Improving Health Services to the iPod

Sarasota Memorial Healthcare System, a hospital in Florida, United States plans to distribute the iPhone in the nurses. The plan, the smartphone will be used to replace the audible alarms, and improve the performance of health services.

"One of the biggest problems we face in all complex environments such as health care providers, is a communication problem," said Denis Baker, Director of the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare, like quotes from VIVAnews Health Care, November 9, 2009. "It is a nightmare if we trouble to call someone, even the people on the same floor, because they were on duty," he said.

Therefore, Baker's interest in Voalte invitation to head up this project. Voalte a developer of communication using mobile technology. Applications using the iPod to send messages and warnings.

In June, for 60 days, Sarasota Memorial 25 iPod Touch share the nurses in one. The decision to use the iPod Touch is because the device is cheaper than the iPhone, does not require mobile phone service contract, and basically has all the capabilities of an iPhone.

The main purpose of this project is to reduce noise and to be more effective when calling the nurse when the patient needs.

"If a patient is in bed and need help, this time they pushed the button next to the bed connected with the nurses. That raises the noise, including conversations between the nurse's voice, and movement of equipment, "said Baker. "Noise generated a lot of complaints in any hospital, thus making the patient uncomfortable rest," he said.

On the floor where the iPod is applied, the hospital experienced a decrease of 172 calls within 8 hours to just 38. The iPod is used 25 receive 4000 messages per day. "Nurses get the credit of the patients because they are no longer disturbed noise," said Baker.

After these successful trials, the hospital management agreed to implement the additional 100 devices on other floors in the hospital and the emergency room. The hospital is also considering to provide the device to communicate anastesiologis among 26 emergency room there.