T-System Reduces Patient Time in the ED
According to an article published in the Daily Leader, King’s Daughters Medical Center (KDMC) was able to reduce the amount of time that patients spend in the emergency room. The time savings is attributed to a number of techniques and technologies implemented across 2008 at the Mississippi facility.
One technology tool recently adopted is an electronic medical records networking system from T-System, Incorporated. Components of the system include portable laptops on rolling stations and tablet computers fitted with touch screens. The tablets are equipped with wireless functionality. With these, healthcare staff can document medical information at virtually any location in the emergency room.
A large, 42-inch LCD display screen was also implemented. This provides clinicians with rapid means to assess patients. The combination of these features limits the amount of time that caregivers spend completing paperwork so that they can focus on treating patients.
All of these different systems were integrated with the existing information system at KDMC, Meditech. This provides for seamless information across the hospital. KDMC plans to further broaden the T-System features after the new emergency department is complete.
As of February 2008, the average length of patient stay in the emergency room at KDMC was 220 minutes. As of June, this was reduced to 118 minutes. The goal is 120 minutes, though the hospital’s best time was 90 minutes.
Implementation of the various tools is one component of a complete overhaul of the emergency department, which was also recently renovated. The tech updates started in April, which coincided with the relocation of the emergency department. It was moved to temporary quarters while the new department is being finalized.
August 29, 2008 Related topics: Trends, Emergency, IT & software