Veteran Affairs to use Redsense alarm to detect blood leakage during hemodialysis

The Redsense alarm will be required for use in Veteran Affairs' dialysis centers. The safety alert, based on research from Veteran Affairs National Center for Patient Safety, marks an important step for the only alarm that detects blood leakage during hemodialysis.

Veteran Affairs National Center for Patient Safety analyzed forty-seven bleeding incidents between 2002 and 2010: "Forty of these events were serious bleeding episodes and some of these resulted in fatalities" (Veteran Affairs, "Bleeding Episodes During Dialysis", AD09-02)

A Patient Safety Alert was issued by the Veterans Affairs Central Office on July 7th 2010: Redsense(R) Dialysis Alarm for Patients Undergoing Needle Access Procedures (AL-1013). According to the alert, by November 1, 2010, all VA Dialysis centers will be required to use the Redsense alarm for all patients with needle access undergoing hemodialysis outside of the dialysis clinic area. Areas considered outside of the dialysis unit include in-hospital wards or ICUs where treatments are done at the bedside, and side rooms or isolation rooms in the hemodialysis unit that do not allow direct line-of-sight visualization of the patient and the dialysis machine during hemodialysis.

Furthermore, the Redsense Alarm may also be used on patients identified by dialysis staff at risk of a Venous Needle Dislodgement. Risk factors include conditions such as confusion, agitation dementia, or uncooperative patients, patients with difficult to secure needles, or other patients with risks which may be of concern to the dialysis team.

Redsense Medical CEO Patrik Byhmer: "We're very impressed by the thorough way in which Veteran Affairs has investigated the need for improved patient safety in hemodialysis and proud to support the VA's efforts to protect their patients. Gaining the confidence of the US Veteran's Administration is a huge step in the right direction for Redsense to become the recognized standard of care in VND patient safety, in line with existing regulations."