UPMC

Business Challenge

In today’s large and fragmented health care environments, clinical teams need to communicate better with each other to make quick, effective decisions that benefit patient care. Many times the lack of integrated information and fractured communications means delays, partial facts and a reliance on paper records, resulting in higher costs.

Pager systems don’t give physicians enough information to know whether to answer a page later or drop everything and run to the bedside. Even though electronic health records are available today, these records are often stored in multiple databases that aren’t always unified or easily accessible.

Clinical teams often waste time leaving messages and duplicating each other’s efforts, while patients can experience long waits and multiple caregivers.

Solution

UPMC deployed BlackBerry® smartphones across key clinical roles at UPMC Mercy, one of UPMC’s hospitals in the heart of Pittsburgh, PA. Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, occupational therapists, physical therapists and transporters are using the devices in ways that can have a meaningful impact on health care delivery.

Results

• Patient information delivered to the point of care
• Team collaboration and communications improved
• Workflow streamlined, which reduces cost
• Better patient experiences