Alta Bates Summit Medical Center receives shipment milestone - expanding their depth and breadth of Masimo SET and Masimo Rainbow SET technologies
December 21, 2007: 02:52 PM EST


IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Masimo , the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry and Read-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry, today announced that it has just shipped its 500,000th Masimo SET bedside pulse oximeter (excluding hand-held units) to Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, a Sutter Health network affiliate in Oakland and Berkeley, California, as part of a five-year technology expansion agreement. Following the conversion to Masimo SET pulse oximetry more than three years ago, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center recently decided to expand the relationship by adding more equipment and entering into a facility-wide site license for Masimo Rainbow SET parameters. Also this year, Sutter Health established Masimo SET as its system-wide standard for pulse oximetry.

Achieving 500,000 shipments highlights an increasing momentum in the clinical adoption of Masimo SET as the "gold standard" in pulse oximetry. Masimo's 200,000th shipment came in 2004, the eighth anniversary of Masimo SET shipments. The 500,000th shipment was achieved less than four years later. The growth comes as leading hospitals and health networks, like Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and Sutter Health, have recognized the superior performance of Masimo SET pulse oximetry and the clinical importance of the new, upgradeable Masimo Rainbow SET technology platform as key building blocks in helping them improve patient care and enhance patient safety initiatives.

Today, many of the world's leading hospitals have converted to Masimo SET technology, including four of the top five as listed on the US News & World Report Honor Roll, and over 50 monitoring brands have integrated Masimo SET technology into their multiparameter monitor solutions.

Nancy E. Brosnan, R.N. CCRN, Critical Care Nurse Manager, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center said, "We made the decision to move to Masimo SET pulse oximetry more than three years ago because, quite simply, the Masimo technology was a better than what was available at the time -- and it has proven to be a very good product. The new capabilities of the Masimo Rainbow SET platform will provide our clinicians with a powerful new set of noninvasive measurements that will enable us to more effectively assess the cardiopulmonary status of our patients on a continuous basis, facilitating more expeditious treatment decisions that are inherently important to enhancing patient safety and improving outcomes. We couldn't afford to ignore this opportunity."

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, a 1,094-bed not-for-profit medical center with over 218,000 outpatient visits and more than 79,000 emergency department visits annually, is a HealthGrades 2007 Distinguished Hospital Award Winner for Clinical Excellence -- ranking among the top 5% in the nation for overall clinical excellence. Sutter Health is one of the nation's leading not-for-profit networks of community-based health care providers, delivering high-quality care in more than 100 Northern California communities. It is also the regional leader in infant deliveries, neonatology, orthopedics, pediatrics and cancer care services. Sutter Health supports more than 26 not-for-profit hospitals, as well as physician organizations; medical research facilities; a region-wide home health, hospice and occupational health network; and long-term care centers. A patient safety pioneer, Sutter Health network is raising the bar on patient safety with a $1.2 billion network investment in a broad range of patient safety initiatives over the next 10 years.

"Masimo SET is the right choice for our system-wide standard for pulse oximetry," said Ian Leverton, M.D., Vice President, Sutter Health Clinical Integration. "Masimo is an industry leader at the forefront of technology with superior clinical performance, and it was available at a significant financial savings."

Before the introduction of Masimo SET in 1995, pulse oximetry was reliable only when patient conditions were ideal -- on motionless patients with strong pulses and good perfusion. However, in the presence of patient motion, a weak pulse or low perfusion, excessive false alarms rendered conventional pulse oximetry virtually useless.

Since then, Masimo SET Read-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry has become the new performance standard for leading hospitals like Alta Bates and now Sutter Health -- making continuous, noninvasive monitoring by pulse oximetry more reliable and clinically-relevant than ever before. As a result, the industry has not only come to depend on continuous noninvasive physiologic monitoring by Masimo SET pulse oximetry, but industry-leading associations -- like The Joint Commission (JCAHO), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) -- are now establishing industry standards for patient safety on general care floors based on continuous pulse oximetry monitoring in combination with appropriate clinician alerts and notification when physiologic conditions change.

Today, Masimo Rainbow SET, an upgradeable noninvasive technology platform featuring the accuracy and reliability of Masimo SET Read-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry, is revolutionizing patient monitoring by significantly expanding the ability to capture, track and monitor additional blood constituents that previously required invasive procedures. The first and only technology platform capable of continuously and noninvasively measuring carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO(TM)),methemoglobin (SpMet(TM)) and, pleth variability index (PVI), in addition to oxyhemoglobin (SpO2), perfusion index (PI) and pulse rate, Masimo Rainbow SET is helping to advance patient safety and improve care.

According to Charles Van Doren, Chief of Clinical Engineering at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, "When we first began to implement the Masimo product into our facilities over three years ago in order to standardize pulse-ox sensors, we found we were going from sensor standardization to improving our patient care. At the same time we were replacing our physiological monitors in our ICU's at the Summit campus we upgraded to Masimo. Working together with the Nurse Managers, Material Management, Clinical Engineering and Masimo Sales, we are now using only Masimo Technology throughout the medical center. The new Rainbow SET technology platform will allow us to grow as new technology becomes available."

Joe E. Kiani, Chairman and CEO of Masimo, stated "It is gratifying to see how Masimo SET and Masimo Rainbow SET technologies are transforming the clinical value and relevance of pulse oximetry by providing clinicians with a solution they can depend on and grow with. Our 500,000th shipment is a milestone that reflects the choices of the health care community -- from clinicians who demand it and patient monitoring providers who work to integrate it, to hospitals and health networks, like Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and Sutter Health, that standardize on it -- Masimo technologies are improving and saving lives. Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and Sutter Health are exceptional medical organizations that set their sights high on patient safety and we are proud to celebrate and share this milestone shipment with them."

About Masimo

Masimo develops innovative monitoring technologies that significantly improve patient care -- helping solve "unsolvable" problems. In 1995, the company debuted Read-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry, known as Masimo SET, and with it virtually eliminated false alarms and increased pulse oximetry's ability to detect life-threatening events. Masimo SET is the most accurate and reliable pulse oximetry technology, clinically proven in more than 100 independent and objective studies to provide the most trustworthy SpO2 and pulse rate measurements even under the most difficult clinical conditions, including patient motion and low peripheral perfusion. In 2005, Masimo introduced Masimo Rainbow SET, a breakthrough noninvasive blood constituent monitoring platform that can measure many blood constituents that previously required invasive procedures. Rainbow SET continuously and noninvasively measures carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO) and methemoglobin (SpMet), pleth variability index (PVI), in addition to oxyhemoglobin (SpO2), perfusion index (PI) and pulse rate, allowing early detection and treatment of potentially life-threatening conditions. Founded in 1989, Masimo has the mission of "Improving Patient Outcomes and Reducing Cost of Care by Taking Noninvasive Monitoring to New Sites and Applications." Additional information about Masimo and its products may be found at http://www.masimo.com.


Contact:
Tom McCall
Masimo Corporation
949-297-7075


Masimo, SET, Signal Extraction Technology, Improving Outcomes and Reducing Cost of Care by Taking Noninvasive Monitoring to New Sites and Applications, Rainbow, SpCO, SpMet, PVI and Pulse CO-Oximeter are trademarks or registered trademarks of Masimo Corporation.

By Molly Merrill, Contributing Writer

12/05/07
SAN FRANCISCO - The University of California San Francisco Medical Center's project team has implemented a real-time location system to track the location, status and movement of the center's medical equipment.

UCSF Medical Center's project team performed an evaluation of six proposals from different vendors before making the decision to install San Diego-based Awarepoint's real-time awareness solution.

"Awarepoint was a strong leader and was accepted as the negotiation team's first choice," said Alisa Armstrong, project manager for UCSF Medical Center.

UCSF Medical Center, part of the University of California, ranks among the top 10 of the nation's premier academic medical centers.

"With the installation of Awarepoint, the UCSF operating rooms' equipment will be reliably retrievable within minutes including weekend and after hours shifts," said James Bennan, administrative director for perioperative services.

Awarepoint's RTLS needs no hardwiring or fixed infrastructure due to wireless sensors, which plug into electrical outlets. Assets are attached with small, battery-powered tags, which are tracked using the Web-based Searchpoint search engine.

"Long delays looking for unique items such as MRI-compatible equipment will be eliminated and our ability to rapidly find difficult intubation carts and other urgently needed items will be greatly enhanced," Bennan said.

"In addition, clinical engineering will be able to identify maintenance issues proactively, rentals will be tracked and logged for return and equipment conflicts will be minimized," he added.

Installation and the tagging of 700 assets throughout UCSF Medical Center took under 48 hours.

Mike Addis, sales engineer at Awarepoint, said it was one of the fastest installations that the company has done to date.

CNN Money

ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Masimo , the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry and Read-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry, reported that multiple independent and objective clinical studies and case studies presented this week at the 2007 American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC) Annual Congress in Orlando, Florida, focused on the unique capabilities of Masimo's noninvasive patient monitoring technologies in the diagnosis, treatment and recovery of several disease states, including pulmonary effusion, methemoglobinemia, carboxyhemoglobin and hypoxemia-helping clinicians provide more rapid, improved patient care.

These new studies add to the more than 100 independent and objective studies demonstrating the superiority of Masimo SET pulse oximetry, as well as adding to the growing body of research proving the efficacy of Masimo Rainbow SET in providing accurate, reliable physiological measurements of multiple blood constituents that previously required invasive procedures. Built on the "gold-standard" of Masimo SET Read-Through Motion and Low Perfusion technology, Masimo Rainbow SET is the first and only upgradeable technology platform capable of continuously and noninvasively measuring carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO), methemoglobin (SpMet) and pleth variability index (PVI), in addition to oxyhemoglobin (SpO2), perfusion index (PI) and pulse rate. Highlights of key study findings include:

New Masimo Rainbow SET SpMet Measurement Enables Rapid Diagnosis and Tracking of Benzocaine-induced Methemoglobinemia

In the case study entitled "Benzocaine Induced Methemoglobinemia After TEE," a team of Anesthesiologists headed by Dr. Mark R. Macknet at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California, documented the accuracy of the Masimo Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximeter in the diagnosis and continuous monitoring of SpMet levels during a case of benzocaine-induced methemoglobinemia after transesophageal echocardiography and subsequent treatment with methylene blue. Researchers observed, 40 minutes following the benzocaine administration, a drop in the patient's oxygen saturation to 88% along with SpMet readings, as reported by the rad-57, greater than 50%. When an arterial blood sample was analyzed by laboratory CO-Oximeter, the results reported SpMet "value over calibration limits" of the invasive laboratory CO-Oximeter. Researchers treated the patient with methylene blue using the Masimo Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximeter "to guide the therapy" and concluded that the new Masimo Rainbow SET Pulse CO-Oximeter "has documented SpMet accuracy" enabling them to "rapidly confirm the diagnosis and continuously monitor the levels of methemoglobin."(1)

Masimo Rainbow SET Pulse CO-Oximetry Shown Effective in the Rapid Recognition and Continuous Measurement of Carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO)

In a report entitled "Detection of CO-Poisoning Through Pulse CO-Oximetric Measurement" by Dr. Frank Marx, Rettungsdienst, Berufsfeuerwehr Duisburg Fire Department and Emergency Service, Duisburg, Germany, the researcher used the Masimo Rainbow SET Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximeter to quickly and accurately diagnose and triage two patients with acute CO-poisoning requiring immediate transportation to a Center of HBO (hyperbaric oxygen therapy) for treatment. Both patients had SpCO values greater than 20%, yet recovered completely following the success of immediate HBO treatment. The results of these case reports illustrate that suspected CO-poisoning "can be proven with the Masimo Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximeter" enabling responsive "triage decisions in the field so that special treatment in an HBO facility can be arranged." Additionally, researchers concluded, "the Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximeter provides rapid noninvasive assessment of victims and provides information that directly impacts triage and treatment decisions at the emergency scene."(2)

In another study entitled "Carboxyhemoglobin Levels in Smokers vs. Non-Smokers in a Smoking Environment," researchers from Ozarks Technical Community College in Springfield, Ohio, headed by Aaron Light, used the Masimo Rainbow SET Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximeter to observe how non-smokers exposed to cigarette smoke are affected by CO-poisoning. Aided by SpCO measurements obtained from the Masimo Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximeter, researchers tested 33 smokers (avg. SpCO of 5.04%) and 27 non-smokers (avg. SpCO of 2.49%) in an establishment where cigarette smoke was very noticeable against a control group of 50 non-smokers (avg. SpCO of 1%) in a well-ventilated non-smoking environment and found that the average SpCO level for the non-smokers in a smoking environment was nearly two and one half times higher than the control group indicating that "non-smokers are not exempt from the effects of cigarette smoke in the atmosphere."(3)

New Masimo Rainbow SET PVI Measurement May Provide Significant Value in the Detection and Treatment of Processes that Produce Increased Intrathoracic Pressure

In a study entitled "The Use of Pleth Variability Index (PVI) to Detect Changes in Intrathoracic Pressure," a team of Neonatologists headed by Dr. Mitchell Goldstein at the Loma Linda University Children's Hospital in Loma Linda, California, observed the correlation between Masimo PVI during pre-tap and post-tap epochs in a 6-week-old newborn with pulmonary effusion and found that PVI was significantly increased post-drainage. Study findings showed that PVI consistently increased-from 17.6 pre-tap to 21.8 post-tap in the first tap, 25.2 to 33.8 in the second, 17.6 to 20.0 in the third and 19.9 to 25.1 in the fourth-indicating that "an increase in the PVI dynamic could be correlated to the release of intrathoracic pressure." Researchers concluded, "PVI may have significant value in the diagnosis and treatment of processes that produce increased intrathoracic pressure, such as pneumothorax, chylothorax, and in this case pulmonary effusion."(4)

Masimo SET Read-Through Motion and Low Perfusion Pulse Oximetry More Reliable and Accurate During Air Transport

In a separate study entitled "Rad-5 and MRL SpO2 Comparison Trial: "A Prospective Analysis of Pulse Oximetry During Air Transport," Jason A. Elliott of REACH, Mediplane Inc., in Santa Rosa, California, conducted a three-month prospective review of the Masimo SET Read-Through Motion and Low Perfusion Rad-5 pulse oximeter and the Welch Allyn MRL with Nellcor pulse oximetry on a total of 158 helicopter air ambulance missions and found that the Masimo Rad-5 provided more reliable and accurate SpO2 measurements during air transport and detected more real hypoxic events than the Nellcor pulse oximeter. Researchers concluded that the Nellcor pulse oximeter inside the Welch Allan MRL had "more than two-fold increase in failure rate over the Masimo Rad-5 pulse oximeter."(5)

Other studies presented at AARC showed promising results for Masimo engineering prototype technologies, the Acoustic Respiration Monitoring technology (ARM) and noninvasive and continuous hemoglobin measurement (SpHb).(6,7)

Joe E. Kiani, Chairman and CEO of Masimo, stated, "These studies not only showcase the ability of Masimo Rainbow SET to rapidly and accurately diagnose a disease state, but to also track the progression of and recovery from that state-enabling critical real-time assessments that show whether a patient is improving or declining with intervention. This tracking and trending capability provides clinicians with the useful clinical data they need to ensure prompt administration of the most appropriate life-saving treatment. We are happy that the technologies we have developed are helping clinicians improve patient care and safety."

About Masimo

Masimo develops innovative monitoring technologies that significantly improve patient care-helping solve "unsolvable" problems. In 1995, the company debuted Read-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry, known as Masimo SET, and with it virtually eliminated false alarms and increased pulse oximetry's ability to detect life-threatening events. Masimo SET is the most accurate and reliable pulse oximetry technology, clinically proven in more than 100 independent and objective studies to provide the most trustworthy SpO2 and pulse rate measurements even under the most difficult clinical conditions, including patient motion and low peripheral perfusion. In 2005, Masimo introduced Masimo Rainbow SET, a breakthrough noninvasive blood constituent monitoring platform that can measure many blood constituents that previously required invasive procedures. Rainbow SET continuously and noninvasively measures carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO) and methemoglobin (SpMet), pleth variability index (PVI), in addition to oxyhemoglobin (SpO2), perfusion index (PI) and pulse rate, allowing early detection and treatment of potentially life-threatening conditions. Founded in 1989, Masimo has the mission of "Improving Patient Outcomes and Reducing Cost of Care by Taking Noninvasive Monitoring to New Sites and Applications." Additional information about Masimo and its products may be found at http://www.masimo.com.

(1) Benzocaine Induced Methemoglobinemia After TEE. Mark R. Macknet, Penny
L. Kimball-Jones, Richard L. Applegate, Robert D. Martin, Martin W.
Allard. Anesthesiology, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA.
(2) Detection of CO-Poisoning Through Pulse CO-Oximetric Measurement.
Frank Marx. Rettungsdienst, Berufsfeuerwehr, Duisburg, Germany.
(3) Carboxyhemoglobin Levels in Smokers vs. Non-Smokers in a Smoking
Environment. Aaron Light, Casie Grass, Doug Pursley, Julie Krause.
Ozarks Technical Community College, Springfield, MO.
(4) The Use of Pleth Variability Index (PVI) to Detect Changes in
Intrathoracic Pressure. Mithcell Goldstein, Merrick Lopez, Daniel
Saesim, Richard Peverini. Neonatology, Loma Linda University
Children's Hospital, Loma Linda, CA.
(5) Rad-5 and MRL SpO2 Comparison Trial: A Perspective Analysis of Pulse
Oximetry During Air Transport. Jason A. Elliot. REACH, Santa Rosa, CA.
(6) Accuracy of a Novel Bioacoustic Sensor in Postoperative Patients. Mark
R. Macknet, Penny L. Kimball-Jones, Richard L. Applegate, Robert D.
Martin, Martin W. Allard. Anesthesiology, Loma Linda University, Loma
Linda, CA.
(7) Continuous Noninvasive Measurement of Hemoglobin Via Pulse CO-Oximetry
During Major Surgery. Mark R. Macknet, Penny L. Kimball-Jones, Richard
L. Applegate, Robert D. Martin, Martin W. Allard. Anesthesiology, Loma
Linda University, Loma Linda, CA.

Contact:
Tom McCall
Masimo Corporation
949-297-7075

Masimo, SET, Signal Extraction Technology, Improving Outcomes and Reducing Cost of Care by Taking Noninvasive Monitoring to New Sites and Applications, Rainbow, SpCO, SpMet, PVI, SpHb, ARM, and Pulse CO-Oximeter are trademarks or registered trademarks of Masimo Corporation.