LAKE HAVASU CITY — Havasu Regional Medical Center (HRMC) is the first hospital in the nation to pilot the PIVO™ Pro Needle-free Blood Collection Device in its Emergency Department for blood culture collection. This innovative device allows blood to be drawn directly through an existing IV line, eliminating the need for additional needle sticks and bypassing the skin plug which creates many blood culture contaminations.
Since its introduction, the device has been used in over 200 blood culture collections with a 0% contamination rate, enhancing both patient comfort and safety. Patients benefit from reduced discomfort and a decreased risk of infection, while healthcare providers experience improved efficiency in blood collection procedures.
HRMC was chosen to pilot the new device because the head of HRMC’s Emergency Department, Taylor Barrett, had developed a positive working relationship with PIVO’s manufacturer BD Biosciences. The Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association recognized HRMC at its Quality Awards luncheon last month for their work with this program.
HRMC Emergency Department head Taylor Barrett (left) and Market Assistant Administrator Elias Coury (right) accepting an award for work involving PIVO.
“I think it’s exciting that we got honored to be one of the first in the country for them to do the trial with and it was successful,” Barrett said. “It’s starting to kind of catch on and spread, so to be the pioneer for it, for a little town like this, is pretty exciting.”
Barrett says the device also saves money, costing around $12—down from $20 for the device they normally use. The PIVO Pro Needle-free Blood Collection Device has been approved by the FDA and will soon be available in hospitals across the country.
