Although B. Braun manufactures and distributes a large portfolio of medical products, leaders decided to focus on disparities associated with peripheral IV care through an intersection of stakeholder conversations, business alignment, and moral imperative. The insertion of a peripheral IV catheter is the most common invasive procedure in healthcare, however, occurrences of difficult intravenous access (DIVA) significantly undermine a patient’s experience with healthcare systems. Unfortunately, some populations, like people of color or those with co-morbidities, may be at elevated risk for IV insertion complications arising from educational gaps and organizational norms.

Interviewees shared, “[IV insertion] on average takes two to three attempts to have a successful stick. But then when we look at patients of color, the number of sticks can get as high as…8, 9, [or] 10 times for an individual patient.” One study found Black patients at two emergency departments experienced 58% more DIVAs compared to white patients. Experiences with difficult IV access also influence a patient’s perceptions, trust, and willingness to engage with the healthcare system, sometimes leading patients to delay or forgo care altogether.

To address disparities in vascular access, B. Braun launched a multifaceted approach focused on education, training and advancing standards of care, with the Peripheral Advantage^® Program as the centerpiece of its solutions. The company aims to convene healthcare organizations around the issue and impact patient outcomes with three steps:

1. Investigating the overlooked inequity – and raising the alarm about the problem. B. Braun brought attention to this issue through several fronts, including presenting at healthcare conferences and highlighting the problem with patient advocacy organizations, major health systems, thought leaders and policy makers. B. Braun collaborated with AVA and other organizations to conduct surveys to understand patient experiences and healthcare provider perceptions based on race, skin tone, body type, and other factors that influence IV access. The surveys aimed to illuminate the experiences of different patient populations and inform equitable improvements in vascular access care.

2. Developing and scaling solutions by equipping clinicians and provider organizations with technology, education and data. In 2021, B. Braun launched the Peripheral Advantage^® program, a comprehensive program designed to improve peripheral IV insertion practices by equipping clinicians with the training, tools, and data-informed insights they need to address disparities in peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) care and elevate the standard of care.

To address evidence of deficiencies in the training of healthcare providers to insert and care for peripheral IVs, B. Braun collaborated with AVA to develop a free eLearning curriculum for clinicians in training. These modules fill potential gaps, equipping future clinicians with IV delivery skills and knowledge about vascular access inequities. Currently, there are 22 committed healthcare schools (nursing, medical, and dental) participating, with 1,500 future nurses being trained.

Outside the education space, clinical use cases for the Peripheral Advantage program emphasize the importance of using existing technology to address vascular access inequities. B. Braun already distributes near-infrared visualization technology to help providers locate veins in difficult IV access patients. Since the technology is already broadly available in hospitals, but not consistently used, Peripheral Advantage provides organizations with ongoing education and outcome tracking to emphasize the significance of its use.

Peripheral Advantage^® outcomes¹

• Doubled PIVC dwell time² from 2.13 days to 4.76 days
• Increased first attempt success from 70% to 83.7%
• Improved clinician knowledge by over 21%
• Improved patient satisfaction by 29.1%

3. Advocating for policies to motivate change. B. Braun is pushing for higher standards for IV delivery using Peripheral Advantage’s evidence, including advocacy for a CMS quality measure, as well as a requirement to report IV-related complications. To do so, B. Braun has directly engaged with regulatory and political leaders at the state and federal levels. Along with AVA, healthcare providers, and other organizations, B. Braun has also collaboratively drafted a consensus document around peripheral IV care, incorporating health equity into the framework.

Through Peripheral Advantage and with their collaborations, B. Braun is addressing clinical challenges at varying levels of society, ultimately contributing to the broader advancement of health equity goals through structural change.

To amplify its workforce DEI strategy, B. Braun took a two-pronged approach: implementing a broad support system for current employees and building pipelines to bolster their future workforce. For current employees, the organization:

• Surveyed employee benefits, determined their relevance to the workforce, and closed any identified gaps. On an ongoing basis, B. Braun's Corporate Benefits team reviews and updates its benefit offerings based on employee input and comparison to other life science companies. Some of the recently added benefits include an offering that connects employees virtually with healthcare professionals who understand and provide identity-specific care, as well as a program that provides fertility building benefits through surrogacy and adoption support.
• Launched eight identity-specific employee resource groups (ERGs). Open to all employees across the North American region, B. Braun’s ERGs provide space for shared understanding, social support, and collaborative learning. B. Braun's ERGs are structured with two co-leads and an executive sponsor that facilitate group meetings and coordinate ERG events. A senior leader holds monthly ERG meetings for second and third-shift employees to expand B. Braun’s ERG reach beyond first-shift employees.

While investing in their existing employees was a top priority for B. Braun, they also understood the necessity to build  the workforce of tomorrow. With this focus, B. Braun:
 

• Diversified recruiting strategies and expanded support for upward career pathing. B. Braun’s talent acquisition team continues to expand outreach to diverse applicants (like gender, race, and veteran status) by protecting objectivity across the hiring process, removing arbitrary job posting requirements, and reconsidering education for leadership roles.
  
  Additionally, B. Braun is launching a pilot leadership development program to improve retention, skill development, and promote internal, lateral movement to senior roles. A similar program is being piloted within the ERG community to support the development of diverse talent.
• Invested in the community by designing a workforce pipeline. The organization has partnered with other manufacturers, training providers, community colleges, and universities to develop relationships and build skilled talent. In the Lehigh Valley, B. Braun is a founding partner of iTEC, a nonprofit initiative that encourages alternative career paths by offering training, apprenticeship certification, and opportunities to earn a degree. Additionally, B. Braun has partnered with a local university to develop a capstone project for students in engineering programs.

In addition to building a community-based workforce with growth opportunities, B. Braun invests in its community through various giving channels, such as charitable contributions, product donations, and research grants. In 2021, B. Braun introduced a DEI criterion for these donations, with a focus on programs supporting populations experiencing health disparities. The new category resulted in an increase DEI spending from 21% in 2021 to nearly 40% in 2023. Not only did the requirement protect resources to address typically under-funded health disparity work, but it also extended B. Braun's impact with minimal disruption to existing workflows through small administrative changes.