Hospital-Acquired Conditions: Patient Safety Concerns Fuel Device Innovation

New federal initiatives to improve patient safety are taking direct aim at hospitals' bottom line by making them bear the increased costs of treatment when patients acquire a condition deemed reasonably preventable. At this year's meeting of the Association of Operating Room Nurses, companies showcased new technologies designed to help hospitals avoid so-called "never events" like leaving objects in a patient after surgery, pressure ulcers acquired during a patient's stay, and certain nosocomial infections.