By: capnmike REPORT on the ASHP Event...
08 Dec 2005, 11:51 AM EST
Msg. 22831 of 22830
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ASHP event - initial report
PEOPLE
I met Mr. Malcolm Philips and enjoyed multiple meaningful conversations that continue to have an extremely powerful and positive impact on my outlook, expectations, and overall perspective. There is far more here than he simply building our CDEX team and initial partnerships, but focus on that one area for a moment. The importance of this man’s stewardship cannot be overstated in my ‘very considered’ opinion. In no particular order or sequence…
I met and had meaningful discussions with:
Mr. Tim Shriver. <---- Wow!
Mr. Carlos Alvarez. <---- Wow!
Mr. Jerry Blair. <---- Wow!
a number of savvy investors. <---- Wow!
Dr. Larry Marstellar. <---- Wow!
Mr. Carey Starzinger. <---- Wow!
Mr. George Dials. <---- Wow!
Ms. Hanna Phan, Pharm D, Univ of Mich. <---- Wow!
Mr. Larry Grzebinski, Gen Mgr, Canadian Distribution Centre, BAXA <---- Wow!
Mr. Brad Wills. <---- Wow!
I met and had a brief but VERY meaningful discussion with Mr. Eric Kastango. <---- Wow!
I met (again) Dr. Wade M. Poteet. <---- Wow!
I met and had meaningful discussions with Shaun Priest. <---- Wow!
I met and had meaningful discussions with ValiMed pharmacist Steve Kirsch <---- Wow!
I met and had meaningful discussions with Mr. James Griffin. <---- Wow!
I met and had meaningful discussions with a number of BAXA representatives. <---- Wow!
I met and had lengthy meaningful discussions with an individual (management) for a large and impressive GPO (group purchasing org) during my flight. Contact and other information was swapped and appropriately forwarded. <---- Wow!
I met and had meaningful discussions with a medical consultant (impressive background – eg: designed clean rooms, plus other USP 797-related work with well recognized hospital systems). This individual was responsible for managing another booth and asked me to please bring him the ValiMed liturature and contact info, which I did. He also provided his business card, which is now in good hands at ValiMed.
The conversation above was conducted while we stood together watching BAXA’s amazing 50 minute training video by University of Utah’s James Jorgenson, MS, RPh, FASHP. (yes, the ValiMed client!) <---- Wow!
Observations
ValiMed / CDEX is providing multiple devices for demonstrations. I have photos and short video clips stored on my digital camera. One device is mounted on an IV pole exactly as a typical IV pump would be mounted, and is demonstrating the capability of monitoring the contents being transported via the tubing. One device is designed for validation of a single target – it is very small and very fast, and very straightforward (the user interface is extremely simple – no screen/menu). The ValiMed device we’ve all seen in the University of Michigan video is there too of course, and I was pleased to see how the design supports various medication forms (one mount provides validation of syringe contents, another supports validation of medication vials, etc). Yet another device validates an entire IV bag.
After 3-days at the event, it became clear that people tended to come in surges or waves, then a brief quiet period might present itself for team members to literally catch their breath, and then more people would appear. The individuals visiting the ValiMed booth were hospital pharmacy directors, executives with large hospital systems, doctors being sponsored by other ASHP-related groups, etc --- DECISION MAKERS ALL!!
At one point I was watching the action in the ValiMed booth from a neighboring booth, and a gentleman approached our booth. He was an M.D. from the University of Maryland, and announced they had orders in already and wanted to see more. What was even more impressive to me? Dr. Larry Marstellar was right there in our booth and was able to discuss and demonstrate in a doctor-to-doctor capacity. When pharmacy directors came to the ValiMed booth for demonstration and discussion, we are able to demonstrate in a pharmacist-to-pharmacist mode (both Jerry Blair + Steve Kirsch). I kid you not when I tell you all it became a game with me…. Someone would approach the ValiMed booth, be greeted by say Carlos, or Shawn, etc. A brief discussion would be followed by a demo and their lips would purse and I would think “here it comes!!!” and the word “WOW” would role off of their lips.
If interested parties come to the ValiMed booth, they received a colorful card that says “Bring this card to the Baxa booth, #2221 to receive a free gift and register to win an iPod video. If interested parties come to the BAXA booth before they see the ValiMed booth, they observe a very large booth with a plethora of knowledgeable BAXA reps., and a ValiMed banner right in the center of the action. Color glossies show the 5 “Rs” (Right Patient, Right Time, Right Route, Right Drug, Right Dose) with a question mark next to the Right Drug? Right Dose? Bold letters ask (overtop a color photo of gloved hand with syringe) “Is 3 out of 5 GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU? Your patients rely on you. Do your medication safety practices ensure their basic rights? ValiMed Medication Validation System – Validating Medication Safety One Dose at a Time. The flip side of the glossy hand-out has color photo of a ValiMed device, graphics and text similar to our ValiMed web site, and: Now distributed exclusively by Baxa Corporation, the ValiMed System….” “FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW YOUR FACILITY CAN VALIDATE SAFETY. Contact Baxa Corporation at 800-567-2292 or send an e-mail to marketing@baxa.com
When I met Mr. Eric Kastango, he said he believed the BAXA-VALIMED partnership was PERFECT. He said more too!
I attended the first Univ of Michigan poster session and have a short video clip. Hanna Phan was very helpful and informative. The first two med errors that were identified are mentioned on their poster, which states that “at least” two errors have been detected. She shared that they involved Vancomycin. She also verified that just last week a morphine drip concentration error was detected. And consider this…. Hanna said one child was on a dopamine drip and the doctors and nurses were not seeing expected results. They began wondering if the IV was the exact drug and concentration that was ordered, so started to do what most hospitals do…. Send it to the lab for a stat analysis. At that point, they realized they had this particular dopamine signature available in their ValiMed device (keep in mind… a signature is the combination of 1) drug, 2) concentration, and 3) diluent), so instead of the slow and expensive process involved with a stat-lab order, they got what they needed very very quickly and very very cheaply right on the spot!! Yes – the dopamine was exactly what the doctor had ordered, so the lack of expected results was clearly related to something other than a medication error. WOW~!
Folks – can you say “lab in a box?”
Also – we discussed their bullet point documenting that not all drugs fluoresce. From my limited layman research (I am not a pharmacist and I am not a fluorescence expert), I believe it would be accurate to say somewhere around 80 or 90 percent of the potential target drugs will fluoresce. This even got me thinking about what I had learned about the University of Maryland’s work in IR, so even if there is a highly desirable target drug that does not fluoresce in the UV range, I bet many of those would fluoresce in the infrared. For additional research – read about the University of Maryland IR fluorescence work and read about CDEX team infrared expertise and accomplishments in the IR range….. very comforting to me that we have so much depth!!!
Three more Baxa reps arrived from Denver yesterday morning and I had the opportunity to meet with them before the show opened. They are SOOO EXCITED about ValiMED!!!
BAXA is also providing color fold-over handouts with “The right equipment…” on the front, and USP 797 info inside. Refer to www.baxa.com/USP797
I asked a BAXA rep if they knew when the ValiMed equipment would appear on the Baxa web site and the Baxa Product Catalog, etc. She said she should could not say for sure, but was confident it would not take too long. She added that Marian is absolutely amazing.
Folks, in my view, BAXA’s Univ of Utah video with CE credit available, the BAXA product catalog, the presentations, the ValiMed banner --- ALL ARE 100% the best professional product one might hope for!
The lights are flickered at the end of the day to signal ASHP attendees and sponsors the day is almost over. At that time one day I saw (first hand) a gentleman approach BAXA’s Larry Grzebinski who happened to be at our ValiMed booth at the time. After a brief discussion, this man handed Larry a credit card to buy ValiMed equipment. I couldn’t hear everything that transpired (and I even thought perhaps it was a friend of Mr. Grzebinski being funny), but I am convinced it was ligit… the guy wanted to buy on the spot. My best guess is that Larry explained it didn’t work like that (you know, it is an ordering process, etc). The point is…. I am completely confident we are going to see revenue figures in the relatively near future that will be very interesting. I could not be more impressed with our technology’s advances, our team, and our partners – I feel impressive revenue will come of this and lives will be saved. Please allow me to repeat…
I could not be more impressed with our technology’s advances, our team, and our partners – I feel impressive revenue will come of this and lives will be saved.
Any and all that spoke with our CDEX COO, Jim Griffin, probably learned more about his business views. In a nutshell, he stresses that he does not pursue application of resources for incremental gains and incremental improvements on existing technology. Mr. Griffin appears to bring a highly disciplined business perspective whereby an analysis is performed, and once the market is identified, every swing is for a home run.
I firmly believe we are all in for a real treat…. I firmly believe we are going to learn about a business plan or plans, with the who/what/when/where/how/why documented for our review, and I will not be surprised if it is done in a manner that not only allows shareholder questions and debate, but also might actually expect and thrive upon said input!
To the entire CDEX team - - A very special and sincere “Thank You”
CapnMike
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