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Nursing Cart POC Terminal Reduces Medication Errors and Improves Efficiency
Date: 8th May 2007
Introduction
 With the rapid advancement of medical technologies and the growing expectation for better healthcare, medical professionals are seeking new ways to effectively perform administrative duties that help eliminate human error and save valuable time. In addition, increasing the accuracy and immediacy of pertinent information during emergencies are quintessential elements of modern healthcare. These situations can be addressed by using computers to help facilitate the demanding need for information imposed upon doctors and nurses by allowing them to have access to critical information instantly.
Currently, the majority of hospitals still record and store patients’ information on paper. Nurses take this data and key it into a computer at a later time, essentially duplicating their work and exposing themselves to potential errors. Taichung Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan is undergoing a major transition to digitalize its medical diagnostic and treatment equipment in order to provide the best and most efficient care for its patients. The hospital has realized that by updating its point of care terminals, emergency situations can be handled with more precision, thereby greatly reducing the possibility of human error.
Solution
Taichung Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan is using Advantech’s POC-153 multimedia panel computer to record patients’ diagnosis and store treatment history, thus eliminating the hassle of paperwork and storage. The POC-153 is installed on mobile medical carts which allow nurses to key in information as they visit patients without having to return to a computer terminal to input updates. This convenience helps reduce the possibility of human error while enhancing accuracy in administering medication. In the near future, scanners will be added to the panel computer, enabling nurses to scan and digitally record medications given to patients, thus reducing the risk of prescribing the wrong medication.
Equipment sanitation in hospital environments is paramount to the well-being of patients. Advantech’s POC-153 can be easily cleaned with isopropyl alcohol and other cleaning agents. It is also designed with such features as water-resistance, collision-resistance, and long battery life.
System
 POC-153 is a 15” TFT-LCD display powered by the Intel Celeron M processor, available with up to 1GB of SDRAM memory. The two USB ports, four serial ports, two one-watt speakers and one PS/2 mouse and keyboard interface make the POC-153 extremely flexible for adding other peripheral equipment. On fully charged batteries, the POC-153 can run up to eight hours, doubling the previous standard requirement. Optional features such as 802.11b wireless antenna and touch screen are also available upon request.
Benefits
- Improve Efficiency .
- Reduce Medication Errors
- Increase Patient Privacy
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