SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 9, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vocera (NYSE:VCRA), the leading mobile healthcare communications company, announced today that Dayton General Hospital has improved critical communication inside and outside their facility and increased patient safety and satisfaction, following the implementation of the Vocera® Communication System.
“In a short period of time it has become obvious that the Vocera solution has greatly increased our efficiency and significantly improved the workflow in our emergency department,” said Mary Klingner, MD, an emergency department physician at Dayton General Hospital, a critical access hospital in the Columbia County Health System in Dayton, Washington. “In a small rural critical access facility, staffing can be limited, and cross-coverage is a key element of being able to serve patients safely. The Vocera communication solution has been crucial in preventing emergency events from getting out of control.”
By utilizing the Vocera system, incoming calls from local EMS teams are connected faster and more efficiently, so that even during high traffic times critical messages reach the right person instantly. Additionally, outbound calls to Medstar and Life Flight allow ED team members to communicate stats and vitals to the flight crews without leaving the bedside. The system includes the Vocera Badge, a hands-free voice controlled wireless device that enables real-time conversations among geographically dispersed care team members and first responders.
Dayton General Hospital selected the Vocera Communication System to expedite communication and improve efficiency among in-house care teams and with the community’s emergency medical services (EMS). Within one week, the hospital completed configuration for intelligent call routing, conducted training for all clinicians and staff, and went live with the system.
Care team communication and collaboration in-house has also improved. Staff members providing direct patient care no longer need to stop what they are doing, leave the patient bedside, or shout down the hallway to ask for assistance. They simply and instantly connect to the right person via the wearable Vocera Badge, reducing noise levels and improving staff satisfaction and patient safety.
“One of the most successful things we have done this year is to implement the Vocera system. It has already played a key role in improving staff satisfaction and patient safety because we can get resources mobilized much quicker,” said Shane McGuire, chief operating officer at Dayton General Hospital. “We look forward to a long-term partnership with Vocera and continuing to enhance communication beyond the four walls of our hospital to improve patient care and safety in our community.”
Although the Vocera system was deployed less than two months prior to receiving the latest Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) results, Dayton General Hospital reported noticeable improvements in three communication related areas. From July 2014 to June 2015, timely responses to call buttons climbed 14.6 percent, quietness of areas around rooms at night increased by 6.2 percent, and receiving assistance with bathroom/bedpan as soon as requested jumped by 6.2 percent.
“Dayton General Hospital is an excellent example of how important hands-free and real-time voice communication are in critical healthcare environments,” said Brent Lang, president and CEO of Vocera. “Connecting care team members instantly, inside or outside the facility, is vital; and in an emergency care setting, it can save lives.”
About Dayton General Hospital
Dayton General Hospital was established in 1960 in Dayton, Washington, with the vision of providing high quality healthcare to the local communities, primarily Dayton, Waitsburg, Starbuck and surrounding areas. Dayton General Hospital is a Public Hospital District with a Critical Access Hospital designation. Dayton is a member of Columbia County Health System, which includes Columbia Family Clinic, Waitsburg Clinic, Booker Rest Home, and Dayton General Hospital. To learn more visit www.cchd-wa.org.
About Vocera
Vocera Communications, Inc. is the leading healthcare communications company. Vocera provides enterprise-class communication solutions that help care teams collaborate more efficiently by delivering the right information, to the right person, on the right device, at the right time, anywhere. Vocera solutions are installed in more than 1,200 organizations worldwide, improving quality, efficiency, safety and outcomes. Via the company’s research collaborative, the Experience Innovation Network, Vocera also drives thought leadership for the healthcare industry and new standards in care delivery to elevate patient, family, nurse and physician experiences. Vocera is headquartered in San Jose, California, with offices in San Francisco, Tennessee, Canada, India, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.vocera.com and @VoceraComm on Twitter.
The Vocera logo is a trademark of Vocera Communications, Inc. Vocera® is a trademark of Vocera Communications, Inc. registered in the United States and other jurisdictions.
CONTACT: Amanda Breeding
Edelman
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