BIRMINGHAM, Ala.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–April 11, 2005–MedMined, Inc., a medical information technology company, today announced the introduction of the Nosocomial Infection Marker (NIM), a new feature of its Data Mining Surveillance technology that for the first time allows an accurate, electronic measurement of the incidence of hospital-acquired infections. The NIM was introduced at the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) 15th Annual Scientific Meeting in Los Angeles.

With an estimated 2 million patients each year acquiring infections while hospitalized, reducing the incidence of hospital-acquired (or nosocomial) infections is a key patient safety issue. Due to resource limitations, however, many hospitals use manual “targeted” surveillance methods. As a result, many hospitals don’t have the ability to track infections throughout their facilities, limiting the opportunity for infection-prevention efforts.

To address this challenge, MedMined developed the patent-pending NIM, an electronic marker that uses sophisticated algorithms to analyze existing microbiology laboratory and patient census data to identify hospital-acquired infections. Clinical validation studies have shown that NIM analysis identifies nosocomial infections with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. (Most recent validation study results are being presented at the 2005 SHEA meeting today by Evanston Northwestern Healthcare.)

According to Patrick Hymel, M.D., MedMined’s chief medical officer, “The NIM allows infection control professionals (ICPs) to efficiently keep watch over all patients and areas of the hospital, allowing them to prioritize and focus their infection-prevention efforts where and when they are most needed. Because the NIM is objective, consistent and can be tied to financial data, ICPs are armed with surveillance data meaningful to both clinicians and hospital executives.”

The NIM is the latest enhancement to MedMined’s Data Mining Surveillance service, which combines ongoing review and analysis of infection-related data from hospital systems with clinical support and educational tools designed to facilitate meaningful change and process improvements and comply with state mandatory reporting requirements. MedMined analyzes patient data, using artificial intelligence technology to identify patterns of infection, colonization, and contamination that indicate an opportunity to improve patient care processes. The service alerts infection control staff to unusual patterns of infections and areas where problems are occurring so they can intervene to prevent the spread of infections. Hospitals also have electronic access to their infection-related clinical data in real time to facilitate reporting, charting, and automated alerts.

In addition to improving patient safety, G.T. LaBorde, MedMined’s chief operating officer, said the MedMined service significantly reduces the unprofitability associated with hospital-acquired infections. “Nosocomial infections are a significant drag on hospital operating margins,” LaBorde said. “The 5 percent of patients with hospital-acquired infections erode 63 percent of the average hospital’s inpatient net operating profits. Hospitals using the MedMined service have achieved a measurable 300 percent financial return in the first year of use.”