MedTech Europe from diagnosis to cure

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Pre-surgical nasal screening

These technologies can be used to detect whether a patient is carrying a certain type of bacteria. Advanced screening technologies can provide sophisticated and rapid test findings before (e.g. during pre-admission consultation) or on admission. This can help to reduce infection rates in patients during the medical intervention, facilitate appropriate use of antibiotics avoid contaminating other patients and staff.

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Point of Care C-Reactive Protein (CRP) test

Interventions such as CRP point-of-care testing can help promote a more prudent use of antibiotics. Use of CRP point-of-care tests have been shown to significantly reduce antibiotic prescribing for lower respiratory tract infections without compromising either patients' recovery or satisfaction with care.

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Strep A pharyngitis rapid test

Acute pharyngitis constitutes a frequent cause of visits and prescribing of antibiotics in primary healthcare facilities (Maltezou, H.C. et al., 2008). Although Strep A is the cause in only 15% - 30% of cases, antibiotics are prescribed in 55% - 75% of cases (Maltezou, H.C. et al., 2008). Rapid testing for Strep A enables healthcare providers to accurately diagnose the cause of pharyngitis and thereby guide targeted use of antibiotics in any healthcare setting.

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Influenza A and B viruses in human nasopharyngeal specimens

Influenza (commonly known as flu) is a highly contagious acute infection of the respiratory tract. Types A and B are the most common types of human influenza virus. They can circulate simultaneously, but usually one type is dominant during a seasonal epidemic. Although a flu infection is not normally severe, certain populations are at higher risk of developing complications. Rapid, accurate diagnosis means reducing the risk of transmission and outbreak, preventing inappropriate antibiotic use and ensuring early prescription of antiviral medication for high-risk patients.

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Patient Screening

Screening tests like Chromogenic culture media are ready-to-use tools for the selective isolation, enumeration and identification of bacteria in 18-24 hours. They deliver more reliable differentiation of pathogens and Multi drug resistances organisms, faster and easier reading of results and enhanced sensitivity specificity parameters than traditional culture media.

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Screening for Carbapenemase-producing bacteria

These tests give reliable results in 30 min. - 2 hours, making it the quick and easy way to control carbapenemase producers and meet diagnostics and screening challenges, improving patient management and controlling HAI. The rapid detection time ensures appropriate therapy and patient isolation measures.

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PCT - Early diagnosis and monitoring

Procalcitonin (PCT) helps differentiate bacterial from viral infections, the early detection of an elevated PCT level in patients with suspected bacterial infections enabling earlier antibiotic treatment. PCT also supports informed decisions on when to continue or stop antibiotics, improving patient care and decreasing antibiotic misuse in order to control antimicrobial resistance emergence.

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Rapid pathogen identification

Rapid identification of the pathogen causing an infection is important to guide diagnosis and antibiotic therapy. Innovative technologies like multiplex PCR systems can identify a large variety of bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic pathogens that cause respiratory, bloodstream, gastrointestinal and meningitis infections as well as antibiotic resistance genes in only 1 hour and guide quickly the prescription of antibiotics, as well as avoid misuse.

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Cleaning & disinfection procedures

These procedures are essential to decrease the number of microbes in the area close to the patient. It is also crucial to put in place personal protective barriers (e.g. gloves, gown) to prevent healthcare workers from carrying bacteria to other patients.

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Catheters and closed IV systems

Substantial reductions in Catheter-related bloodstream infections can be achieved with the aid of advanced medical technologies together with complementary improved practices. These include integrated safety catheter systems and closed IV access together with associated care and maintenance.

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Antimicrobial dressings

Catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) add €271 million in cost annually to the European healthcare system. Substantial reductions in CRBSIs has been achieved with the aid of antimicrobial catheter dressing (antiseptic-impregnated).

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Antibacterial sutures

Preventing Surgical Site Infections (one of the most common Healthcare Associated Infections) by reducing the suture being a risk factor for infection. This is achieved through significantly decreasing the adherence of bacteria to the suture itself. The use of triclosan-coated sutures may limit the need for antibiotics (due to the SSI risk reduction) by up to 30% (Wang ZX, et al., 2013).

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Active patient warming

Hypothermia can occur as an adverse effect of surgical procedures and it is a significant risk factor for developing Surgical Site Infections (SSIs). The use of active patient warming techniques during the procedure is proven to significantly reduce the rate of these infections from developing.

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Iodophor-impregnated incise drapes

This drapes is used during high risk cardio, ortho neuro procedure and also C-section.

The antiseptic (iodophor) contained in the drape is released continuously on the skin during the procedure and prevents bacteria to contaminate the wound during operation.

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Antibiotic susceptibility testing

Antibiotic susceptibility tests help identify which antibiotic(s) will the bacterial infection respond to and which ones are they resistant to. This in turn helps the physician to prescribe the appropriate drug to treat the patient and avoid misuse.

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Subglottic Secretion Drainage

The use of special tubes can enable clinicans to manage subglottic secretion drainage (SSD), which is a technique to remove oral and/or gastric secretions that contain bacterial pathogens and may lead to serious complications known as VAP- Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (lung infection). Clinical investigation by Bouza et al. (2008) into the use of an edotracheal tube providing SSD found reduced anticbiotic use in overal patient population by 30% due to reduced rates of VAP.

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Clinical Surveillance Software

Such surveillance systems play a key role in helping to conserve and steward the effectiveness of existing treatments as well as supporting infection control practices, by allowing clinicians to monitor infection scenarios and prescribing through providing bespoke triggers. By bringing together information from disparate sources, the system notifies practitioners of important/ critical infection related events and this aids clinicians in making targeted and timely interventions that prevent and control infections and encourage the appropriate use of antibiotics in order to impact positively on patient outcomes.

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Resistance identification and reporting

When it comes to fighting infectious organisms, microbial identification (ID) and antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) are key to providing the right information for targeted clinical responses and better patient-care outcomes. Manual and automated tools including mass-spectrometry are complementary and ensure fast and accurate results for prescription of the right antibiotic at the right concentration, to the right patient. Software has been developed to help hospitals in reporting and surveillance of resistances.

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Identify emerging resistance patterns

ETESTs allow the detection and confirmation of resistant phenotypes for the most clinically relevant resistance mechanisms, including ESBLs (Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases), MBLs (Metallo-beta-lactamases) and AmpC beta-lactamases.

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Outbreak management and surveillance

The more a hospital knows about the pathogens involved in infection transmission or an outbreak, the better it can manage them. Services for Next Generation Sequencing-based genetic strain typing do exist that give extremely precise information about the disease agents suspected to be involved in infection transmission or HAI outbreak. This powerful tools enable healthcare institutions and communities to make faster, better-targeted decisions, implement infection control measures, conduct improved epidemiological investigation, reduce the incidence of future cases and reduce HAI-related healthcare management costs. Software tools are available for the surveillance of AMR at hospital, regional, national and international level.

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Environment monitoring

Contaminated environmental surfaces are an important source for transmission of pathogens including multi-resistant bacteria. These can cause severe infections, particularly in immune-compromised populations in hospitals.
Diagnostic tools can help to take control of the environment (including disinfection control).

Rapid surface testing technology enables rapid and objective measurement of surface hygiene in less than one minute. This technology helps measure, monitor and control hospital hygiene processes, enabling delivery of continuous improvement in hygiene standards.

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Wound care management

Dressings are important to maintain sterility and absorb blood and serum from wounds. Advanced dressings containing barriers to protect the wound site from bacteria as well as antimicrobial wound care products can contribute to improving patient recovery.

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Medication monitoring

Appropriate use of antibiotics can be enabled at home by ehealth/mhealth and other drug monitoring technologies. Misuse and non-adherence to antibiotic prescriptions are one of the key causes of the development of resistance.

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