Clinical Studies Further Validate MedMined's Unique Infection-Tracking Technology.

BALTIMORE -- Presentations at APIC Conference Demonstrate Significant Reductions in Hospital-Acquired Infections 

MedMined, Inc., a medical information technology company, today announced the presentation of three clinical studies that further demonstrate the ability of its Data Mining Surveillance(R) technology to identify and reduce hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). The abstracts are being presented at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) annual conference this week.

With an estimated 2 million patients each year acquiring infections while hospitalized, reducing the incidence of HAIs is a key patient safety issue. MedMined's Data Mining Surveillance combines ongoing electronic review and analysis of hospital data with clinical support and education tools that allow hospitals to identify and reduce the rate of HAIs. The system's Nosocomial Infection Marker (NIM(TM)) is a proven alternative to manual targeted surveillance, which has been shown to be inconsistently applied, calling into question the value of the information provided.

Abstracts and presentations at the APIC conference include:

--Saint Francis Hospital, a 519-bed acute care facility in Memphis, Tenn., used data mining surveillance to identify a cluster of hospital-acquired E. coli urinary tract infections in the orthopedic and rehabilitation units. Subsequent investigation revealed practices in the emergency department that contributed to the problem. Nurse managers in the departments received analysis reports to review with staff, including a checklist of evidence-based practices to reduce urinary tract infections. Data mining allowed the facility to focus on department-specific process improvements, and E. coli infections were reduced to zero in the rehabilitation unit in the subsequent three-month period.

--At 451-bed Providence St. Vincent Hospital in Portland, Ore., automated data mining surveillance revealed a significant increase in Coagulase negative staph infections in patients with central lines in the ICU. After identifying that the problem was associated with a new product and completing process improvements and staff training, infections were decreased by 80 percent. Another expected benefit is a potential reduction in unnecessary antibiotic use.

--At Children's Hospital and Clinics in Minneapolis, automated data mining surveillance identified a cluster of hospital-acquired respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in the level II/III nursery, the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants and children. Seven of 28 patients became infected -- an attack rate of 25 percent. Epidemiological testing and interventions were rapidly completed, stopping further transmission of this serious and deadly infection.

According to Patrick Hymel, MedMined's chief medical officer, these important abstracts add to the growing body of clinical evidence confirming the company's technology. "Since 2002, more than 40 clinical presentations have been made at epidemiology conferences reporting on the successful use of Data Mining Surveillance to reduce hospital-acquired infections," Hymel said. "The common theme in all of these success stories is that automated, hospital-wide surveillance provides timely, accurate information that allows hospital personnel to rapidly react to problems putting patients at risk and implement effective prevention measures."

MedMined is a Birmingham, Ala.-based medical information technology company founded in 2000 to provide data mining analysis and related technical, clinical, and financial consulting services to the healthcare community. MedMined's patented infection-tracking technology and proprietary service are being used by more than 100 hospitals nationwide, covering more than 1 million hospital admissions yearly. For more information, visit www.medmined.com.

Note to editors: The APIC conference is being held June 19-23, 2005, at the Baltimore Convention Center. MedMined's booth number is 702/704. For copies of the abstracts, please contact Barbara Sullivan at 714-374-6174.