There is something new and innovative in the emergency department at Effingham Hospital.

Now, the EZ-IO System (Intra-Osseous method of vascular access) will be administered as a life-saving intervention as patient necessity requires.  EZ-IO is an extraordinarily efficient and easy way to infuse needed emergency medications to a patient in need of emergent and immediate care.

Effingham’s emergency team and other  medical professionals attended a comprehensive EZ-IO training program presented by Vidacare. Present were the leading members of Dr. Ross McCabe’s Effingham emergency team, senior staff and several members of the Georgia Department of Human Resources EMS and Effingham County EMS.

The course of instruction was conducted by Karen Hurst, RN, and clinical specialist Eric Usher. The introduction of this new method will enable the Effingham emergency team to continue on the cutting edge of patient care.  

“Effingham Hospital is one of only 26 percent of American hospitals that is now in possession of this precision technology,” Usher said.

The EZ-IO is a battery-powered device used to place a stable port, via an intraosseous route, achieving vascular access within seconds, with minimal trauma to the patient. It was developed by medical professionals to meet the stringent needs of EMS and emergency department personnel for dependability, precision and user-friendliness.

“The EZ-IO product system is the best patient solution for the rapid, secure and safe delivery of intraosseous drugs and fluids when existing methods of vascular access are challenging or impossible,” Hurst said.

Both in the emergency setting and during routine clinical care, this  system offers Effingham Hospital the potential to establish new standards of clinical excellence in the safe, rapid institution of life-saving medical therapies.