January 2006 Volume 30 No. 1
Implementation of SHC’s new Rapid Response Team (RRT) began successfully on Dec. 1 as a patient safety initiative of the Institute of Healthcare Improvement’s 100,000 Lives Campaign.
The SHC RRT consists of a critical care fellow, an ICU nurse, a critical care crisis nurse, and a respiratory therapist who respond to urgent calls within 10 minutes. The team can be activated by nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants when they identify patients who need urgent medical attention.
“We’ve been very pleased with the use of the RRT thus far, with the team responding to 20 bedside calls between December 1 - 28,” said Ann Weinacker, assistant professor of medicine and team leader of the RRT initiative. “Nurses have told us that they feel comfortable calling the RRT and have been pleased with its performance. Housestaff and attending physicians have already seen the advantage of having such a team, especially when they are not immediately available to provide care in urgent situations,” said Weinacker, who specializes in critical care medicine. [see story]
Internet and then order entry: Wireless network installed at SHC
A secure network that will provide wireless (WiFi) access to the Internet and to various hospital network medical applications was installed throughout SHC in late December.
Andrew Walker of SHC IT said the “go live” date for the network, marked by antennae visible on the ceiling throughout the institution, is expected in February.
Medical Staff President Kent Garman, who has followed the project closely, said the hospital had proceeded slowly with WiFi because of security concerns. However, a wireless network is important now because of the phase-in starting early this year of nursing documentation. This has created the need to review and enter patient data at the bedside using wireless, mobile COWs (Computers on Wheels). Wireless capability will also be a key part of the Epic Electronic Medical Records (EMR) package that will be phased in over the next few years. [see more]
