HARTFORD - State Rep. Linda Gentile, D-Ansonia, Derby, praised Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s signing of legislation that will improve patient care in hospitals.
House Bill 7174, which was signed into law on Monday, will allow certain hospital personnel to flush a peripheral IV with prepackaged normal saline. The bill will pave the way for the widespread use of the PIVO system.
Griffin was one of the first hospitals in the country to trial the new needleless “PIVO” blood-drawing device which was developed by an innovative medical device company called Velano Vascular.
This device was approved by the FDA earlier this year, as well as the Department of Public Health.
This device was approved by the FDA earlier this year, as well as the Department of Public Health.
“This bill implements the use of the revolutionary new PIVO system, a needleless, painless device that draws blood from patients. Implementation of this device means that patients no longer have to go through the stress and pain of having their blood drawn multiple times with a needle for critical testing,” Gentile said.
“This bill will dramatically improve patient safety and ultimately provides hospitals with a more compassionate way of taking care of patients. This bill was a strong collaborative effort and I would like to thank my Republican colleagues for all of their hard work and support."
“This bill will dramatically improve patient safety and ultimately provides hospitals with a more compassionate way of taking care of patients. This bill was a strong collaborative effort and I would like to thank my Republican colleagues for all of their hard work and support."
“I was happy to support this legislation as it is a common sense approach to a problem our hospitals have,” said House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby. “And it comes at no additional cost to anyone, while at the same time improving our healthcare system.’’
“I am glad to see that we were able to help pass legislation that will help improve patient and caregiver safety,” state Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria, R-Seymour, said. “I want to thank Griffin Hospital for their strong advocacy and for being a leader in the hospital industry. I look forward to partnering with Griffin Hospital in the future.”
“We all value what a regional asset Griffin Hospital has become,” said state Sen. George Logan, R-Ansonia, who serves as Vice-Chair of the Public Health Committee.
“As lawmakers, we want to do all we can on a bipartisan basis to help Griffin Hospital thrive and continue to provide the best care possible to area residents. It was great to see Griffin Hospital’s leadership and staff take an active role in speaking out for this common sense legislation. This measure will help ensure that Griffin Hospital will continue to be a leader in the provision of quality, groundbreaking, patient-centered care. I thank Rep. Gentile, Rep. Klarides, and Rep. Klarides-Ditria for their advocacy, and I thank the governor for signing this bill into law.”
“Hospitalized patients currently endure multiple needle sticks per day, over multiple days, to draw blood for laboratory testing. Those needle sticks can now be eliminated due to the introduction of a new needleless blood drawing device that draws blood from an existing peripheral IV catheter placed for medication and fluid administration,” Griffin Hospital President and CEO Patrick Charmel said.
“Since virtually all hospital inpatients require IV placement, use of the PIVO device means no additional venipunctures or needle sticks, and for this we have a number of forward thinking leaders to thank.”
“Since virtually all hospital inpatients require IV placement, use of the PIVO device means no additional venipunctures or needle sticks, and for this we have a number of forward thinking leaders to thank.”
These include Deputy Speaker state Rep. Linda Gentile, House Minority Leader state Rep. Themis Klarides, state Sen. George Logan, and state Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria and other members of the Valley delegation, as well as the Chairs of the Public Health Committee and the Department of Public Health.
Charmel added, “All were champions of this legislation that will enable Griffin, and other progressive hospitals, to vastly improve patient safety and experience.”
The final version of the legislation Public Act 17-234 allows Griffin and other hospitals to begin using the needleless blood drawing device throughout their facilities effective Oct. 1, 2017.
This is a press release from Linda Gentile's office.
