Health news and notes

Amazon to roll out Alexa for use in healthcare systems, senior living communities

Amazon announced two new solutions for senior living and healthcare providers to integrate Alexa into their properties. Part of Alexa Smart Properties, the solutions were designed specifically for the needs of senior living communities and healthcare facilities.

Several large health systems including Boston Children’s Hospital (Boston, MA), Cedars-Sinai (Los Angeles, CA), BayCare (Tampa, FL), and Houston Methodist (Houston, TX) will deploy the new Alexa capability to select properties, according to the news release.

Hospitals can provide information customized to their facility, like notifications about schedule changes or cafeteria menus, and skill experiences like games, podcasts, and more. Hospitals and senior living communities can also build and enable HIPAA-eligible skills, like medication tracking, to connect care providers with residents and patients in an environment designed to protect their health information.

The company says that Alexa Smart Properties simplifies deploying and managing Alexa-enabled devices at scale, in order to help properties “offer customized Alexa experiences for residents and patients, and increase care team productivity and operational efficiency.”

Through the Amazon Echo device in patient rooms, administrators can offer access to tens of thousands of Alexa skills, and tailor resident experiences by customizing community information like activity schedules and meal menus. Care team members can communicate with residents using Alexa communication features, which enable them to make announcements, voice and video calls, or send direct audio messages to other Alexa-enabled devices throughout the property.

The company says that no personal information is shared with Alexa to use the device, and voice recordings are not saved. And that Amazon implements administrative, technical, and physical safeguards for protected health information received as part of HIPAA-eligible skill interactions.

Alexa Smart Properties will support senior living and healthcare solutions in the U.S. starting in November.

Some workers want COVID-19 recovery accepted as evidence of immunity

Some workers opposed to vaccine mandates on the job are pointing to the same reason for their objection: They already had COVID-19. The Labor Department on Sept. 9 recommended that private companies mandate vaccines for all employees or require them to submit to regular COVID-19 tests. Tens of thousands of U.S. workers across industries from healthcare to education to airlines and the military face dismissal if they fail to get vaccinated in coming months.

However, some employees are asking that immunity from prior COVID-19 infection be recognized alongside vaccination as sufficient protection against the virus, the Wall Street Journal reports. Attorneys general of 24 states wrote in a letter to President Biden that more than 120 million Americans previously infected with COVID-19 had a degree of immunity that the attorneys general say should excuse those people from vaccine mandates.

Research comparing immune responses in people who have recovered from COVID-19 to those who have been vaccinated has been mixed.

2210KL-AM Antimicrobial Neonatal Scale

The Health o meter® Professional Scales 2210KL-AM neonatal scale is the newest pediatric scale designed to safely monitor the progress of a baby’s growth during the most critical times in their lives. The 2210KL-AM is an antimicrobial high-resolution digital pediatric scale designed for use in critical areas of infant care.

Health o meter® Professional Scales is dedicated to providing an accessible and easy-to-use solution to weigh even the smallest of patients accurately. Whether it’s being used in the NICU, nursery, delivery room, or pediatric practices, this scale is accessible to everyone. The 2210KL-AM takes a series of measurements, weight, and breast milk intake, along with advanced features for tare, pre-tare, and conversions for grams, kilograms, or pounds.

2210KL4-AM 4-sided tray option

Built to protect

While babies are building up their immune systems to the world around them, Health o meter®’s pediatric scale takes extra measures to protect them and the user from harmful bacteria. The tray, body, handles, and keypad are antimicrobial, meaning that the scale is built to disrupt and prevent the growth of microorganisms.

The removable tray has an innovative, patent-pending mounting system that eliminates breakage and makes it easier to remove, clean, and reinstall. Complete with a built-in measuring tape that allows users to measure weight and height simultaneously, the 2210KL-AM neonatal scale is designed for easy operation.

Additionally, this scale is built with motionsensing technology to compensate for babies’ small movements. This feature allows for fast operation and ensures the accuracy and precision of each weight reading. The backlit display makes reading a patient’s weight easier at almost any angle and light condition.

Wireless integration

In addition to the connectivity features, the 2210KL AM can be powered with the included 100-240V power adapter or batteries. For maximum portability, an optional rolling cart is sold separately. The exclusive Everlock® function allows the measuring units (pounds, kilograms, or grams) to be permanently locked on the scale.

The Health o meter® Professional Scales 2210KL-AM improves accuracy and efficiency for healthcare facilities, providing an accessible and user-friendly experience for any user.

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Metrex CaviWipes 2.0

Metrex’s CaviWipes 2.0, with its new generation of active ingredients, elevates the tried-and-true original CaviWipes to next-level cleaning and disinfection. CaviWipes 2.0, a one-step, broad-spectrum disinfectant wipe, helps reduce the risk of cross-contamination in healthcare facilities quickly and efficiently – all while addressing common challenges of material compatibility.

Built off the chemistry of the legacy product, CaviWipes, CaviWipes 2.0 is effective against 42 pathogens, including commonly found multi-drug resistant organisms, as well as: ʯ SARS-CoV-2 ʯ Norovirus ʯ Candida Auris ʯ Mycobacterium bovis (TB) ʯ Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ʯ Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1)

One-Step Cleaning

CaviWipes 2.0 creates synergy between a quaternary ammonium compound with low alcohol to achieve highly effective surface disinfection while maintaining material integrity and resulting in a one-step infection-prevention solution. This powerful combination means that the CaviWipes 2.0 is effective against pathogens in the presence of a 5% blood soil condition, eliminating the need for a pre-cleaning1 step (when soil is not visible), which would require an additional wipe.

2-minute Universal Contact Time

CaviWipes 2.0 cleans and disinfects against bacteria, viruses and pathogenic fungi with a 2-minute universal contact time. A surface disinfectant must stay visibly wet on the surface for the contact time specified in the product’s label to ensure efficacy. For some other products on the market that means a contact time of up to 10 minutes.

Effective Against 42 Pathogens

CaviWipes 2.0 qualifies for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Emerging Viral Pathogen claim for all virus types (enveloped, large and small nonenveloped viruses2). CaviWipes 2.0 is on the EPA’s “List N,”3 and has an efficacy claim against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, when used according to label directions.

1 Precleaning needed for bloodborne pathogens and candida auris 2 www.epa.gov/coronavirus/what-emerging-viral-pathogen-claim, August 12, 2021 3 List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2, November 16, 2021. www.epa.gov/coronavirus/list-n-advanced-search-page-disinfectants-coronavirus-covid-19

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