Cathinka Guldberg-Center Lovisenberg (CGSL)
Cathinka Guldberg-Center Lovisenberg (CGSL) Uses Sonitor Technologies RTLS to Revolutionize Long Term Care.
Cathinka Guldberg-Center Lovisenberg (CGSL), a 135-bed skilled nursing and memory care unit, located in Oslo, Norway is revolutionizing long term care with the use of Sonitor Technologies RTLS (Real Time Location Systems). They are deploying digital technologies in resident rooms that communicate with digital patient records and, as a result, believe that they are changing the work paradigm in nursing homes. This allows them to safeguard the quality of their work, increase the efficiency of the caregivers’ time in general, and make more time available for caregivers to spend with and in front of patients and residents. To achieve this, they partnered with Hospital IT, an application software provider, and implemented Sonitor’s ultrasound-based RTLS technology integrated with Acos Cosdok’s electronic medical records solution. The digital solutions they deployed are called Smart Guard. In the Smart Guard deployment, Sonitor’s ultrasoundbased RTLS interacts with caregiver smartphones, the TV in resident rooms and the facility’s electronic medical record system.
“It is an incredibly exciting process and it is very inspiring to see the commitment among the staff in the department. We look forward to a new reality with modern solutions that help us to deliver quality care at CGSL.”
– Heidi Hetland, Director of CGSL
At CGSL, Sonitor’s ultrasound location transmitters are installed throughout hospital floors and resident rooms. In addition, residents and staff wear location badges (tags) and the facility’s mobile medical equipment is tagged. Each tag has a unique identification (ID) that is associated with a specific individual or specific piece of equipment. Each resident room is equipped with a touchscreen Smart TV that allows residents and staff access to relevant information.
The TV can also be used by residents as a conventional TV and a communication channel where they can Skype with relatives and friends and review their daily schedule with their caregiver. As a result of the integration of these digital and wireless solutions and the tagging of residents, staff and equipment, the system can detect when a caregiver enters a room and what piece of medical equipment they have with them. Because each Sonitor tag has a unique ID associated with it, the Smart TV automatically displays relevant caregiver information (name, role, etc.) to the resident and visiting family as the caregiver enters the room. The Smart Guard also automatically records all caregiver interactions with the patient/resident along with automatic time stamps. This is useful for review, if required, with the patient and their family. Due to Norwegian laws around protecting the workers’ rights, however, no records about the caregivers’ individual movements are being stored.
CGSL is experiencing many benefits as a result of providing residents with their own, unique tags and the features associated with the tags. For example, each resident tag is equipped with motion sensors and buttons that can be pressed by the resident if they need assistance. This button press replaces the traditional pull cord often found in rooms that are used to call for caregiver assistance. These features help to ensure resident safety and prevent falls by minimizing attempts at getting out of bed or a chair unassisted. For example, if a resident is getting up during the night, as a result of the motion sensor feature on the tag, the caregiver is notified of the movement and can arrive to assist before an accident can happen. In addition, because each resident is wearing a tag and the hallways, rooms, exits and entrances are equipped with location transmitters, resident location is easily monitored, ensuring they are not wandering from the premises and, therefore ensuring their safety.
As a result of all of the digital and wireless solutions integrated and deployed at CGSL, the resident and caregiver have access to all of the same information and can easily review and update daily schedules. It also provides a seamless and easy way to share that information with relatives and to facilitate communication with caregivers and family members. This digital integration also provides benefits across the CGSL healthcare facility. By better understanding resident information and caregiver capacity needs, caregivers can ensure that they are spending more time with their residents delivering quality care.
Translation date: November 24, 2015
Content Source: http://www.lovisenberg.no/forside/artikkel/det-digitale-pasientromrevolusjonerereldreomsorgen-mer-tid-sammen-med-pasientene