Patient Study Reveals Overwhelming Agreement that Vein Illumination Improves Satisfaction with Medical Facilities

AccuVein study also indicates strong demand for vein illumination in all venipuncture procedures

Long Island, NY, March 1, 2012 – AccuVein Inc., the global leader in vein illumination and the creator of the world’s only hand-held, non-contact vein visualization device, today reported the findings of its study on the impact that vein illumination has on patient preference and overall satisfaction. The study of almost 400 patients exposed to vein illumination, found that not only do patients want vein illumination used for all venipuncture procedures, including IV infusion and blood draw, but that they are willing to change their behavior and specifically seek out facilities that feature the technology.

Patient satisfaction is a key and growing measure of success in healthcare today. Starting in October 2012 as a result of the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Medicare will begin taking patient satisfaction into account when reimbursing hospitals. This program marks the first time that hospitals across the country will be paid for inpatient acute care services based upon care quality, not just the quantity of the services provided. This will create even more competition between hospitals to satisfy patients, with those garnering the best scores receiving more money.

AccuVein’s study found that 93% of patients would give a hospital a higher satisfaction score if vein illumination were utilized. Furthermore, 94% of patients expressed the desire to have vein illumination used each time they were stuck, suggesting a desire to have a facility-wide adoption of the technology. In fact, patients expressed such strong desires about the technology that they said they would be willing to drive an extra 14 miles to go to a hospital that used a vein visualization device such as AccuVein’s.

In addition, patients expressed overwhelmingly positive feelings about the caregivers using vein illumination. Specifically, 98% of patients said they would appreciate the extra effort of a medical care provider who used vein illumination, a strong indication that the use of a vein visualization device could facilitate a more positive nurse/patient interaction.

“Patient satisfaction is increasingly becoming a critical measurement of hospital success and this data suggests that vein visualization devices such as AccuVein’s can have a significant impact and be a key differentiator,” said AccuVein CEO Ron Goldman. “Seeing patients express such a strong preference for vein illumination is encouraging and provides additional support for incorporating vein illumination into the venipuncture standard of care.”
Venipuncture is the most common invasive medical procedure worldwide, with an estimated 2.7 million procedures conducted every day in the United States alone. Studies show that up to one third of the attempts to access a vein fail the first time, creating unnecessary patient discomfort as well as additional costs. Patients overwhelmingly endorse vein illumination because it improves caregivers’ ability to access veins. It does this by projecting a safe pattern of light on a patient’s skin that reveals the position of underlying veins.

To request a copy of the Patient Preference Survey go to https://www.accuvein.com/patient-preference-study/.

About AccuVein Inc.
AccuVein Inc. is a global leader in vein illumination. Its breakthrough product allows health care professionals to see a map of peripheral veins on the skin’s surface with the goal of improving vascular access procedures including blood draw, IV infusion and blood donation.

The device is the world’s only portable, non-contact vein visualization device. It is built on AccuVein’s proprietary technology as embodied in its growing patent portfolio that covers a broad range of imaging and medical diagnostic technologies.

Vein illumination with AccuVein’s breakthrough device is in use at more than 1,000 hospitals and available for sale in 96 countries worldwide. To see a demonstration of vein illumination with AccuVein, please visit accuvein.com.