IBM claims that Sainte-Justine Hospital will become the first French-language hospital in Canada to use the wireless, hand-free devices from Vocera Communications Technology. The French-language version of this technology was introduced in 2007.
It can be difficult for healthcare providers to contact a colleague, who may be anywhere on the floor or in the hospital. The new communications system will allow for instant communication through lightweight, wearable, voice-activated badges. The devices can also relay text messages and alerts, said IBM.
The communicator, developed by Vocera Communications and implemented by IBM, is expected to increase staff productivity, save time and improve patient care response times. The Sainte-Justine medical technologies evaluation unit is currently studying the communicator to determine the gains resulting from the introduction of such technology. Since the communicators were rolled out, physicians and other healthcare professionals have been able to connect, through voice commands, without stopping what they are doing to look for colleagues or place a phone call.
IBM Canada is the exclusive distributor-integrator of the French-language version of the Vocera communication devices.
Michel Duval, chief of the hematology and oncology department at Sainte-Justine Hospital, said: Patient care for our young patients is our priority and our organization is continually looking for ways to increase the time spent at the patient’s bedside. The results of the initial deployment phase for this technology are promising and may allow us to roll it out to other Sainte-Justine departments. In the future, this technology will be linked to vital sign and alert monitoring systems, so that medical staff will be able to monitor patients at their bedsides or remotely.
