Posted by Kate Sparks
RMS Omega will feature integrated point of care technology solutions at Booth #14054.
Be sure to visit RMS Omega at booth #14054 during the Annual 2012 HIMSS Conference & Exhibition, February 20-24th at the Venetian Sands Expo Center. We'll be showing off some of our latest point of care technology solutions, including:
- MEDIVista from Lincor - An all-in-one bedside computer for secure clinical access, hospital management, patient education and media services.
- All-in-one Touchscreen Computers from Pioneer POS - Easy to mount in any hospital room in addition to carts and workstations.
- Wireless Hospital Wide Voice Communications Systems - Push-to-talk & Text-to-speech communication badges and secure software for hospital staff.
- Healthcare Grade Mobile Computers, Barcode Scanners & Imagers - Equipped with disinfectant ready plastics, & FIPS security certification.
- Wristband, Label Printers, and Printing Supplies for Patient ID, Lab labels, IV & Blood bags, Pharmacy and more.
- Medical Tablet Computers - Durable and designed to be cleaned or wiped down with harsh chemicals.
- ID Badge and Card Printers with smart card and magnetic stripe encoding, and single or dual-sided direct-to-card printing.
- All-in-one Mobile Worstations from CorLogix - A completely integrated system with long run time between charging, small foot print, smooth rolling cart, and easy to clean surface.
RMS Omega is an
Iatric Mobilab partner offering software solutions for phlebotomy. In addition, our healthcare staff provides software solutions for
IT Device Management,
Patient ID,
Specimen Tracking, Inventory,
Facilities Maintenance, and more.
Posted by Kate Sparks
Which Applications Do Hospitals Most Frequently Run on Their Mobile Devices?
According to Verity Insight Partners' Mobile Technology in Healthcare: Q1 2012 Report, the majority of hospitals indicated that their facilities use mobile devices for patient notes and charting. The next most popular uses are for staff communication and bedside medication verification (BMV).
The chart below shows the percentage of applications in which mobile devices are commonly used. Verity's Q1 2012 survey queried over 100 healthcare executives, directors, and managers about various mobile technology challenges impacting their daily operations.
How are you using mobile devices within your facility?
Learn more about several mobile devices purpose built for healthcare.
Posted by Kate Sparks
Honeywell's industrial 99EX Mobile Computer was designed with extreme durability. You can find them on UPS trucks, in warehouses, manufacturing plants, retail stores, and now... even hospitals.
Meet Honeywell’s 99EXhc Mobile Computer with Healthcare ready plastics. Like many mobile computers designed for healthcare, the device's white plastic housing is disinfectant ready. Meaning the plastics will not corrode, crack or break when repeatedly exposed to harmful chemicals and cleaning agents (see recommended cleaning solutions below). The device also offers an extended battery life for long shifts and the latest in wireless technology for quicker access to patient data.
For in-home patient care, the 99EXhc’s wireless features allow you to connect to hospital databases, regardless of location, through use of an integrated software-definable radio that allows on-the-fly switching between GSM and CDMA networks. You might also consider using the 99EXhc for inventory procedures, point of care, specimen tracking, or for your facility's maintenance staff.
Features and benefits:
- Disinfectant-Ready Housings
- Large 3.7 inch screen
- IP67-rating for protection against dust, moisture & particle resistance
- Tested to withstand multiple 6 foot drops to concrete & 2,000 1 meter tumbles
- Adaptus® Imaging Technology 6.0 with motion tolerance for fast scanning of linear & 2D bar codes on patient wristbands, medications and medical equipment
- 3.1 megapixel camera
- Fast and Reliable Wireless Connectivity - WWAN (3.9 G), WLAN (802.11 a/b/g/n), WLAN Security, WPAN (Bluetooth® V2.1,), & GPS
- Standard battery life of 8 hours (scanning and sending data over WWAN every 15 seconds, GPS continuously receiving information), extended battery life of up to 15 hours
Download a datasheet to learn more.
Recommended and supported cleaning solutions for the Dolphin 99EXhc:
- Sani-Cloth® HB wipes
- Sani-Cloth® Plus wipes
- Isopropyl Alcohol wipes (70%)
- CaviWipes™
- Virex® 256
- 409® Glass and Surface Cleaner
- Windex® Blue
- Clorox® Bleach – 100%
- Gentle dish soap and water
For more details,
please contact RMS Omega. We're happy to answer your questions or provide pricing.
Posted by Kate Sparks
In the past year, we’ve come across some interesting research linking video games to patient recovery rates. In a previous post, we discussed how hospital bedside computers along with video games could be beneficial for stroke recovery. The researches conducted by St. Michael’s Hospital showed virtual reality and other video games can significantly improve motor function in stroke patients.
Another study at Johns Hopkins, recently mentioned in the Baltimore Sun, found that interactive video games may aid in physical therapy for patients in intensive care. Patient's admitted for respiratory failure, sepsis, and cardiovascular disease participated in different therapy sessions that involved Nintendo Wii or Wii Fit video games. The games selected for therapy included boxing, bowling, balance board use and other activities to help improve stamina and balance.
What are your thoughts on the use of video games in patient therapy and recovery?
Do you find patient satisfaction is higher with access to more engaging and entertaining activities?
Learn more about Bedside Computers for both Clinical Access & Patient Entertainment.
Read our previous blog article, Hospital Bedside Computer & Video Games Could Improve Stroke Recovery.
Read Picture of Health’s Blog Article from the Baltimore Sun, Video games can help recovery of intensive care patients.
Posted by Kate Sparks
These days, even your smart phone can scan a barcode with the right mobile app. But in a hospital or medical facility, where an error can result in misidentification and jeopardize patient safety, you need to make sure your data is accurately collected, tracked and maintained. Is your barcode scanner, smart phone, mobile computer or PDA up to the task at hand?
If you’re new to barcode scanning, or already have a system in place, here are several points to consider when selecting or upgrading your equipment. Keep in mind, there are barcode scanners available that have been specifically designed for healthcare environments.
When selecting a barcode scanner or mobile device, start by defining the physical specifications for your equipment and supplies. Specifically, what do you need them to do? Consider the following questions as you define your needs:
1. What type of barcode symbologies will you need to read? 1D Linear, 2D, or both? Not all scanners are created equal! For example, If you purchase a linear scanner and your department decides to start using 2D barcodes (to track and store more information), you will now have to purchase new scanners.
Which barcodes will your scanner read?
2. Where will the device be used? Will it need to be mounted on a wall, stand or workstation on wheels (WOWs or COWs)? Will you require a serial, or USB connection? Make sure the right accessories are available for your work space.
3. Will you need a corded or cordless device? Consider how long of a cord you will need and if you prefer it to be a coiled or straight cable. Cordless barcode scanners will have wireless or Bluetooth communication. If you opt for a cordless device, make sure your network is HIPAA compliant to protect patient information.
4. Will the barcode scanner or mobile computer need to be regularly disinfected or cleaned? Common plastics will not hold up to harsh chemicals or cleaning agents. To preserve your equipment, make sure you know what the device can be cleaned with so the plastics won’t crack or break. Many barcode scanners as well as mobile and tablet computers have been designed with healthcare disinfectant ready plastics. These devices are often tested with common chemicals including: 409® Glass and Surface, CaviWipes™, Clorox® Bleach, Gentle dish soap and water, Sani-Cloth® HB, Sani-Cloth® Plus, Virex® 256, and Windex® Blue. Learn more about disinfectant ready plastics and cleaning your barcode equipment.
5. Considering the user and location of a scanner or mobile computer, don’t forget to look at the IP rating, drop and tumble specs. These specifications will tell you how durable a particular device is and how it will hold up to dust, water or spills. Learn more about IP ratings.
6. Lastly, who will be using the device? Will the barcode scanner or computer be easy to handle and operate? Don't forget to talk to your staff when evaluating equipment.
Learn more about barcode systems in hospitals, download a white paper:
10 Things You Should Consider When Selecting Bar Code Technology for Healthcare
For more information about barcode systems and services in healthcare, feel free to contact RMS Omega. With an experienced healthcare technology staff, we are happy to assist you!
Posted by Kate Sparks
Did you know medication errors are among some of the most common medical errors? To reduce medication errors, Positive Patient Identification is crucial. Errors can lead to the injury, sickness, and sometimes the death of a patient who was administered the wrong medication. Barcode scanning can address these issues by enabling the automated double and triple checks required to eliminate medication errors — without inserting additional paperwork into everyday processes. For example, a scan of the barcode on patient wristbands, employee badges and the medication closes the loop for patient safety and accountability by providing a three-way match to check the ‘five-rights’ of medication administration in just seconds. The result is cost-effective and in compliance with new regulations.
From an ROI perspective, barcoding has been proven to generate not only clinical benefits but also measurable financial benefits. If each adverse drug event (ADE) adds an additional $8,750 to the cost of a hospital stay (a figure cited by the Institute of Medicine [IOM]), and there are an estimated 400,000 in-hospital preventable ADEs per year in the United States, the annual cost, in 2006 dollars, is $3.5 billion. In addition to the cost-avoidance aspect of patient safety that barcoding provides, barcode data greatly improves the accuracy of charge capture, pharmaceutical inventory management, drug utilization and best practice compliance. Read more from Zebra Technologies' white paper: Patient Safety Applications of Barcode and RFID Technologies.
Want to learn more about barcoding in the hospital? Download a white paper: The 10 Things You Should Consider When Selecting Barcode Technology for Healthcare.
Or, Contact RMS Omega. We're happy to answer your questions!
Posted by Kate Sparks
RMS Omega is excited about the latest in bedside computing technology, particularly Lincor’s MEDIVista terminal. MEDIVista is a bedside computing system that benefits the whole hospital. The bedside computer is mounted on a wall or stand in each room. With the swipe of a card, it provides patient entertainment services, clinical access, meal ordering, language translation services, and hospital management functions, (just to name a few interesting features).
So, what does this new computer have to do with stroke recovery? We recently came across an interesting article on the St. Michael’s Hospital website discussing the results video games could have for recovering stroke patients. The story got us thinking about MEDIVista’s entertainment services.
“Virtual reality and other video games can significantly improve motor function in stroke patients, according to research from St. Michael’s Hospital."
"Patients who played video games, such as Wii and Playstation, were up to five times more likely to show improvements in arm motor function compared to those who had standard therapy.”
While MEDIVista’s services really benefit all patients, it may offer more for stroke patients during their recovery. With MEDIVista, hospital patients and visitors are able to play video games right from their bedside without changing rooms or bringing in additional equipment. The bedside terminals also provide patient access to digital satellite TV, radio, audio books, telephone services, webcam, internet access, as well as an education portal for medical conditions and information.
Watch a video and learn more about the MEDIVista Bedside Computer & Patient Services.
Click here to read more from St. Michael’s Hospital.
Posted by Kate Sparks
Motorola Solutions is steadily adding new products to their healthcare portfolio for barcode scanning and data capture. Their latest healthcare scanner is the DS4208-HC, a corded imager designed for scanning at the point of care. Learn more about our recommended barcode scanners for healthcare.
Key features and benefits of the DS4208-HC:
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Disinfectant-ready - IP43 sealing and a specially designed plastic housing allows safe wipe-down and cleansing with a wide variety of harsh chemicals. What is an IP rating? Click here to learn more.
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Scans 1D, and 2D bar codes for healthcare applications - including wrist bands for patient ID, pharmaceuticals, blood bags, suppositories, syringes for medication administration, specimens, mobile phones and computer screens.
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Lightweight ergonomic design - Easy to hold regardless of hand size; reduces fatigue; enables all day scanning comfort to protect productivity in scan-intensive applications.
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Omni directional scan pattern - Eliminates the need to align bar code and scanner.
Download a spec sheet for the DS4208-HC.
Motorola’s suite of healthcare scanners include:
|
Barcode Scanner
|
Corded/ Cordless
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Data Capture
|
Scan Type
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Rugged Specifications
|
|
DS6707-HC
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Corded
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1D, 2D, PDF, image capture and transfer, mobile phone
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Omni directional
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IP41, 6 ft. (1.8 m) drops to concrete
|
|
DS6878-HC
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Cordless Bluetooth®
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1D, 2D, PDF, OCR/MICR, mobile phone, image capture and transfer (hands-free base only)
|
Omni directional
|
IP43, 6 ft. (1.8 m) drops to concrete
|
|
DS4208-HC
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Corded
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1D, 2D, PDF, Mobile phone, Computer screen
|
Omni directional
|
IP43, 6 ft. (1.8 m) drops to concrete
|
Posted by Kate Sparks
When printing barcodes for use in the lab, labels must remain legible throughout specimen collection, processing and storage phases. If your specimen’s label becomes unreadable, unscannable or falls off during testing, it can cause a sample identification error. To prevent such errors, make sure your lab selects the appropriate label material and printing supplies.
When purchasing labels for your hospital or laboratory, consider where the label will be applied and what conditions it may be exposed to. Will the labels need to withstand sterilization processes, freezing, autoclaves and centrifuges, UV light, X-rays, or other testing conditions? For cold and freezing temperatures, consider cryogenic labels. Also consider whether the label will be applied to a flat or curved surface in addition to the size of each item being labeled. Lastly, ensure that your labels and supplies are compatible with hospital or lab printers. Although it seems like common sense, it doesn't hurt to double check before placing an order.
The chart below offers some examples of labels (offered by Zebra Technologies) that show the breadth and capabilities of thermal supplies for laboratory use. Click here to download a PDF.
| Microscope Slide Label Example: |
General Lab Label Examples: |
 |
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For assistance selecting the appropriate label for your laboratory, please contact us. We're happy to answer your questions or provide a free evaluation.
Posted by Kate Sparks
Datalogic’s Gryphon™ 4000-HC Series Scanners have been updated with the Healthcare industry in mind! Featuring Disinfectant-Ready enclosures, the scanners are designed to withstand daily cleaning with harsh disinfectant chemical solutions to effectively fight germs and bacteria. These updated plastic enclosures are also treated with silver ion-based anti-microbial additive.
The Gryphon GBT4000-HC Series Scanners Offers:
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Corded and Cordless Options
- IP52 Environmental Protection Rating - What is an IP rating?
-
Linear and 2D Barcode Reading Capability
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Perfect Match’ Confirmation – Green Spot
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Provides a visual confirmation with a Green Spot, indicating that the barcode was properly read
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Provides the Green Spot when two scanned barcodes are identical, utilizing the ‘Perfect Match’ confirmation feature
Examples of chemicals that can be used on Datalogic Scanning's barcode scanners for healthcare:
Download a spec sheet for Datalogic's new Healthcare Series Scanners.
Find out more, contact RMS Omega with your questions. We're happy to assist you!