The latest innovation in healthcare involves the use of walls
and surfaces as computing devices. It is
a natural extension to a digital signage solution and improves communication while
contributing to safer patient outcomes.
Located in a number of different healthcare facilities including hospital
operating rooms, education centers and research labs.
Walls of Knowledge provide Integrators excellent opportunity
around the consulting, design, hardware sales and installation, software
integration as well as ongoing maintenance and professional services. These are unique and highly customized solutions
that automatically gather critical information from diverse systems,
synchronize it with people and processes, and present it on rich displays.
The integrated displays have a measurable impact on the work
of operating room teams and medical education professionals. Pilots are currently underway across the world
with numerous case studies available from the likes of Columbia University
Medical Center, Weill Cornell Medical Center and Saint Luke’s Healthcare in
Kansas City.
A major benefit to a Wall of Knowledge is Telementoring. Medical specialists are sharing knowledge with
one another across the world through virtual tools. With advanced audio, video
and IT capabilities, the operating room has become a virtual classroom. Additionally, with permission and web access,
viewers not only see and hear a surgeon at work, but also observe the operation
in context.
Remote viewers see all information on the patient and
procedure as it appears on a dashboard during surgery. Other information, such
as PACS, pathology specimens, and lab reports, are also on display for the
remote viewer.
How to sell a Wall of Knowledge
The solution drives better outcomes by integrating
information from critical clinical processes in the operating room, enhancing
overall workflow, while focusing on patient-centered care. It provides the surgical team with a complete
picture of what’s going on in the operating room precisely as its happening. Among the innovations involved, it automates
the “safe surgery checklists” prescribed by the World Health Organization, the
Joint Commission, and other groups.
Most software solutions are structured in a dashboard format,
helping to reduce surgical errors and complications by helping team members to document
compliance with protocols, and confirming the correct patient, procedure and
site prior to surgery. The Wall of
Knowledge will ensure pre-procedure verifications are documented and the Time
Out checklist is completed.
Other benefits of this solution include improving awareness
and communication in the operating room, increasing the safety of medications,
and reducing the risk of infections. By
facilitating teamwork among caregivers, it ensures that information is managed
in real-time, properly handed off and staff is accounted for as they enter and
leave the environment.
Designing the Solution
The technology must be central to the action, accessible,
but not intrusive to the high-paced environment. The user
experience must be focused on ease of use, while acknowledging that healthcare
professionals using the system will range from early adopters to laggards. The audio visual system will need to support
modern healthcare facilities and be compliant for this ecosystem. Operating rooms vary considerably from
facility to facility. An Integrator will
be able to assess the environment and recommend the best solution.
Quality of the AV hardware is very important for displaying
surgical and endoscopic video, pathology specimen, PACS, and other images as
well as providing telecommunication links between the operating room and other
areas. The Wall of Knowledge should
support one-touch control for managing monitors, lighting, cameras, temperature,
and other environmental settings as well.
Increasing the efficiency of your healthcare customer will yield
more profitable reimbursements and lead to higher patient and staff
satisfaction.
Walls of Knowledge are a true win-win for the Integrator and
healthcare decision maker. The
complexity of the solution, combined with the level of design, consulting and
integration will drive projects that are longer term, revenue intensive and highly
profitable.
