THE CAUTI PROBLEM

Catheter-associated UTIs (CAUTIs) are still plaguing the medical community today. Current infection reducing solutions and protocols are failing to completely reduce a patient’s risk from contracting an infection during their stay. Complications due to a CAUTI can lead to increased length of stay, and even in extreme cases, death.¹

THE BLUCATH SOLUTION

The PSM BLUcath indwelling urinary catheter is developed to reduce bacterial growth and biofilm through an innovative transurethral flushing mechanism.

Using a flushing solution, BLUcath washes away harmful bacterial growth from the urinary tract as well as cleanses and hydrates the urethral membrane, all without the use of unnecessary antibiotics or other anti-infective agents.

Created by nurses and physicians for patients everywhere.

Patient Resources

CAUTI 101

I’m Currently Catheterized

Are you experiencing any issues with your catheter? Make sure to tell your nurse or doctor. If they offer BLUcath, they may be able to switch devices for you.

If you are feeling a burning sensation or feel like something isn’t right, make sure to alert your caregiver. Urinary tract infections are serious, especially in hospitalized patients.

Best Practices

Nurses and doctors should always wash their hands and wear gloves before providing catheter care.²

You should do your best to keep your hands and perineum clean at all times.²

Catheter 101

Catheters have a long history of use all the way from the Egyptians to now.

Some light literature reading if you’re truly interested: Here

Ask your healthcare provider how BLUcath is different than the rest.

CAUTIs make up more than 40% of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) reported by hospitals in the U.S.³

The attributable costs of a CAUTI can be as high as $10,197 on average.⁴

Other great catheter resources from these organizations:

*These organizations’ are in no way meant to endorse BLUcath. These links are for patient educational purposes.

Clinician Resources

HACRP Fast Facts

VBP Fast Facts

PSM’s Catheter Bundle Program

The BLUcath bundle is a mix of new technology, best practices, and EHR utilization. We believe that a multifaceted approach is the best way to improve care for your patients.

Click here to get in touch with us. We are happy to do an assessment of your current Catheter Bundle program and provide recommendations.

Catheter Training and Education

The BLUcath team can provide clinical support around our products and practices around them.

Is your facility considering BLUcath? Please contact your local BLUcath representative for on-site training and support.

Looking to see how BLUcath is different? Click here

Whether you were penalized last year under this program or not, you are at risk for on average $3.4 million in penalty fines under this program. The BLUcath team can help review your Catheter program and make sure you are in the best shape possible.⁵

Did you know? CAUTI is up to 25% of your weighted Total HAC Score.⁵

Contact us for more information.

CAUTIs actually contribute 1.5% to your total score. You may be putting $580M at risk due to penalties just due to sub-par CAUTI scoring. We can help review your Catheter program and show you the potential savings from an improved score by using our product.⁵

Learn more about the VBP program Here

Contact Us here for more information.

Some Best Practices to consider for improved patient care:

Use lidocaine gel pre-insertion to reduce patient discomfort.⁶

Use saline with 10% glycerine to prevent balloon evaporation.⁷

Add catheter protocol to EHR, including catheter maintenance schedule.⁸

Consider conducting a population analysis of at-risk CAUTI patients at your facility.⁸

Contact us to find out about additional best practices!

REDCATH: Coming soon!

I’m interested in being a Principal Investigator for REDCATH

MORE INFO

STUDIES

“A study of silver-coated catheters have failed to demonstrate the efficacy of silver in prevention of catheter associated bacteriuria.”
Riley, D. K., Classen, D. C., Stevens, L. C., Burke, J. P., (1995) . A Large Randomized Clinical Trial of a Silver-Impregnated Urinary Catheter: Lack of Efficacy and Staphyloccal Superinfection. The American Journal of Medicine, 98(4), 349-356.

“Silver alloy-coated catheters were not effective for reduction of incidence of symptomatic CAUTI.”
Pickard, R., et al. (2012). Antimicrobial catheters for reduction of symptomatic urinary tract infection in adults requiring short-term catheterisation in hospital: a multicentre randomised controlled trial. The Lancet, 380(9857),1927-35.

“No advantages of the [BIP-silicone] coated catheter could be found in this cohort of critically ill patients.”
Stenzelius, K., Lazlo, L., Madeja, M., Pessah-Rasmusson, H., Grabe, M. (2016). Catheter-associated urinary tract infections and other infections in patients hospitalized for acute stroke: A prospective cohort study of two different silicone catheters. Scandinavian Journal of Urology,50(6), 483-488.

Click here to read our biofilm study.

Click here to read out abstract presented at the American Urological Association meeting.

About The Technology

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Human Body Organs Anatomy (Kidneys with Urinary Bladder)

The indwelling urinary catheter is a staple to modern medicine. However, it has a critical flaw. While in a patient, the outer surface of the indwelling urinary catheter provides a solid medium that allows for bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation, which often leads to a Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) ⁹

Contact Us

Do you have a real story where you had a catheter placed and had a poor outcome or experience?
We want to know.

Email Us

References

¹ Chant, C., Smith, O. M., Marshall, J. C., & Friedrich, J. O. (2011).

Relationship of catheter-associated urinary tract infection to mortality and length of stay in critically ill patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Critical Care Medicine, 39(5), 1167-1173.
doi:10.1097/ccm.0b013e31820a8581

² Gould, C., Umscheid, C., Agarwal, R., Kuntz, G., Pegues, D.

Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (2009) CDC GUIDELINE FOR PREVENTION OF CATHETER ASSOCIATED URINARY TRACT INFECTION, https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/pdf/guidelines/cauti-guidelines.pdf

³ Saint, S. (2000)

Clinical and economic consequences of nosocomial catheter-related bacteriuria. American Journal of Infection Control, 28(1), 68-75. doi:10.1016/s0196-6553(00)90015-4

⁴ Hollenbeak, C.S., & Schilling, A.L. (2018)

The attributable cost of catheter-associated urinary tract infections in the United States: A systematic review. American Journal of Infection Control, 46(7), 751-757.

⁵ Portela Soni Medical Inc., (2018)

Analysis of Medicare & Medicaid Pay for Performance Programs. Data derived from healthdata.gov. Internal Review.

⁶ Harmanli, O. H., Okafor, O., Ayaz, R., & Knee, A. (2009)

Lidocaine Jelly and Plain Aqueous Gel for Urethral Straight Catheterization and the Q-tip Test. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 114(3), 547-550. doi:10.1097/aog.0b013e3181b43808Saint, S. (2000). Clinical and economic consequences of nosocomial catheter-related bacteriuria. American Journal of Infection Control, 28(1), 68-75. doi:10.1016/s0196-6553(00)90015-4

⁷ Westin, P. Policy for the Insertion and Maintenance of Urinary and Supra Pubic Catheters in adults. (2017)

NHS Foundation Trust. https://cdn.cumbriapartnership.nhs.uk/uploads/policy-documents/Insertion_and_Maintenance_of_Urinary_Catheters_Policy_POL-001-042-027.pdf

⁸ Fakih, M. G., Greene, M. T., Kennedy, E. H., Meddings, J. A., Krein, S. L., Olmsted, R. N., & Saint, S. (2012)

Introducing a population-based outcome measure to evaluate the effect of interventions to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infection. American Journal of Infection Control, 40(4), 359-364. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2011.05.012

⁹ Trautner, B. W., & Darouiche, R. O. (2010, October 25)

Role of biofilm in catheter-associated urinary tract infection. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2963581/

BLUCATH