WatchCare (incontinence management system)

Main article: Urinary incontinence

2022: Baxter admits marriage in incontinence management system

On October 21, 2022, Baxter International announced a serious problem affecting the WatchCare incontinence management system. Theoretically, using this solution can harm the health of patients and even provoke a fatal outcome.

The WatchCare system is manufactured by Hillrom, an agreement to buy which Baxter entered into in September 2021. The transaction amount amounted to approximately $12.4 billion. The takeover, it said at the time, would allow Baxter to provide a wider range of health products and services to patients who want home care.

WatchCare

The WatchCare solution is designed to alert patient caregivers to cases of incontinence. Although the system is designed to the most recent radio frequency standards, it has been found to emit signals that may adversely affect other devices in the vicinity. Moreover, these can be medical devices of both patients and health workers.

In particular, WatchCare's RF activity may cause the insulin pump/blood glucose sensor to malfunction, causing the drug to overdose. The system can also affect the functioning of the fetal monitor, various telemetry devices, bladder scanner and other devices, including infusion pumps. The result of improper operation of such equipment can be a violation of the course of treatment, an incorrect diagnosis, and more.

In all but two cases, interference was fixed at a distance of less than a meter. Baxter advises to stop using all WatchCare radio frequency accessories where possible. Currently, the company continues to find out the causes of the problem.^[1]

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