moved towards an electronic anesthesia Safety Apollo® Anesthesia Workstation record. Dr. Kitain and his staff have been Clinicians at Norwalk Hospital believe that - Main Hospital Operating Rooms pleased with Dräger‘s capability to integrate having a standardized fleet of machines is Integrated anesthesia with their anesthesia information system. an important safety issue. Training on one workstation with advanced “Although this is not a unique feature, we machine applies to all other current Dräger ventilation and monitoring feel that we‘re getting more data from the machines. This allows technicians to work capabilities for a multitude of Dräger machines because they are confidently in any clinical area, and is patient conditions and patient computerized,” says Dr. Kitain. “This critically important during emergency or types. results in a more complete record.” The critical patient care situations. department also configured the worksta- Fabius GS® tions to the clinicians‘ specific needs using Quality of Care - Hospital Outpatient Surgery hardware mounting and extension support Advanced ventilation modes offer clinicians Rooms and in holding area as arms. “Options were readily available for options - particularly important when caring an extra machine any element we wanted,” says Dr. Kitain. for high risk patients, such as the very - Obstetrics young, elderly, chronically ill or obese. Combines the latest ventilation For Norwalk Hospital, Dräger‘s anesthesia and gas delivery technology solution has enhanced patient care with Cost/Flexibility of Solution Options with an intuitive, familiar solid safety, efficiency and clinical features. In choosing an anesthesia solution, Norwalk interface. Fabius is an economical The hospital‘s anesthesia staff have Hospital looked for a range of devices to way to provide high quality learned that they can rely upon this stan- meet the needs of differing clinical settings anesthesia care while realizing dardized fleet of machines to support their and acuity levels. Dräger‘s diverse platforms cost and space saving. clinical environments and operate within the allowed the hospital to reduce the cost budgetary requirements of each practice of machines used in their lower-acuity Fabius Tiro® setting. Additionally, a comprehensive staff outpatient settings. - Ambulatory Surgery training and maintenance plan helps to - GI suite ensure that downtime is minimized and In-house Maintenance, Reliability and - Radiology patient care is maximized. “When we set Durability - Various offsite locations out to make a decision, we looked for one As part of a comprehensive service contract, requiring a mobile unit vendor who could provide everything we Dräger offered training to Norwalk Hospital‘s Based on the same piston needed in a single contract, including bioengineering staff. As a result, the hospital ventilator technology as the multi-level machines in a single platform is capable of trouble-shooting many issues higher-level models for the and bioengineering training,” says in-house, preventing equipment down-time. same high-level performance Dr. Kitain. “All of this and more was with a compact design. available through Dräger.” 04 | DRÄGER COMPREHENSIVE ANESTHESIA SOLUTION 90 66 721 | 15.06-2 | Communications & Sales Marketing | PP | PR | Printed in USA | Chlorine-free – environmentally compatible | Subject to modifications | © 2015 Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA

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