As a young, fast growing company, trade shows can provide a wealth of knowledge, and lead to an overwhelming amount of success. Two weeks ago, Voalte had the chance to participate in the Cerner Health Conference out in Kansas City, Missouri. We had a booth setup, ready to demonstrate our Voalte One Nursing Communication Solution where we were able to speak face-to-face with current customers in addition to potential customers. Our booth screamed pink and green and our “pink pants crew” triggered lots of attention across the show floor driving more traffic towards our location.   

What made CHC different from other shows I had attended in the past is that it was a user conference. In other words, only Cerner customers were able to attend. In addition, Voalte and Cerner were able to join forces to enhance communication at the point-of-care, by integrating with Cerner on a few different levels at the conference. We showed Voalte One integration at the CareAware Connect station as well as the Alert Link Alarm Management Station. Cerner showcased these products and others in their Solutions Gallery. This Solutions Gallery was an amazing resource of EMR knowledge. We were able to learn as much as possible about their EMR and Middleware platforms, iBus and Alert Link, as well as new up-and-coming Cerner products!   

Looking back, I can’t help but think of CHC’s tagline, “Because it’s personal”. At the end of the conference, I was able to meet face-to-face with hundreds of potential customers, some of which I had been speaking with for seven months or more. Which goes to show you, building relationships before hand is key, but being able to interact face-to-face can make all the difference. And when you stop and think about it, the same is true in healthcare.

Healthcare is personal, shouldn’t clinical communication be personal too? 

The release of a new Apple device has become associated with adults behaving like children.  We camp out in sleeping bags with friends (in front of the nearest Apple store).  We stay up until 3 a.m. (to pre-order).  Some of us may even throw mini temper tantrums if delivery is delayed a day (not mentioning any coworker’s names).  And if we’re among the poor souls who have to wait, we become very, very jealous of the “in” crowd’s new toys.  Whether you’re reading this on your shiny new iPhone 5, pining away for one until your upgrade is available in January (moi), or just watching this whole game unfold like a football fan on Sunday, you’re probably aware of the existence of “device envy.” 

It doesn’t matter if you’re a consumer aching to trade in your phone or tablet for a fancier new model, or a healthcare administrator exploring intrahospital communication solutions – there are a few basic questions you should ask yourself before donning a clown costume and jumping on the upgrade bandwagon (Google the origin of “bandwagon” if you didn’t get the Bozo reference – interesting story…).

Is it necessary?
Don’t panic.  Answering “no” doesn’t categorically mean you should halt research on upgrades, but it’s important to understand your own or your facility’s motivations before assessing your options.  A non-essential upgrade may only be realistic when personal, department, or organizational budgets allow.

Is it practical?
Sure, Voalte is the communication solution used by U.S. News and World Report’s top ranked hospital, Massachusetts General.  And, yes, CNET just listed the iPhone as the best cell phone yet again.  But if you oversee a small rural facility that operates sans WiFi, or you’re in the Peace Corps in electricity-free Northern Ghana, no matter how great they sound, well, expensive ice cubes just aren’t that useful for Eskimos.

Does it have a documented history of success?
Whether it’s for posting your Facebook status updates, or its purchase represents a significant investment of hard-earned fundraising dollars, you don’t want to plunk down a hefty chunk of change for a fly-by-night device or solution that may not be around next year, or might not have the resources to provide quality, comprehensive service.  ‘Nuff said.

Is it a long-term solution; can it grow with me/us?
These days, it’s all about the “expanding platform.”  There’s no way around it – the world has changed, and when considering options for both personal and professional devices, your lifestyle or workflows are likely going to dictate that an expanding platform is the only viable solution.  Literally every day, new applications and new uses for existing hardware are developed; you’ll want to have access to them.  Be certain to make a sound investment in a device and company that has the ability to evolve with the dynamic communication landscape we operate in.

So there it is.  Now if you’ll excuse me; I’m off to pull another day from the Pinterest-inspired “Countdown to iPhone 5” calendar I created.

My name is Alex Brown and I love reading through release notes, beta testing new software and anxiously watching new product announcements (Dreamforce, AppleKeynotes, etc.). Basically I’m addicted to new features.

I’m in charge of scoping and implementing the IT systems that help Voalte employees work smarter, not harder. Many of our IT vendors are using Agile based development (So are We!), leading to a constant flow of new features. To me new features = new workflows.

For example, this past spring Box.com (our Document Management and Collaboration System) revamped their file comment system to be similar to a facebook-esque newsfeed, including all the relevant history of a file as well as tasks, comments, and revisions. This new feature allowed us to revamp our Travel Authorization Workflow, our Deployment Template Workflow, and our Marketing Collateral Workflow. My challenge is making sure our workflows are the best they can be, utilizing the new available features.

In the world of Voalte a great example of where new features = new workflows is in our VoalteOne 2.0 Release. With the introduction of Read Receipts caregivers no longer have to constantly ping colleagues as to whether or not they read a certain message (i.e. “Can I get ice in Room 205?”). Instead, they can check for a read receipt and if the other party doesn’t read a message in time they can transfer the request to someone else. The challenge for hospitals is having people who re-evaluate workflows actually take into account all the new features available to them.

Who on your staff turns new features into new workflows?

When I joined Voalte six months ago, I was already a fan of the iPhone. I had read about this fantastic company providing a revolutionary healthcare communication solution via the iPhone. Needless to say, I was eager to join the team. I love providing excellent customer service and I love the iPhone, but providing support to those who care for others is especially rewarding. 

As a Voalte BFF, I provide Voalte support to caregivers at the point-of-care in real time. I’m there with our users throughout the course of a busy day to answer questions or provide other assistance that enables them to get back to their patients quickly. At any moment users can reach out to me by sending feedback at the touch of a button and I am able to respond just as quickly.  We BFFs do this all day, every day. It’s really all we think about.

Now caregivers are smart people. They’re well trained professionals and the work they do is complex and demanding. They’re dealing with changes in healthcare and responding to those who are in their care. They’re really amazing people. On top of everything they have to do, they’re navigating a technology leap from a patchwork of communication methods (personal pagers, overhead paging, call lights, patient monitoring systems, landline phones, and etc.) to Voalte, the one solution that allows for comprehensive communication from the palm of their hand. Suddenly, communication can travel effortlessly to and from your handheld smartphone at the tap of the screen. Voalte is an amazing and powerful solution for critical hospital communications.

So how do our users make the leap to the next level in communication technology? First, by being a caregiver at one of the best hospitals in the country! And while smartphones may seem to be ubiquitous, they are new to some of our users. The idea of using a smartphone may at first seem intimidating to some, but Voalte is built for comfort! Those who are new to smartphones sometimes need a bit of coaching on the phone itself. I’m the friend they can rely on to help them get over that little bump in the road. I’m their BFF, and our BFF team is there pretty much whenever we’re needed so that caregivers can get back to doing what they do best. Their transition to the Voalte solution is often an exhilarating experience because the user interface is so intuitive that they’re able to enjoy the benefits of improved communication immediately.

For me, it’s all a matter of perspective. You don’t need to know how to rebuild an engine in order to drive a car, and you don’t need to know every detail of how smartphones work in order to use one successfully. The Voalte solution makes it easy! Have a suggestion, comment, or question? Reach out and let us know. You’ll find my team listed under Voalte BFF in the directory.

Better communication means better caregivers.

Better caregivers mean better patient outcomes.

 

Fresh faces and excitement fill the room before each training class begins. Users chitchat amongst themselves thinking “what in the world is this lady going to train us on today?” They discuss what’s going on with their patients, their team dynamics, and their life in general. Often times, people come into class with preconceived notions from past in-service trainings and possible knowledge of iPhone or smartphone use. They may even discuss how Voalte will be perceived among their coworkers.

Now fast forward to the day of the unit’s “go-live”. Users may be a bit nervous about using Voalte. But there will be two major differences between those that attended training and those that did not: adoption and usability.

Users that attended training leave class excited about Voalte and how it will improve communication. Those that did not attend may feel obligated to use something they hardly know anything about. Adoption is key to the success of the Voalte implementation – or any other technology for that matter. Training class attendees know how to “Add to Favorites”, send feedback, find their extension, add contacts to the directory, and so much more. Also during training, users are given a user guide that provides step-by-step instructions on the Voalte application. If you do not attend training you are given a phone and left to ask questions that could have been answered. That person will only be able to use the basic functions of the application and are ultimately left at the mercy of their colleagues.

Attending training allows users to sit down and think about how they will use the application in real time, as they get the opportunity to practice operating the phones in class. As various features are explained, it is amazing seeing the       “ah-ha” moments people have about what the application can do and how Voalte will help with communication among colleagues in their unit, as well as throughout the entire hospital. They will now be able to receive information in a faster and more efficient manner. Training is usually the first point of contact we have with end users and is so critical to the success of the project.

See you in the next training class….

In my travels working with customers and partners I have the pleasure of talking with hospital management teams and end users about Voalte. Frequently our conversations gravitate to the lack of modern wireless communication solutions in healthcare and the truly unique capabilities Voalte brings to the market.

1. Convenience – Voalte eliminates the need for the nurse's "tool belt" of multiple devices and applications. Text messaging, alarms/notifications, and voice communications all flow naturally to a single smartphone application.

 

2. Ease of Use – Why is Apple selling 350,000+ iPhones Per DAY? It's intuitive and simple to use. Voalte leverages the advantages of the robust iPhone hardware and a software application that provides all of a caregiver's communications needs on a shared device with a single sign-on.

 

3. Functionality – I tried text messaging on my old Nokia cell phone. Remember pushing each button 1,2, or 3 times to get the letter you wanted? Forget it. The advent of full keyboards made text messaging a mainstay of communication in the modern world. The non-smartphone handsets currently used in most hospitals today provide the same functionality you abandoned 10 years ago in your personal life.

 

4. Efficiency – The workload of nurses and physicians is astounding. Few jobs require keeping multiple "balls in the air" quite like the hospital environment. A study shows that communication with team members, or other departments, accounts for 20.6% of nurse's time. Providing more streamlined communications leads to happier more effective caregivers. The result is more time spent at the bedside with patients and fewer mistakes. Voalte provides better outcomes and happier patients. This all leads to higher reimbursement and lower cost to the hospital and our over burdened healthcare system.

 

5. Flexibility – The typical process for replacing broken wireless phones in the hospital is for the telecom team to order the same proprietary phones they have been using for decades. The "new" handsets may be a different color or shape, but provide the same limited functionality and user interface they've always had. Why replace a dead-end phone with another dead-end phone?

 

Voalte can custom provision iPhones tailored to the hospital system's needs or even customize by department. Voice, alarms, and text are just the beginning. Voalte puts the power of 50,000+ medical applications in your hands at the bedside – drug reference, med math calculators, language translation – the options are endless and growing every day. Shouldn't your wireless hardware and software solution have the flexibility to grow and change with your communication needs?

After having worked for Voalte for six months now people have asked me; “what question do you hear most often in the field?” When explaining what we do to hospital executives the over whelming majority ask, “if Voalte is a smartphone application can we just download it on our personal phones?” 

The simple answer is no, but the underlying importance is the reason why. Nurses all over the country have used different legacy devices ranging from complicated phones to simple single-use pagers. Now days all of the emerging technology is wonderful but we cannot lose focus on the end users. Hospitals are busy places and when a new technology is proposed caregivers are left wondering if they are going to have to learn how to use a new device or system?

This is where, as we say, a full “turn-key” solution is necessary to address the problem. After seeing our solution successfully rolled out at a number of hospitals across the country I have to come to realize that the reason for the success starts with the nurses being receptive and embracing the technology. Our end user training does just that. Our project management team ensures integrations are performed and infrastructure is configured correctly. Our go-live support maintains a successful rollout, while our ongoing supports keeps the solution up and running as it should. Lastly, our “app” in combination with our specialized devices and charging solutions deliver the efficient and effective communication nurses and caregivers need to deliver the best care possible.

It’s more than just about the app…it’s about our people and the overall experience.

As my colleague, Frank Watts, mentioned in his post “Noise and Patient Anxiety,” a cacophony of alarm signals, nurse call equipment sounds, and the like, can wear down a patient’s recuperative efforts and assurance that they are receiving the best possible care. So, too, can a frequency of alarm noises cause anxiety in hospital caregivers, which in turn, can deplete their ability to provide excelled healthcare. This syndrome, known as alarm fatigue, occurs in a clinical scenario when alarms sound so often that responders become desensitized causing them to respond slowly, inaccurately, or not at all. Another issue of “alarm discriminability” arises which affects the clinician’s ability to discern between one or more alarms. Hence the need for a better alarm delivery solution – Voalte One!

In a survey summary published in the MedSun Newsletter #65, October 2011 by The Medical Product Safety Network*, nine of the 350 health care facilities included in the network reported on the most common alarm fatigue challenges in their demanding and time-critical environments. The respondents represented a cross-section of the hospital staff: risk managers, staff nurses, nurse managers and biomedical engineers. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents experienced alarm fatigue daily, while the other one-third were clearly aware the term and the issues involved. Generally, many of the respondents felt that the varying alarm sounds required extra diligence that involved relying on other sources of observation. In order to determine the correct priority of an alarm, many clinicians would check central monitors in the nursing room, search from room-to-room, use split screens in patient rooms, etc.–all requiring invaluable time when seconds really count the most. Even with varying pitch and tone, many alarms in a localized area were still hard to distinguish properly.

Building considerations as to the overall size of the unit, high levels of noise, and closed patient room doors also factored into the ability for proper alarm signal discernment. That particular consideration and other conditions contributed to the survey-wide result that visual alarms faired better than auditory alarms when providing reliable, and rapid, information regarding alarm location and level of urgency.

When the respondents were questioned regarding their recommendations for better technological solutions to alarm fatigue and alarm discriminability, receiving alarm notification text messages on a smartphone was a survey-wide answer. Additionally, the ability to monitor alarm notifications and information portably through an iPad or similar tablet product was also mentioned as another important technology advancement.

*The Medical Product Safety Network (MedSun) improves FDA’s understanding of problems with the use of medical devices so that the FDA, healthcare facilities, clinicians, and manufacturers can better address safety concerns.

Whether you call them a HUC, an NCT, a MST, a UCA, etc., the hospital Unit Secretary is a professional juggler of tasks, Jack of all trades, chief communicator, mission control, and in many cases Mother Hen to everyone with whom they come in contact. Caregivers, Physicians, and patients alike appreciate what they do and reap the benefits from their daily interactions with their Unit Secretaries. Voalte would like to take a moment to recognize these amazing individuals.

The Top 10 Reasons we LOVE our Unit Secretaries:

#10: They work tirelessly

 #9: They are very knowledgeable about the workings of the department
       and are a wealth of information

 #8: They are always willing to lend a helping hand

 #7: They always know where to find everything

 #6: They know who to call in any situation

 #5: They always work hard to help everyone out

 #4: They are in control

 #3: They know how to fix any and all problems

 #2: They keep us organized

 #1: They ROCK!

To all Unit Secretaries all over the world, we acknowledge and value your ongoing commitment to your patients and your team. You make a HUGE impact, one interaction at a time!

Thank you!

Well maybe it’s not perfect, but it’s pretty darn close. Before doing a house wide deployment, many of our sites decide to test run on a single unit. The downfall to just going live with a single unit is that you miss the crucial interaction/communication between units and ancillary departments. The other thing you miss out on is the buy in you get from different groups within the hospital.

The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics noticed the importance of including departments outside of nursing. UIHC selected a single nursing unit and then included all the Physicians, Residents, Pharmacists, Dieticians, Social Workers, Physical Therapists, and Nursing Administrators that the unit communicated with. Phase One was hugely successful–probably one of the best I have ever seen!

When we went live, users immediately noticed the value of the Voalte One communication tool. Nurses loved the fact that they could find Pharmacists no matter where they were in the building. Residents loved the ability to text Nurses during rounds. Voalte was an all around win with all of the Hospital groups.

However, there were unintended consequences. Now that a few pharmacists, dieticians, and others had trialed Voalte, everyone else now wanted one. I guess it’s a good problem to have…