Alegent Health Sees Positive Results From Recent Clinician Usability Study Collaboration With Siemens and Motion Computing
February 25 2008 - 11:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
Study Outcomes Include Increased Productivity and End-User
Satisfaction, Enhanced Workflow and Quality of Care Improvements
ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today, at the
Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) 2008
Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, Siemens
(http://www.usa.siemens.com/healthcareit) and Alegent Health, the
largest not-for-profit, faith-based healthcare system in Nebraska
and southwestern Iowa, announced the results of a clinician
usability study that was recently deployed at Alegent Health's
Lakeside Hospital in Omaha, Neb. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070904/SIEMENSLOGO ) The
results from the study revealed: significant increases in end-user
satisfaction; quality of care improvements as a result of increased
ability to document at the point of care; increased clinician
productivity due to increased mobility; reduced device performance
issues and improved workflow; and projected cost savings. The study
examined the usability of the Motion Computing(R) C5 MCA (Mobile
Clinical Assistant) with Siemens Soarian(R) and Siemens Med
Administration Check(TM) (MAK). The Motion(TM) C5 MCA is a tablet
PC created by Motion Computing with support from Intel Corporation
that includes features such as integrated barcode and RFID readers
for patient identification and/or electronic medication
administration, and built-in WiFi and Bluetooth for wireless
connectivity. Siemens actively contributed input to the development
of the Motion C5 MCA to enhance the clinician end-user experience
for those who are also utilizing Siemens solutions. During the
study, clinicians accessed Soarian, Siemens next-generation,
workflow-engineered healthcare information system, and Siemens MAK,
which automatically validates and documents the medication
administration process through barcoding technology to help reduce
the potential for errors and improve care, via the Motion C5 MCA
devices while treating patients at the bedside. Alegent Health
initially ventured into the wireless arena in conjunction with the
rollout of Soarian and MAK. To access these solutions, nurses first
used PC-based Workstations-on-Wheels (WOWs) at patients' bedsides.
However, the nurses discovered that the WOWs were heavy and that
the units had to be moved from room to room more than 80 times
during each shift. The WOWs were expensive, with a short battery
life that caused abrupt and frequent loss of data, and the
subsequent need to repeatedly log in to the computer consumed over
48 minutes of nursing time. Additionally, data availability to
other members of the healthcare team was affected by data latency
issues -- defined as the time delay between the moment data is
collected and the moment it is available in the electronic medical
record (EMR). In response to nursing concerns about the various
medication administration workflow issues, Alegent Health adopted
the Motion C5 MCA and entered into a clinician usability study to
determine if the Motion C5 MCA could improve care delivery, enhance
clinician productivity and workflow, increase clinician
satisfaction, and reduce delays and information availability within
the EMR. The results compiled at the conclusion of the study are as
follows: -- Lower Risk of Error: Medication Administration --
Clinicians at Alegent Health noted a total of 15 near "misses" out
of a total of 1,853 doses, indicating that the Motion C5 MCA
devices were an effective tool for medication administration
management, when coupled with an automated medication
administration solution like MAK. -- Risk of Error: Data Latency --
The study showed that data latency averaged one hour and 37 minutes
when using the WOWs and just 17 minutes when using the Motion C5
MCA. For RN-acquired vital signs, data latency averaged two hours
and 40 minutes, compared to less than one minute when nurses used
the Motion C5 MCA for point of care documentation. -- Workflow
Enhancement -- Nurses at Alegent Health were able to reduce the
typical workflow process for collection of patient vital signs from
10 steps to four steps, thereby reducing the potential for
transcription errors. Because clinicians had their own Motion C5
MCA devices, they were able to transcribe in real-time closer to
the point of care, increasing the likelihood for accurate and
complete data. -- Improve Nursing Satisfaction -- Following the
study, an anonymous online survey of staff nurses revealed a 62
percent increase in overall satisfaction with the new Motion C5 MCA
and mobile workflow process. Numerous factors contributed to the
increase in clinician satisfaction such as overall mobility, ease
of data entry and access, and the ability to move around more
easily in constrained areas. -- Cost Savings -- Although it was not
a primary focus of the study, one of Alegent Health's overall
objectives is to reduce the relative cost of acquiring, maintaining
and operationally supporting its end-user device computing
infrastructure. Thus, a simple cost of ownership comparison was
made analyzing upfront acquisition costs, annual operating
expenses, forecasted annual failure rates, and practical useful
life of Motion C5 MCAs compared to the previously acquired WOWs.
Extrapolated over a three-year useful life, the Motion C5 MCA was
found to provide substantial savings compared to maintaining
existing WOWs. "Few innovations have the potential to transform
workflow, boost clinician productivity, yield savings in time and
money, and help to improve patient safety," explained Michael
Westcott, M.D., F.A.C.E.P., chief medical information officer,
Alegent Health. "Through the combination of Soarian and the Motion
C5 MCA, we have achieved all of these goals and plan to expand the
program to other facilities in the future." "Through the positive
results of this study, Alegent Health has continued to solidify
itself as a leader in quality healthcare delivery and healthcare IT
usage. Mobile solutions are being explored by many healthcare
institutions due to the increasing need for caregivers to be able
to access crucial, up-to-date patient information when and where
they need it most -- at the point of care," said Janet Dillione,
CEO, Health Services, Siemens Medical Solutions. "With Soarian,
Siemens addresses these mobility needs by being one of the only
companies in the industry offering a complete health information
system (HIS) across clinical and financial applications that can
run on any thin-client device that supports its web browser
requirements, such as wireless laptops, notebooks, tablet PCs or
PDAs." On Tuesday, February 26, at 10:30 a.m. EST, Dr. Westcott
will give a presentation titled, "Using Soarian on the Motion C5
MCA -- Getting a Handle on Patient Care" in the Siemens booth
(#3763) at the HIMSS 2008 Annual Conference and Exhibition. Dr.
Westcott will also be presenting in the Motion Computing HIMSS
booth (#2050) on Tuesday, February 26, at 3:30 p.m. EST. About
Siemens Healthcare Siemens Healthcare is one of the world's largest
suppliers to the healthcare industry. The company is a renowned
medical solutions provider with core competence and innovative
strength in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies as well as in
knowledge engineering, including information technology and system
integration. With its laboratory diagnostics acquisitions, Siemens
Healthcare will be the first fully integrated diagnostics company,
bringing together imaging and lab diagnostics, therapy, and
healthcare information technology solutions, supplemented by
consulting and support services. Siemens Healthcare delivers
solutions across the entire continuum of care -- from prevention
and early detection, to diagnosis, therapy and care. The company
employs more than 49,000 people worldwide and operates in 130
countries. In the fiscal year 2007 (Sept. 30), Siemens Healthcare
reported sales of euro 9.85 billion (on a pro forma basis including
Dade Behring roughly euro 11 billion), orders of euro 10.27
billion, and group profit of euro 1.32 billion. Further information
can be found by visiting http://www.siemens.com/healthcare. About
Motion Computing Motion Computing is a mobile computing and
wireless communications leader, combining world-class innovation
and industry experience so professionals in vertical industries
such as healthcare, field sales and service and government can use
computing technology in new ways and places. The company's enhanced
line of tablet PCs, mobile clinical assistants and accessories are
designed to increase productivity for on-the-go users while
providing portability, security, power and versatility. Motion
combines those products with services and unique vertical market
knowledge to deliver complete solutions -- platforms, peripherals,
services and wireless -- customized for the needs of a particular
industry. For more information, visit
http://www.motioncomputing.com/. Motion Computing and Motion are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Motion Computing, Inc, in
the United States and other countries.
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070904/SIEMENSLOGO
DATASOURCE: Siemens Healthcare CONTACT: Michele Bowman of Siemens
Healthcare, +1-610-448-3236, Web site:
http://www.usa.siemens.com/medical
http://www.siemens.com/healthcare
http://www.usa.siemens.com/healthcareit
http://www.motioncomputing.com/
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