CareFusion Launches New Preoperative Cleansing Program for In-Home Patient Use

CareFusion Corp. has unveiled a new preoperative cleansing program for patients that includes an industry-first, individualized reminder program that helps patients remember and follow a clinician's preoperative bathing instructions.

Many organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)'s Project JOINTS Initiative recommend preoperative bathing prior to hospital admission as part of the pre-surgical process. In fact, in a recent survey of 151 surgeons, 94 percent recommended a bathing protocol to help reduce the risk of contracting a healthcare-associated infection while in the hospital.[1] However, patient compliance with preoperative bathing at home remains low. In a study published in the September 2010 edition of the Journal of Arthroplasty, less than 14 percent of patients fully comply with a clinician's preoperative bathing instructions at home.[2]

The StartClean program drives compliance with physician bathing instructions by combining a chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) cleanser and sponges with an individualized service that sends reminders to comply with preoperative bathing instructions via text message, email or voicemail in the days or hours leading up to a procedure. StartClean was specifically designed to support initiatives at hospitals and other points of care to drive compliance with preoperative bathing instructions.

"Quality healthcare delivery has always been epitomized by the essential communication between patient and caregiver," says Allan J. Morrison, MD, MSc, FACP, FIDSA, FSHEA, of Inova Fairfax Hospital.  "A recent study reinforced the power of good communication when it reported that sending text messages to parents increased the rate of seasonal child flu vaccinations compared with a single telephone reminder. [3] The StartClean program includes the use of multi-media messaging through email, text or voicemail to enhance the likelihood of patients completing their preoperative cleansing prior to their scheduled surgery. This is the future of healthcare."

The StartClean cleansing kit contains one, 4-ounce bottle of 4 percent CHG and three single-use sponges in an easy-to-open peel back package. The reminder program includes the individualized e-alerts, an easy-to-read patient education sheet available in multiple languages and supplemental online resources for health care professionals. Healthcare practitioners can find more information at carefusion.com/StartClean.

References:

[1] 2011 Bernstein Rein survey of 151 surgeons.

[2] Johnson, A., Daley, J., Zywiel, M., Delanois, R. et al. "Preoperative chlorhexidine preparation and the incidence of surgical site infections after hip arthroplasty," September 2010, The Journal of Arthroplasty, 25(6):98102.

[3] Stockwell MS, et al "Effect of a text messaging intervention on influenza vaccination in an urban, low-income pediatric and adolescent population: A randomized controlled trial" JAMA 2012;307: 1702-1708.