Comparing Autoinfu vs Baxter vs Fresenius (Safety, Usability, and Pricing)

by Sara Alvarado

Updated October 31, 2024
Autoinfu, Baxter, and Fresenius are some of the innumerable infusion pump brands hospitals, clinics, and home care providers turn to for safe and accurate fluid and drug delivery.
  • Autoinfu: Customers who have used the Autoinfu infusion pump describe it as an “affordable pump with better performance than more expensive models and without a long learning curve.” The portable peristaltic infusion pump safely and reliably delivers infusion therapy thanks to the programmable settings and customizable treatment details, among other state-of-the-art features.
  • Baxter: Baxter creates its pumps with a patient safety priority through accurate and error-free fluid and drug infusion. Its Sigma Spectrum IV pump ensures a smooth workflow using the Smart pump technology that allows automatic wireless connectivity to the drug library on startup and seamless integration with the EMR system.
  • Fresenius: The Fresenius Ivenix Infusion System is a winner of the MedTech Breakthrough Award for its innovative technology solution in drug infusion. It is designed to pump differently, and the manufacturer claims it is the only infusion pump in the market that uses a pneumatic pumping mechanism.
As some of the best infusion pump options in the market, these brands have advanced software and technology features that enhance fluid and drug infusion safety and accuracy.

They also have features that enhance usability, referring to how easily nurses and clinicians interact with the pump and how satisfied they are with its performance.

Not every infusion pump in the market offers the same level of safety and usability at an affordable cost.

So, in this article, we compare the Autoinfu infusion pump, Baxter’s Sigma Spectrum IV pump, and Fresenius’ Ivenix Infusion System on the following features:

  • Boosted Portability and Durability.
  • Enhanced Infusion Assessment on a User-Friendly Interface.
  • Advanced Patient Safety with Dose Error Prevention Pump Designs.
  • Affordable Pricing.

1. Boosted Portability and Durability

The portability of an infusion pump defines how easily and safely it can be carried from one place to another without the risk of falling, plus its suitability for use in home or mobile care.

Durability describes the resistance of the infusion pump to daily handling and use, including resistance to consistent disinfection and cleaning.

So, which brands have boosted portability and durability?

Autoinfu: Compact Exterior Design with Ergonomic Handle

Autoinfu IV Infusion Pump

The Autoinfu infusion pump is built to provide easy and safe portability and advanced durability thanks to the following features:

  • A lightweight pump weighing only 1.7kg (3.75lb).
  • An ergonomic handle that makes handling and moving the pump easy and secure.
  • A long-lasting battery that runs for 10 hours when fully charged, making the Autoinfu reliable during power emergencies and an excellent choice for home and mobile care.
  • An IPX3 waterproof rating. It means the pump can withstand sprayed water and vertical water drops.
  • A custom pole and stand to boost portability and pump support. The stand has lockable wheels for enhanced security and adjustable height from 57-73 inches. Even then, the Autoinfu pump design allows it to be placed safely on any secure stand.
IV infusion pump

Fresenius: Tough Exterior Build with Secure Grip Handle

The Fresenius infusion pump is made with easy portability and durability in mind. Here’s why:

  • A lightweight pump of 2.2kg (4.8lb).
  • A roll-cage secure-grip handle for safe pump handling and portability.
  • 8-hour battery run time, good enough for power emergencies and home and mobile care.
  • A strong, impact-resistant casing with an IPX3 waterproof rating, allowing spray cleaning and withstanding most disinfectants.
  • The easy and quick IV pole mounting and release enhance portability.

Although the Baxter Sigma Spectrum IV pump is lightweight, it lacks the ergonomic features of Autoinfu and Fresenius. You need the designated tandem carrier to support it on an IV pole. However, its 8-hour battery performance supports portability for home and mobile care.

2. Enhanced Infusion Assessment on a User-Friendly Interface

An inadequate user interface infusion pump design that confuses the user or has unclear infusion setting cues is one of the common problems reported to the FDA.

Because it affects the accuracy of infusion settings, an inadequate user interface can adversely compromise patient safety.

Fortunately, our focus infusion pumps have a user-friendly interface that allows reliable infusion assessment.

Autoinfu: Large, Bright LCD Screen with User-friendly Keypad

The Autoinfu infusion pump has a large, 3.2-inch bright screen. Its size makes identifying infusion details easy on the eyes.

The blue, bright background makes the white writing and images easily visible, even from a distance.

The nurse can easily check the details displayed on the screen, including the remaining battery charge, infusion total volume and flow rate, the volume to be infused (VTBI), and dynamic pressure value.
Baxter vs Fresenius
Together with the bright screen, the Autoinfu pump has a user-friendly numerical keypad with intuitive programming functions.
Both features allow nurses to customize the infusion settings with greater confidence and minimal occasions for error.

Baxter: Easy-to-read Bright Screen and User-friendly Keypad

The Baxter Sigma Spectrum IV pump is created with a large, bright screen that makes it easy for clinicians to check infusion details while programming and during infusion.

The ON/OFF option on the user-friendly numerical keypad allows the user to choose the infusion and pump details to be displayed. That includes the alarm audio level, screen infusion dosage and flow rate, current fluid or drug delivery, VTBI, and remaining time.

From the keypad, you can also choose how bright the screen backlight will be on a level of 1 to 10. Just remember that a high screen brightness consumes more power.

Fresenius: A Smartphone-style User-friendly Screen

Baxter vs Fresenius
One of the Fresenius Ivenix IV pump unique features is its smartphone-like user interface.
The 5.7-inch screen has a full-color display and shows a wide range of infusion and pump details, including pump status (whether infusing or on standby), battery charge status, dose infusion rate, remaining volume, and infusion start and completion time.
Such a screen gives Ivenix its signature physical appeal. Most significantly, the user can easily assess infusion details during programming and while the infusion is in progress.

3. Advanced Patient Safety with Dose Error Prevention Pump Designs

If it does not ensure advanced patient safety, it is not a good infusion pump, simple!
Fortunately, with the latest technology and software advancements, today’s Smart infusion pumps have Dose Error Reduction Software (DERS) that control dose limits to keep them within acceptable limits.
They also integrate effectively with the Electronic Health Records (EHR) to ensure easy patient data access and avoid manual transcription errors in infusion.
Today’s infusion pumps also have several other advanced patient safety features and dose error prevention designs.
So, what cutting-edge features do the Autoinfu, Baxter, and Fresenius infusion pumps have to ensure advanced patient safety?

Autoinfu:

The Autoinfu infusion pump has the following advanced features that ensure enhanced patient safety during infusion.

  • Audiovisual alarm notifications in case of air bubbles, up or downstream occlusion, open door, end of infusion, expiry of standby time, low or discharged battery, drip sensor error, and several other errors. The visual alarm feature is strategically placed to ensure easy identification. 
IV Infusion Pump
  • A cutting-edge drip sensorthat ensures consistent infusion delivery at the right infusion rate, volume, and interval.
  • A built-in titration error prevention featurethat stops programmed infusion dosage if it is beyond the allowed limits for titration infusions. This is a great patient safety feature, considering that 90% of infusion programming errors occurring with high-risk drugs are titrations.

Baxter:

With patient safety as the top priority, Baxter’s Sigma Spectrum IV pump goes beyond DERS to include other advanced dose error prevention features and safe infusion practices.
  • A built-in, one-step titration error prevention feature that blocks inaccurate entries of drug dosage, especially in high-risk titration infusions.
  • A cue to confirm that the flow of critical medication is initiated when it should.
  • The prompt to confirm that the primary and secondary infusion lines flow rates are as prescribed in order to avoid unintended drug interactions.

Fresenius:

The Fresenius IV pump manufacturer claims unmatched infusion accuracy with the following features:
  • Accurate drug dosage, thanks to the pneumatic infusion mechanism that measures and regulates infusion flow, independent of fluid density, bag placement, and patient position or movement.
  • Automatic adjustment when occlusion or pressure error is detected.
  • Alarm to warn the user of duplicate or incompatible drugs.
  • Built-in anti-free-flow features, regardless of the operating conditions.

4. Pricing

Getting the best value for your money is a core factor to consider when buying medical equipment.

The best infusion pump meets your hospital, clinic, or home care needs without breaking the bank.

With the safety and usability features discussed so far, here’s how the Autoinfu, Baxter, and Fresenius infusion pumps compare in terms of cost.

Autoinfu:

The Autoinfu IV pump is currently listed for a discounted price of $650 on the manufacturer's website, down from the original price of $850.

Other online suppliers list it for prices ranging between $440 to $1,045.

Baxter:

Baxter seems to focus more on its new model, the Spectrum IQ Infusion System on its homepage. So, you are more likely to find preowned and refurbished Sigma Spectrum IV pumps selling at an average cost of $2,300 when in excellent condition.

Depending on the supplier and pump condition, you can get lower prices between $995 and $1,200.

Fresenius:

We could not establish that any Fresenius Ivenix Infusion Systems were commercially available at the time of this write-up.

The Infusion system has experienced a range of recalls since its acquisition by Fresenius Kabi in 2022 for issues with its infusion delivery software and technology and IV delivery sets. That could explain the current absence of online listings for the Ivenix Infusion System.

5. Which Brand Best Combines Safety, Usability, and Affordability?

Baxter’s Sigma Spectrum IV Pump and Fresenius’ Ivenix Infusion System have the complexity of the latest Smart infusion pump technology and software to enhance patient safety.

However, their comparison with the Autoinfu infusion pump reveals that complexity does not always win over simplicity.

The Autoinfu infusion pump offers a more secure design in terms of portability. The pump’s bright, blue screen and numerical keypad also provide a reliable, user-friendly interface to ensure the correct entry of infusion details and easily control infusion progress.

Besides, the built-in titration error prevention is a cutting-edge feature, ensuring patient safety for high-risk drug infusions.

And all that comes at an extremely affordable cost!

Talk to Autoinfu today for your next acquisition toward patient safety in infusion therapy.

6. Sources

Article by
Sara Alvarado
Greetings, I'm Sara, a dedicated nurse and a proud contributor to the AutoInfu blog. With my firsthand experience in the world of infusion pumps, I'm here to provide you with the latest insights, expert advice, and essential updates to ensure you stay informed about the infusion pump industry.

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