• New collaboration aimed at elevating and improving education, sparking new thinking across continuum of care
  • Company to highlight innovative design and expert insights to help vascular access clinicians

Hospital-acquired infections via central lines are all too common with an estimated 250,000 CLABSIs occurring each year in the United States. As part of its focus to make it easy for healthcare workers to do the right thing, Medline today announced a partnership with the Association for Vascular Access (AVA) to drive greater standardization and improved patient safety. The leading manufacturer and supplier will showcase its latest products and solutions spanning vascular access device insertion, access and maintenance at the AVA Annual Scientific Meeting in Phoenix, Sept. 16-19, at booth 417.

“Medline works hand-in-hand with clinicians to create and develop new solutions for vascular access,” says Barb Connell, vice president, medical affairs, Medline. “This exciting partnership opens the door to even more possibility and impact by aligning our company’s ability to help healthcare professionals systematically tackle problems with some of the best minds in the vascular access community.”

AVA stands at the forefront of protecting and saving lives through promoting and establishing best practices and patient advocacy.

"Clinicians and facilities can’t achieve competency alone. It requires the right tools and education to make best practice every day practice,” says Ramzy Nasrallah, chief executive officer, AVA. “Medline is a key strategic partner for us in vascular access, fusing innovation with action to drive greater standardization, education and safety. We welcome their urgency and expertise around protecting patients and educating clinicians."

Booth Highlights

From intuitive design and visual cues to ways to reduce practice variance, Medline will feature the following products and solutions:

  • SwabFlush, the only device of its kind to combine a saline flush syringe and disinfection cap, is one of the clinician essentials featured in the new Line Access Kit for bedside medication delivery
  • ERASE BSI Dressing Change System developed to follow best practices for post-insertion care
  • Aegis™ CHG-impregnated foam disc designed to help shield the catheter site from bacteria

Expert Insights

As a strategic AVA partner, Medline is hosting a platinum showcase on Sept. 18. “Reducing Clinical Practice Variation to Improve PIVC Outcomes” will feature Gillian Ray-Barruel, RN, PhD of the AVATAR Group, an independent research group specializing in highly credible scientific vascular access device research. This discussion will also highlight recent evidence regarding peripheral intravenous catheter practice to illustrate current variations in care and why there is a need for standardized practice.

Learn more about how Medline is tackling infection prevention by standardizing practice and reducing variance at https://www.medline.com/pages/clinical-expertise/infection-prevention/.

About Medline

Medline is a global manufacturer and distributor serving the healthcare industry with medical supplies and clinical solutions that help customers achieve both clinical and financial success. Headquartered in Northfield, Ill., the company offers 350,000+ medical devices and support services through more than 1,400 direct sales representatives who are dedicated points of contact for customers across the continuum of care. For more information on Medline, go to www.medline.com or http://www.medline.com/social-media to connect with Medline on its social media channels.

About AVA

The Association for Vascular Access (AVA) is an organization of healthcare professionals founded in 1985 to support and promote the specialty of vascular access. AVA's mission is three-fold: Protect the Patient, Educate the Clinician, Save the Line. AVA represents and advances the vascular access specialty and community, and defines standards of vascular access through an evidence-based approach to enhance healthcare and patient outcomes. Today, its multidisciplinary membership advances research, provides professional and public education to shape practice and enhance patient outcomes, and partners with the device manufacturing community to bring about evidence-based innovations in vascular access. Learn more at http://www.avainfo.org/.

MedlineVivika Panagiotakakos, (847) 643-3311vpanagiotakakos@medline.com