US-based HealthTrust Purchasing Group has awarded a contract to ClearCount Medical Solutions to provide SmartSponge system to its HealthTrust members.

Under the contract, HealthTrust members including not-for-profit and for-profit acute care facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, physician practices, and alternate care sites, will have access to ClearCount's technology to avoid retained sponges.

SmartSponge system, which utilizes the company's radio frequency identification (RFID) based platform, provides a closed-loop reconciliation of the surgical sponge count.

ClearCount said during surgery, sponges are individually tracked from the initial check-in and when any sponge is missing the detection wand assists to locate missing sponge.

ClearCount chief executive officer David Palmer said HealthTrust has awarded the contract based on the company's shared values of providing patient care and reducing overall healthcare costs.

"Our innovative and unique 'count and detect' technology provides HealthTrust members with an effective way to improve both patient safety and operating room efficiency," Palmer added.