Implementation of the Vocera Communication System in a Quaternary Perioperative Environment

In the hospital, fast and efficient communication among clinicians and other employees is paramount to ensure optimal patient care, workflow efficiency, patient safety and patient comfort. The implementation of the wireless Vocera ® Badge, a hands-free wearable device distributed to perioperative te...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of medical systems 2017, Vol.41 (1), p.6-6, Article 6
Main Authors: Friend, Tynan H., Jennings, Samantha J., Copenhaver, Martin S., Levine, Wilton C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitude of Health Personnel
Communication
Health Informatics
Health Sciences
Hospitals
Humans
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Noise - prevention & control
Operating Rooms - organization & administration
Patient care planning
Patient Care Team - organization & administration
Quality Improvement - organization & administration
Statistics for Life Sciences
Surgery
Systems-Level Quality Improvement
Time Factors
Wireless Technology
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Summary:In the hospital, fast and efficient communication among clinicians and other employees is paramount to ensure optimal patient care, workflow efficiency, patient safety and patient comfort. The implementation of the wireless Vocera ® Badge, a hands-free wearable device distributed to perioperative team members, has increased communication efficiency across the perioperative environment at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). This quality improvement project, based upon identical pre- and post-implementation surveys, used qualitative and quantitative analysis to determine if and how the Vocera system affected the timeliness of information flow, ease of communication, and operating room noise levels throughout the perioperative environment. Overall, the system increased the speed of information flow and eased communication between coworkers yet was perceived to have raised the overall noise level in and around the operating rooms (ORs). The perceived increase in noise was outweighed by the closed-loop communication between clinicians. Further education of the system’s features in regard to speech recognition and privacy along with expected conversation protocol are necessary to ensure hassle-free communication for all staff.
ISSN:0148-5598
1573-689X
DOI:10.1007/s10916-016-0652-9