Telmediq, a healthcare communications technology vendor, unveiled at HIMSS17 a Near Field Communications system that is part of its Healthcare Communications Hub.
NFC is a method of uniquely identifying items using radio tags. These so-called “smart” tags enable information to be shared with a simple tap. With its new system, Telmediq is using the power of NFC tags aiming to automate workflows in healthcare.
“Telmediq’s new NFC workflows are a patented process designed to integrate with our Healthcare Communications Hub to automate workflows that previously led to costly administrative overhead in hospitals,” said Ben Moore, CEO of Telmediq. “Our patented NFC technology triggers an instantaneous communication workflow with a simple tap, speeding up service requests without the need to return to the workstation.”
Although a nurse’s primary responsibility is patient care, secondary to that are the coordination of non-clinical tasks required to support patient care. If a patient needs water, a room needs cleaning, a patient needs transporting or a supply closet needs restocking, the nurse must return to a workstation to place a call to request service.
With the tap of a smartphone onto a Telmediq NFC in a patient room, for example, a nurse can send an accurate, pre-populated service request, Telmediq explained. This message automatically contains the location where a service is required and routes it, via systems integration, to the appropriate individual based on the facility’s schedules, the vendor added. Chief nursing officers can take advantage of out-of-the-box reporting to understand work call requests and aid in restocking and supply management, the vendor said.
“Ultimately, although improvements to workflow and care coordination will increase the ROI of disparate healthcare systems and reduce hospital costs and overhead, the real goal is improved patient care and outcomes,” Moore added. “By unburdening clinical staff from unnecessary and time-consuming non-clinical tasks, time is freed up for direct patient care and improved patient satisfaction in areas of care delivery and hospital cleanliness.”
