An intravenous or IV warming device warms fluids provided to patients through an IV. Previous models operated on AC power, were larger, and less effective. They could not be easily transported with patients to other facility areas or used in emergency response situations. Today technology has been used to improve the efficiency of these valuable treatment tools. Portable units are now powered by battery. Their design is very lightweight. They have capabilities for intravenous application as well as irrigation warming. Many facilities use these devices to reduce the likelihood of fluid-induced hypothermia. Warmers can use dry heat, water, or heat exchange technology to increase fluid temperature before it enters the IV. Heat exchange devices are the most effective of the three methods. This is because microprocessors and additional technology have been applied to their design to increase performance.

Mechanical Components Which Improve the IV Warmer

One such technology is called smart disposable. Typical warmers have a separate instrument for the disposal path. A cassette or special tubing is utilized for disposal. Newer designs have all the standard features required for a sterile fluid path. Advanced technology however, removes the need for previous disposal materials. A microprocessor in the IV warmer regulates fluid path heating. An integral heater control board is combined with a heat exchanger. These mechanical parts are protected by flame resistant plastic. Stainless steel is used for the tubing. The coil shaped stainless steel makes up the fluid path for the heat exchanger. A flex circuit is then welded to the fluid path. Standard fittings are applied for increased compatibility between IV administration and extension sets. The fluid stream itself contains two sensors which obtain an exact temperature measure. This allows for better heat control. An innovative IV warmer promises fewer setup mistakes. Professionals can have more confidence in the outcome of each patient application. Previous designs experience overheating. This is due to overcompensation for reduced thermal conductivity provided by commonly used medical device plastics. Stainless steel has higher heat conductivity. It decreases warming time and can respond faster to flow fluctuations. Overheating is not a concern with well designed equipment.

Low mass heaters are another innovation. Previous products use hot warming plates or a large amount of hot water as the heating mass. When the fluid flow stops, remaining heat is still transferred to the infusate. This results in temperature spikes. Low mass heaters do not supply heat in the event of a stop flow condition. The energy is stored in a very small mass which makes it insignificant. Sources of stored heat are avoided with this type of design. Fluid paths are temperature regulated. The microprocessor circuit controls fluid path temperatures. A failsafe circuit is also located on the control board. It is connected to the flex circuit welded on the fluid path. The processor checks the fluid temperature using the installed sensors. It then adjusts the heating power for temperature consistency. This process is continual until the IV warming device is no longer necessary. Previous heating methods do not have these precautions in place. They are prone to be less safe and unreliable.

The key to success for business growth lies in the use of technology. Technology allows you to create efficiencies in your business processes and expand your market reach to different geographical areas. The Internet is a great technological advancement that allows people to connect anywhere in the world and it is an excellent tool for driving business growth. For example, if you have a business in Toronto, it is easy to showcase and market your products to someone in Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles or London if you have a website thereby expanding your market to these areas. People around the world are using the Internet to find products and services and are either buying the product online or going to the store to buy them. Successful companies are using their websites to connect with these customers and are using their increased market reach to drive the growth of their business.

In this article I will detail some of the key reasons for having a website for your business.

Online Brochure

Think of your website as an online brochure and employee. Your customers can access it anywhere and at anytime to find out more about your products and services. It allows you to advertise your business 365/24/7 and the changes made to your products and services are immediately visible to your visitors. In essence, it gives you an employee who never sleeps and who is always promoting your products exactly how you want them to. Today’s technology allows for a safe and secure online transaction. You can now use your website to sell products, take payments and generate invoices! This allows for the entire sales cycle to take place online!

Cost Effective

Using a website to showcase your products and services is a cost effective marketing tool when compared to the high cost of traditional print media. Newspapers and print advertisements have a limited amount of space to promote your business and are usually considered a passive sales tool. A website is not limited in the amount of information that you can provide; you can gather visitor information, understand where your customers are located and what they think of your products and services. Using this information you can then proactively reach out to them with new product information or even a monthly newsletter. Adding a website address to your print media can expand the effectiveness of the ad and creates additional opportunities to stay in contact and/or close a sale.

Enhance Your Customer Service

Your website can be used to enhance your customer service. It can offer easy to access information regarding your address, hours of operation, detailed product descriptions, pricing, and special events. With the addition of a “Frequently Asked Questions” section you can reduce the amount of time spent on the phone giving out the same information to different customers. Utilizing your website in this way saves you time and money allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business.

Competitive Advantage

Studies have shown that more and more businesses are investing in a web presence because of the enormous advantages it presents. Most people now search online to learn more about a product before they decide to buy it. Your competitors may already be online selling to customers that you have never met. Regain the competitive advantage by using your website to provide information that distinguishes your business from that of your competition. Stay ahead of the curve and don’t be left out!

Creating your online presence is an exciting journey as you get to decide on how you want your website to look, what information you want to display and what products you want to promote. You can easily use website templates to design a website or employ the services of a Professional web designer to develop a website that has everything you need in the style and format that you want. Whatever you choose, a well-designed website can give you the competitive edge that today`s marketplace demands and it is a great way to market yourself, business or organization in an increasingly competitive economy.