The BD Alaris™ Infusion System is a comprehensive, modular infusion system developed by Becton, Dickinson, and Company (BD), a US-based medical device company. It is used in healthcare settings for the delivery of fluids, medications, blood, and blood products for adult, paediatric, and neonatal care.
The updated infusion system supports hospitals and healthcare systems to improve their workflows, providing sophisticated care to patients in healthcare settings facing staffing shortages and resource constraints.
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The infusion system supports various infusion therapies in care settings and specialities, including oncology, pain management, critical care, surgery, outpatient, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and paediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted 510(k) clearance to the updated BD Alaris Infusion System in July 2023. The clearance allows for addressing issues and resuming complete commercial operations for the most extensive infusion system accessible in the US market.
The 510(k) clearance includes updated hardware features for point-of-care units (PCUs), large volume pumps, syringe pumps, patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pumps, respiratory monitoring, and auto-identification modules, as well as the latest software iteration of the BD Alaris Infusion System featuring upgraded cybersecurity measures. The version also includes interoperability capabilities, facilitating intelligent and interconnected healthcare through seamless integration with the most utilised electronic medical record (EMR) platforms.
BD Alaris Infusion System details
The state-of-the-art BD Alaris Infusion System is designed with a centralised user interface for up to four modules for all significant types of infusions, including large-volume pumps, syringe pumps, and PCA therapy with optional respiratory monitoring.
The interface controls all modules with a common PCU, offering simplicity, scalability, and ease of operation. Possessing a unified and all-encompassing infusion system empowers hospitals and healthcare networks to seamlessly expand their infusion requirements throughout an integrated delivery network while also ensuring compatibility with EMRs.
The system helps clinicians streamline workflow, simplifying intravenous (IV) delivery, programming and management, thus saving time.
BD Alaris Infusion System modules details
The Alaris Pump module helps protect every infusion type, including continuous and intermittent deliveries. Pump modules are typically used for large-volume infusions through administration routes such as IV, intra-arterial (IA), subcutaneous, epidural, or irrigation of fluid spaces.
Featured with channel status display and primary and secondary support, the connection of the BD Alaris Pump module with up to four infusion modules enables four independent infusions on a single PC unit.
The Alaris Syringe module with pressure-sensing disc shortens the time to alarm, accurately monitors the in-line pressure, minimises delays upon infusion setup, and decreases unintended bolus following occlusion release.
The pressure-sensing disc offers a precise, real-time numeric display of in-line pressure within flexible limits. It supports 1ml to 60ml syringes, ensures accuracy to ± 2%, and can sustain IV best practices down to 0.01ml per hour.
The Pump module and Syringe module are together referred to as infusion modules.
The Alaris Auto-ID module supports pump module programming, decreasing the chances of programming errors. It permits barcoding for all pump, syringe, and PCA infusions. The unique barcoding records the patient and clinician IDs, as well as drug details, enhancing visibility and aiding in the supervision of infusions. It also features added tamper-proof protection and ensures that the proper medication is given to the right person.
The Alaris PCA module facilitates pain management and delivers primary continuous infusions, PCA dose-only infusions, primary continuous + PCA dose infusions, loading doses, or bolus doses.
The integration of the Alaris EtCO2 module with the Alaris smart pump technology allows continuous respiratory monitoring, effectively lowering the risks associated with opioid infusions. The end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO₂) feature automatically suspends a PCA infusion if the patient’s respiratory condition drops beneath limits predetermined by the medical facility.
The Alaris EtCO2 module is an easy-to-use capnograph that shows waveforms and numeric values of EtCO₂, fraction of inspired oxygen (FiCO₂), respiratory rate, and no-breath indication. The Alaris EtCO2 module constantly monitors EtCO₂ in all patient areas. The Alaris saturation of peripheral oxygen (SpO₂) module monitors oxygen saturation and pulse rates continuously and noninvasively in adult, paediatric and neonatal patients.
BD Alaris Infusion System software and other technology details
The BD Alaris System features Guardrails™ Suite MX software, which is a medication safety and continuous quality improvement software for IV systems. The software decreases errors in IV medication administration, improves patient care, and monitors and evaluates system performance. It can accommodate both strict and flexible boundaries for each infusion parameter.
Integrated with dose-error-reduction software (DERS), Guardrails Suite MX software provides two safety software limits for intermittent infusions. It helps in protecting continuous and intermittent infusions.
BD Alaris EMR interoperability enables wireless transmission of infusion order parameters. It transmits accurate infusion status data in real-time back to EMR for data documentation, minimising the need for manual data entry.
The Alaris SpO2 module can be integrated with either Masimo® Signal Extraction Technology (SET®) or Nellcor™ pulse oximetry with OxiMax™ technology, to monitor the patient’s oxygen levels and pulse rates. It uses Oridion Microstream® technology with Filterline disposables to provide real-time respiratory status with intubated or non-intubated patients.
The BD Alaris Communications Engine offers near-real-time data transfer to and from pumps while enabling centralised monitoring of infusions and asset management.
Alaris Infusion Central software displays infusion status data in near real-time, enabling staff to view the patient’s infusions on a central display to improve the infusion process and management.
