AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 14, 2007 — A recent qualitative study of nursing workflow, usage and preferences via a series of in-depth interviews with nurses conducted by HIMSS Analytics and commissioned by Motion Computing found that nurses perceived benefits from point-of-care technology, such as enhanced overall workflow, improving patient care and increasing time spent at a patient’s bedside. The study included detailed focus group interviews with nurses across the United States representing a variety of disciplines, organizations, geographies, and computer experience levels.
“One of the greater challenges with integrating point-of-care technology into a healthcare facility can often reside with the end users feeling comfortable with the tools,” said Dave Garets, president and CEO of HIMSS Analytics. “Our findings from this study clearly show that nurses benefit significantly when point of care technologies work seamlessly with their practice patterns and environment, provide immediate access to information and create a better experience for the patients.”
Nurses and clinicians who participated and were currently using technology at the point-of-care said their perception of improved patient care comes from access to and legibility of information, translating to improved response time for patient intervention, and overall reduction in time to process orders.
According to the findings, the nurses felt that increased time spent at the bedside was due to mobile technology at the point-of-care reducing the need to retrieve patient charts from medical records prior to care, and spending less time going to and from a stationary computer in the nursing station.
Of the nurses with limited-to-no technology experience at the point-of-care, perceived benefits included:
• the ability to track information legibly;
• the ability to dictate patient needs for quick capture to validate next steps;
• more convenient access to lab results, notes, charts and historical information; and
• improved communication with physicians and other clinicians.
In the past year alone Motion has completed dozens of clinician focus groups and interviewed literally thousands of nurses working in a variety of care settings. The user input and feedback collected from these interactions as well as Motion’s clinician usability studies with clients corroborate the results observed by HIMSS Analytics.
“As automation of clinical documentation becomes more pervasive, each clinical participant – from nurses charting to physicians reviewing vitals and entering orders – derives more practical value from point of care technologies and can work more effectively as a connected member of the patient care team. One of the critical dependencies to reaching this state is a great end-user experience,” said Joel French, vice president of Motion Computing and general manager of its Healthcare Business Group. “To fully realize this and achieve measurable outcome improvements requires tight integration of software application functionality, hardware devices, user training and wireless infrastructure, This is why Motion has been deeply collaborating with clients, leading healthcare software partners and Intel towards realization of this vision.”
The nurses interviewed said certain requirements, challenges and barriers to using technology at the point-of-care include:
• the need to provide a 1:1 ratio of devices to clinicians per shift to ensure information access and remove wait times
• proper training to support transition, integration and use of new technology;
• co-mingling of computerized information and paper-based medical charts in many healthcare organizations;
• Upgrading wireless networks sufficient to deliver the performance required to support clinicians during highly mobile point-of-care application usage;
• accessing or recording information; and
• nurses prefer to maintain eye contact with patients while charting with no physical barrier such as a laptop clamshell or the requirement to turn their backs to enter information.
HIMSS Analytics expects to publish a summary of the study findings in coming months.
About Motion Computing
Motion Computing is a mobile computing and wireless communications leader, combining world-class innovation and industry experience so professionals in vertical industries such as healthcare, field sales/service, government and education can use computing technology in new ways and places. Marketed through an experienced international reseller network and directly through its Web site, each Motion product is built to customer specifications. The company’s enhanced line of tablet PCs and accessories are designed to increase productivity for on-the-go users while providing security, power and versatility. For more information, visit www.motioncomputing.com
About HIMSS Analytics
HIMSS Analytics supports improved decision-making for healthcare organizations, healthcare IT companies and consulting firms by delivering high quality data and analytical expertise. The company collects and analyzes healthcare organization data relating to IT processes and environments, products, information systems (IS) department composition and costs, IS department management metrics, healthcare delivery trends and purchasing related decisions. HIMSS Analytics is a wholly owned, not-for-profit subsidiary of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).
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| Media Contact: | Erin Maher Motion Computing (512) 637-1174 emaher@motioncomputing.com |