Hospital Buyer

Casa Grande Regional Medical Center (CGRMC) installed a multimillion dollar wireless system from Cerner. The organization implemented the Cerner Millenium 2007 solution with an eye on optimizing financial and clinical outcomes, as reported by the Casa Grande Valley Newspaper.

The system was originally installed at the end of March, but was customized to meet the facility’s needs. Since that time, CGRMC staff has been troubleshooting the system, modifying program software to meet the unique needs of the center, and training the medical staff to use the programs offered. Officials from the facility cite improving patient care as a main motivator for the massive initiative.

One program component is hardware such as mobile computer units, as well as those mounted in patient rooms and handheld units that staff can carry during rounds. The availability of these devices allows for ongoing, real-time updates to patient records. All the units are linked together through a wireless system, providing complete access to medical records for nurses, physicians, and other hospital staff.

The hospital’s medical record is now entirely electronic. Nurses use handheld devices to collect vital signs, which are then uploaded to the medical record. This significantly reduces the paperwork burden, so that clinicians can focus more time on direct patient care. The handheld devices also includes a bar-code reader, which is used to scan patient wristbands and medications during dosing, which is also entered into the patient’s electronic chart.

The Cerner program iteration acquired by CGRMC includes pharmacy components, such as computerized physician order entry and medication management as briefly detailed above. This element supports medication management, as well as monitoring to ensure that medication errors and drug interactions are avoided. This was one of the key pieces that CGRMC administrators wanted to incorporate in choosing the system.

The Cerner product line is noted for providing a universal design framework. This enables workflow to span across multiple venues and various roles of caregivers, as described with the delivery of medications, the wireless system, and the electronic medical record.

September 28, 2007 Related topics: General Management & Administration, Wireless, Trends