Transcript full presentation - Med-e-Tel

WardInHand
Patient data and workflow
management in hospital wards
through wireless devices
Summary
Introduction to the State of the Art in
handheld devices in hospitals
M. Anastasiadis
Anco S.A
The problem
While most large healthcare institutions have automated
back-office systems that handle functions such as patient
billing and inventory management…..
…..but from the other hand the front end of care delivery
has remained dominated by paper printouts with the need
to manually re-enter information into clinical systems.
The emergence of desktop systems helped partly address
this need having many drawbacks as :
high costs of ownership
Lack of ability of healthcare practitioners to efficiently
document care as they moved from patient to patient.
The solution of handheld devices
More and more physicians are using handheld electronic devices in their
daily routines. These miniature computers are efficient, accurate and put
a wealth of information at their fingertips.
Handheld mobile solutions can literally accompany healthcare
professionals in the performance of their jobs, whether the professional
works in care delivery or in the back office.
Handheld computers make it easier to coordinate physician schedules,
make billing more timely and cost-effective, would improve physician
communication and give access to internal information sources such as
patient records .
The integrated solution of Wireless handled
devices
The Integrated Solution :
Technology-enabled mobile application that is deployed on handheld
devices that are synchronized with back-office servers wirelessly.
Thanks to the Internet, many doctors and nurses have already grown
familiar with information technology and are attracted by the promise
of anytime, anywhere access.
Furthermore, the installation of wireless LAN infrastructure can be far
less expensive and disruptive compared to conventional wired
networks .
Handheld, wireless applications can enable doctors and nurses to
gain ready access to complete patient treatment histories and gain
access to the right information at the right time to prescribe the right
course of treatment .
Infrastructure required for a handheld wireless
solution
Typical handheld wireless clinical applications
Among the applications that could benefit from mobile deployment are:
Mobile access to latest drug reference databases, gaining access to the
most up-to-date prescribed treatments.
Electronic access to patient records, reducing demand for paper records
"ePrescribing," enabling prescriptions to be written and verified against
potential drug interactions.
Patient/drug verification, allowing practitioners to scan patient and drug
bar codes to help ensure the appropriate medicine is being administered
to the correct patient.
Prescription formulary reference, providing the ability to electronically
identify the most economical pharmaceuticals for a patient
Electronic billing for in-home healthcare workers.
Delivery applications, including healthcare supply delivery, tracking and
billing.
Drivers for change
Reducing medical errors
Improving patient safety
Reducing costs
Increasing physician revenue
HIPAA compliance
Real time information access
Improving clinician efficiency by providing mobility and
flexibility.
Improve the quality of care by providing decision support
applications.
Potential benefits of handheld wireless clinical
applications
Patient benefits
Handled devices will offer not only money saving but also
quality improvement to the citizens (patients):
Improved treatment, since doctors and nurses will have
more time to deal with their primary goals.
Reduced stay in a hospital with apparent psychological
effects.
Reduced errors in the data file since data not only will be
entered at the bedside (no delay – no forgets) but also by
the doctor / nurse themselves (no error). As a result,
improved treatments are expected.
Improved quality of diagnosis and increased availability of
patients medical data, due to the usage of smart
card/tokens for examinations storage and retrieval.
Critical Issues
Importantly, Digital Hospital initiatives are being driven not by
information technology professionals but by physicians and
clinicians who see technology as an aid and are demanding
better tools. This is not technology for technology’s sake.
These systems must provide increased data transference without
disturbing
sensitive
hospital
equipment
by
ensuring
electromagnetic compatibility that will improve patient safety.
Healthcare happens at all times of the day or night.
Healthcare providers need their applications to work
whenever they do. And IT professionals in healthcare need
24 x 7 support.
Handheld Device Features for Healthcare
Extended battery life
High processing power
High screen resolution
Large screen size
Flexibility & Multimedia options
Voice enabled
Compact
Light Weight
Wireless Technology Feature in Healthcare
Security
Range/Coverage
Throughput (bandwidth)
Integrity & Reliability
Interoperability
Interference & Coexistence
Simplicity & Ease of use
Scalability
Battery Life for mobile platforms
Safety
Projected use of handheld devices by physicians for
transactional purposes
Conclusion
Hospitals Move Toward Paperless Age
Thank you !!!