3M and MedMined Join Forces to Help Hospitals Reduce the Human and Economic Cost of Infection

[Mn 3m Health Care via BizWire]

ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 30, 2004--Two infection
prevention leaders have formed an alliance to aid hospitals in the
ongoing battle against health care-associated infections (HAI).
MedMined Inc., a leader in technology-based services for infection
control, and 3M Health Care, a leader in infection prevention products
and education, will provide hospitals with the insight needed to
target infection control initiatives and the practical solutions
needed to improve patient and business outcomes. MedMined combines
patented artificial intelligence technologies, clinical expertise,
quality improvement training and outcomes measurement into a
comprehensive service that reduces the incidences of health
care-associated infections.
"This is an exciting alliance," says Matt Zuschlag, business
development manager, 3M Hospital Consulting Services. "Our two
companies have strengths that complement each other. MedMined's
sophisticated HAI-pattern recognition capability combined with the
clinical process improvement tools and education available from 3M
will help hospitals make real inroads against health care-associated
infections."
"Our patented intelligence model is already being used by many
hospitals, including national leaders in patient safety. It's been
recognized by MIT's Technology Review, Fortune magazine and others,
and its benefits have been verified by over 20 research publications
and presentations," says G.T. LaBorde, chief operating officer,
MedMined. "By combining our service with 3M's focused consulting and
educational materials, we will help enhance patient care and create a
positive P&L impact for our hospital clients."
Using the data and insights generated by MedMined, the 3M
Perioperative Consulting team applies a systematic, evidenced-based
quality improvement approach to the perioperative process. Among its
services, 3M provides a baseline knowledge assessment of perioperative
staff regarding aseptic technique and infection prevention standards;
a customized facility surgical site infection cost analysis; a
comparison of staff actual practice to industry-established best
practice; and targeted continuing education, featuring accredited
computer-based training or live seminars to address identified
knowledge and practice gaps. At predetermined intervals, 3M will also
conduct a post-engagement knowledge assessment and surgical site
infection cost analysis to quantify gains.
Beginning with its proprietary Data Mining Surveillance
methodology, MedMined can identify opportunities to improve patient
care processes that are causing hospital infections. Equally
important, MedMined can provide infection control practitioners with
the support needed to motivate others and prove to hospital executives
the financial value of infection control. To accomplish this, the
company provides daily targeted surveillance of microbiology and
patient movement data; pattern/cluster detection that compares current
and historical data from a facility; duplicate-free antibiograms,
produced every six months, that indicate changes in sensitivity from
the previous time frame; and JCAHO review aids, including viral
surveillance for both inpatients and outpatients.
For more information on the benefits of the 3M Health
Care/MedMined alliance, call 800-228-3957, or visit us on the World
Wide Web at either http://www.3M.com/hcconsulting or www.medmined.com.
3M Health Care, the largest of seven major 3M businesses, is
dedicated to improving the practice, delivery and outcome of care in
medical, dental, pharmaceutical, health information and personal care
markets. 3M Medical Division, part of the 3M Health Care family,
provides consulting services to help facilities focus their infection
prevention efforts through 3M Hospital Consulting Services.
MedMined is a privately held company that maintains its corporate
headquarters in Birmingham, Ala. In addition to its Web site,
information is available via telephone at (205) 314-8560 or via e-mail
at in...@medmined.com.

About 3M -- A Global, Diversified Technology Company

Every day, 3M people find new ways to make amazing things happen.
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Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate, Scotch-Brite, Filtrete,
Command and Dyneon are trademarks of 3M.

Data Mining Surveillance is a registered trademark of MedMined.