News Details

Bar-Coding Babies for Patient Safety

May 17, 2005

Video Feed Alert

Hospital Corporation of America, the nation's largest hospital system, is testing new procedures to place bar-coded tags on babies' ankles to ensure they receive the proper medical care and ensure that the right baby goes home with the right family. The system, which matches the right medications with the right baby, was recently tested at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City and will soon be available at 124 hospitals owned by HCA. Putting barcodes on babies is a challenge because regular armbands are uncomfortable, difficult to scan and slip off babies' tiny arms and legs. The newly developed tags use soft foam bands that fit snugly, yet comfortably, around babies' ankles, and include a luggage tag-like barcode.

Video feed includes interviews with HCA's Medical Director, Dr. Frank Houser, nurses using the product, and families of babies in the test explaining the system. Also includes B-roll of neonatal intensive care unit at OU Medical Center.

     Details:

     Date         May 18, 2005
     Times        9:45 - 10:15 a.m. EDT  and  3:45 - 4:15 p.m. EDT
     Satellite    Galaxy 11 Transponder K16
                  Frequency: V 91 degrees West

     Note:        There will be multiple feeds during each time

Tape copies of this feed available on Beta SP by calling Theresa Green (405) 771-2287

Also see suggested script below.


    Enhancing Safety For Tiniest Patients
    Video News Release Script

    Anchor on Camera                    Suggested Anchor Lead:

                                          The bar codes stores use to scan
                                        your merchandise aren't just for
                                        shopping any more.
                                          Today, bar codes also play an
                                        important role in hospitals.
                                          In fact, the nation's largest
                                        hospital corporation is introducing
                                        bar coded wrist bands for patients.
                                          It's part of an elaborate electronic
                                        system that helps ensure patients get
                                        the right medications at the right
                                        time and in the right formulations.
                                          Now, Hospital Corporation of America
                                        - or HCA - is also pioneering a brand
                                        new wrist band specially designed for
                                        the tiniest newborns in hopes of
                                        further enhancing patient safety.
                                          Theresa Green has that story.

    Taped Report Begins:                Package Script:

    Locator: OU Medical Center            At only four days old, Takoda
             Oklahoma City              Stumblingbear is already a pioneer.
                                        He's one of the first infants in the
                                        nation to sport one of these little
                                        numbers.
                                          It's a bar coded identification band
                                        specially designed for babies born
                                        prematurely, like Takoda.
                                          And it's being tested for the first
                                        time at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma
                                        City.

    Super: D'Anna Stumblingbear         SOT (D'Anna Stumblingbear - tc 9:57)
           Takoda's Mother              "They showed me what the new
                                        bracelets looked like and how they
                                        identify with the mother and baby - so
                                        I was really happy."

                                          The bar coded portion of the band is
                                        also part of the hospitals' Electronic
                                        Medication Administration System - a
                                        system designed to make sure the right
                                        patient gets the right medication at
                                        the right time - and in the right
                                        dose and formulation.
                                          OU Medical Center's parent company,
                                        Hospital Corporation of America, or
                                        HCA, is introducing the medication
                                        scanning system in all of its
                                        hospitals.

    Super: Dr. Frank Houser             SOT (Dr. Houser, HCA - tc 12:41)
           HCA Medical Director         "It's important to HCA because last
                                        year we gave 51 million doses using
                                        this technology and we prevented over
                                        a million errors."

                                          However, they found the bar coded
                                        bands used so effectively in adult
                                        patients didn't translate well in the
                                        neo-natal intensive care unit.  The
                                        bands were often too big for these
                                        tiny babies, too abrasive for their
                                        very sensitive skin and often in the
                                        way.

    Super: Tina Launer, RN SOT          (Tina Launer, RN - tc 1:03:42)
           OU Medical Center            "It wouldn't be long before we in the
                                        nursery would remove them either to
                                        start an IV or to protect the baby's
                                        skin."

                                          The new bands, designed for HCA,
                                        feature a soft material, a bar coded
                                        tag and a velcro fastening system.

    Super: Kristin Glover, RN           SOT (Kristin Glover, RN - tc 5:51)
           OU Medical Center            "I love it so far.  It's less damaging
                                        to the skin and you don't have to
                                        worry about losing it, taping it to
                                        the bedside - there's always
                                        identification on the baby and so it's
                                        safer."

                                          HCA has just concluded a pilot
                                        program at OU Medical Center, testing
                                        the effectiveness of the new
                                        identification system.

                                        SOT (Dr. Houser - tc 01:07:30)
                                        "Our intent is to use this pilot as a
                                        first step to make sure we have all
                                        the pieces right to the puzzle and
                                        then we'll roll it out to protect all
                                        babies throughout our hospitals
                                        throughout the country."

                                          HCA estimates there are some 220-
                                        thousand babies born each year in its
                                        125 obstetrics units nationwide.
    (Ray-shon-dah Fair-ee-ay)             This year, Rayshonda Farria's son
                                        Jackson is one of them.
                                          Born nine weeks early and weighing
                                        only two and a half pounds, Jackson
                                        has already gained almost a pound -
                                          And thanks to the new identification
                                        band design, his own personal bar code
                                        can grow with him.

    Super: Rayshonda Farria             SOT (Rayshonda Farria - tc 17:00)
           Jackson's Mother             "It definitely gives you peace of mind
                                        to let you know they will always be
                                        able to identify the baby and if
                                        anything were to go wrong, they'd know
    (B-roll end of bite)                exactly what baby it was.  It really
                                        does give you peace of mind."

                                          This is Theresa Green reporting.

    Anchor on Camera:                   Suggested Anchor Tag:

                                          Results of the pilot program are
                                        being evaluated now.
                                          HCA says the new identification
                                        system could be rolled out in all of
                                        its obstetrics units nationwide this
                                        year.


                                        (Extra Sound Bites)

                                        (Benefits of new ID system)

    Dr. Frank Houser                    "It assures that the baby is getting
    Medical Director, HCA               the appropriate and correctly dosed
                                        medication, that the baby is easily
                            (2:29)      identified through the arm band and
                                        that identification is matched with
                                        the mother."

                                        "Our belief is that this tremendously
                                        enhances patient safety in our
                            (5:40)      hospitals both in the adult units as
                                        well as our children's units."

                                        (Cost effective?)

                                        "Our belief is we - HCA - can't afford
                                        not to do this.  It's clearly a
                           (13:40)      manifestation of our patient-first
                                        philosophy."

                                        (How do you like the new system?)

    Super: Tina Launer, RN              "It's really nice because you can
           OU Medical Center            always find the identification on the
                                        baby and you can move it from wrist to
                           (00:25)      ankle if you need to start an IV or
                                        many of the things we need to do with
                                        the baby."

                                        "The consistency is the main part of
                                        it ... just to make sure you always
                                        have something to identify the baby to
                                        make sure you are giving the right
                            (3:02)      medication. And the bar code, if there
                                        are two babies with the same name, it
                                        won't allow you to give the wrong
                                        medication to a patient."

    Super: Kristin Glover, RN           "I love it so far.  It's less damaging
           OU Medical Center            to the skin and you don't worry about
                                        losing it, taping it to the bedside.
                            (5:51)      There's always identification on the
                                        baby and so it's safer."

    Super: Rayshonda Farria             "I think it's absolutely wonderful.
           Jackson's Mother             It's safer for the babies, easier for
                           (16:41)      the nurses and doctors.  I think it's
                                        wonderful."

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding HCA's business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report or Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year.

HCA Contact:
Jeff Prescott
(615) 344-5708
OU Medical Center Contact:
Allen Poston
(405) 271-7900 x4