Nestle Health Science Showcases SpikeRight® PLUS Enteral Connector System At National Program Highlighting Commitment To Healthcare Improvement, Innovation

FLORHAM PARK, N.J., June 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The SpikeRight® PLUS enteral (tube feeding) connector system from Nestle Health Science was one of 20 medical innovations on display in front of thousands of healthcare representatives at a national program focusing on innovation and improving healthcare.

The SpikeRight® PLUS connector system was selected by clinicians and other members of the Premier healthcare alliance, a hospital-owned performance improvement alliance of more than 2,600 hospitals and 84,000 other care sites.

It was debuted during Premier's fourth annual Innovation Celebration, which recognizes advances in healthcare while highlighting industry suppliers committed to innovation and improving patient outcomes.

Selection criteria included the uniqueness of the product, its ability to have an impact on an unmet medical need and its potential to positively impact patient care.

Basic criteria for selection included solutions that displayed uniqueness, as well as those that have an impact on an unmet medical need.

Innovations were shared during Premier's 2012 Breakthroughs Conference and Exhibition in Nashville, Tenn. on June 5. Approximately 4,000 healthcare providers and experts attended the conference.

About the Nestle Health Science SpikeRight® PLUS Enteral Connector System

Enteral tubing misconnections, where feeding solutions are wrongly administered through intravenous (I.V.) tubing or other non-enteral systems, are a serious patient safety concern. To help address this issue, Nestle Health Science introduced its original SpikeRight® design in the U.S. in 2008. In 2011 the design evolved into the advanced SpikeRight® PLUS, with its unique PLUS (+) shape, and is the first available proximal-end enteral connector system specifically designed to be incompatible with I.V. equipment.

Since 2008, Nestle Health Science has been a leader in promoting patient safety through its SpikeRight® and SpikeRight® PLUS products, educational campaigns and industry activities, including working for safe designs as part of the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and AAMI (Association for Advancement of Medical Instrumentation) working committee. The SpikeRight® PLUS design from Nestle Health Science has been submitted as the industry standard for the proximal-end connector system, with a final standard expected to be published in 2014.

"We are very proud to have been selected by the Premier healthcare alliance for recognition in its Innovation Celebration," said David Yates, North American Region Head for the HealthCare Nutrition business unit of Nestle Health Science. "As a leader in enteral safety innovation, we are committed to offering the latest technology and collaborating with industry partners, professional associations, clinicians, hospitals and other healthcare facilities to help improve patient safety."

"Those who attend and participate in the Innovation Celebration share Premier's commitment to providing innovative, valuable products to our members that impact healthcare's safety, quality and cost," said Durral Gilbert, senior vice president, Supply Chain Emerging Services, Premier. "These new innovations will truly benefit people across the nation as healthcare providers continue to improve care."

Any supplier, regardless of whether the company is contracted with Premier, can be considered for participation in the Innovation Celebration. Overall, Premier contracts with more than 800 suppliers.

About the Premier healthcare alliance, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient
Premier is a performance improvement alliance of more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals and 84,000-plus other healthcare sites using the power of collaboration to lead the transformation to high quality, cost-effective care. Owned by hospitals, health systems and other providers, Premier maintains the nation's most comprehensive repository of clinical, financial and outcomes information and operates a leading healthcare purchasing network. A world leader in helping deliver measurable improvements in care, Premier has worked with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the United Kingdom's National Health Service North West to improve hospital performance. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Premier also has an office in Washington. http://www.premierinc.com. Stay connected with Premier on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

About Nestle Health Science
Nestle Health Science offers nutritional solutions for people with specific dietary needs related to illnesses, disease states or the special challenges of different life stages. Nestle Health Science, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nestle S.A., became operational on January 1, 2011, and has worldwide headquarters in Lutry, Switzerland. For more information, visit www.nestlehealthscience.us.

SOURCE Nestle Health Science