Covidien enters into preferred vendor partnership with OSF Healthcare System

Covidien (NYSE: COV), a leading global provider of healthcare products and recognized innovator of mechanical ventilation and respiratory care devices, today announced it has entered into a long-term, preferred vendor partnership with the Order of Saint Francis (OSF) Healthcare System, headquartered in Peoria, Ill. After using a mix of SPO₂ technologies for more than eight years, the OSF Healthcare System recently standardized to OxiMax™ technology for all its pulse oximetry needs.

“Our ongoing mission at Covidien is to provide solutions, such as the OxiMax line of products, that enhance patient safety, medical efficacy and healthcare efficiency”

The Nellcor OxiMax pulse oximetry products from Covidien provide efficient and safe monitoring of patient oxygen levels and are used at medical facilities worldwide. The flagship product in the Nellcor line — the OxiMax™ N-600x™ pulse oximeter platform — delivers accurate, reliable readings of patient oxygen levels and features the latest OxiMax technology and the SatSeconds™ alarm management system.

“The OxiMax product is a critical tool that enables healthcare professionals to deliver the highest quality of care possible by helping them to identify issues and take action before they become adverse respiratory events,” said Douglas Hansell, M.D., M.P.H., Chief Medical Officer and Vice President, Respiratory and Monitoring Solutions, Covidien. “This adds another level of patient safety to the healthcare environment.”

The Order of Saint Francis Healthcare system includes seven acute care and two long-term care facilities in Illinois and Michigan, and serves more than 2.5 million patients each year. Among the OSF network of hospitals is the 710-bed Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Ill. In addition, the new OSF Children’s Hospital is scheduled to open in Peoria in late 2010.

“In the years that Nellcor OxiMax technology has been used in our facilities, our clinicians have seen firsthand the clinical value these products have brought to our healthcare environment,” said Anna Bandy, Contract Administrator at OSF Healthcare System. “We made the decision to standardize to OxiMax pulse oximetry so that patients and clinicians throughout the entire OSF community of facilities can benefit from this technology.”

Monitoring oxygen saturation level is critical in the healthcare setting, particularly for patients undergoing surgery as well as those patients with high body mass index, reduced consciousness because of pain medication or exhaustion or a history of sleep apnea, snoring and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Also at high risk are the elderly, 65 years and older, who according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are the largest population of patients entering U.S. hospitals.

“Our ongoing mission at Covidien is to provide solutions, such as the OxiMax line of products, that enhance patient safety, medical efficacy and healthcare efficiency,” said Pete Wehrly, President, Respiratory and Monitoring Solutions, Covidien. “By standardizing to OxiMax technology, our OSF partners will have peace of mind knowing that this technology will be readily available to all their patients and clinicians.”