WardInHand

Patient data and workflow management in hospital wards

through wireless devices

Summary

Introduction to the State of the Art in Introduction to the State of the Art in handheld devices in hospitalhandheld devices in hospitalss

M. Anastasiadis M. Anastasiadis Anco S.AAnco 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 !!!