Frost & Sullivan recently awarded Puritan Bennett, a provider of respiratory products, its 2004 Product Quality Leadership Award. The award was in recognition for Puritan Bennett’s innovative HELiOS Personal Oxygen System, which makes it possible for people requiring supplemental oxygen to “wear” the device on a belt or shoulder back, allowing a more independent and mobile lifestyle. When filled, the HELiOS system weighs just 3.6 lbs and lasts up to 10 hours at a time.

The company has established quality standards above those required by regulatory bodies and has implemented Six Sigma. “Puritan Bennett has introduced a virtually complaint-free system through this product and has done so by addressing quality at every step,” says Alpesh Gandhi, Frost & Sullivan research analyst. “[It] has fulfilled the needs of home care providers throughout the nation by reducing frequent visits to patients’ homes.”

For more information, visit www.puritanbennett.com.