Newswise — WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 1, 2015 – In 2013, B-Line Medical® launched its Charitable Fund with the goal “To dedicate B-Line Medical technology and support to the global healthcare advocates and leaders in our community with the goal of improving the quality of healthcare worldwide”.

With support from the Ministry of Health of Botswana and the American Heart Association, the “Saving Children’s Lives” team from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has trained over 200 nurses, 5 trainers, and has helped reduce infant mortality at Princess Marina Hospital in Gabarone, Botswana by 22% since 2013. “Saving Children’s Lives” is a program that trains healthcare providers on critical lifesaving skills to reduce infant mortality in resource-limited, rural African communities. B-Line Medical continues to support the initiative and will match all donations made to the cause, with the goal of raising $7,000 and training 35 new lifesavers in Botswana. The Music in Action Benefit Concert will be held Sunday, May 17 at 2:00 pm at the Bier Baron in Washington, DC – all proceeds from the event will be donated to the “Saving Children’s Lives” program.

Training healthcare providers via simulation-based techniques has helped reduce the infant mortality rate. Dr. Peter Meaney, Program Director for “Saving Children’s Lives” and physician at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses the infant mortality rate in rural communities and describes an approach to the solution: “8.4 million children under the age of 5 die needlessly every year, and 98% of these deaths occur at the community and district hospital level in low and low middle income countries. United Nations Millennium Development Goal #4 is to reduce Under 5 Mortality (U5MR) by two thirds by 2015, yet child deaths are not falling quickly enough. Targeting effective management of acute illness (i.e pneumonia and diarrhea) in resource-limited settings could save millions of children’s lives each year.” Hartley Thompson, the President of B-Line Medical, saw the impact in Botswana when he traveled there as part of the initiative: "I had the privilege of traveling to Botswana in 2013 with Dr. Meaney, and witnessed first-hand the difference that the Saving Children's Lives program is making in improving the quality of pediatric care in Africa. B-Line Medical is honored to have the opportunity to help support this important cause spearheaded by people that share our passion for improving patient safety worldwide."

B-Line Medical makes software that helps healthcare professionals and educators improve the delivery of healthcare. Focused on the capture, debriefing, and assessment of medical training and clinical events, B-Line Medical specializes in the delivery of robust, yet easy-to-use web-based solutions. B-Line Medical’s platforms have helped over 350 top hospitals, medical schools, and nursing programs in 18 countries operate and manage their training and QI programs more effectively.

Contact: Johanna Fong[email protected]301.233.1171B-Line Medical® 1300 19th St. NW, Suite 100Washington, DC 20036