Starting in early 2014, medical diagnostic device supplier Welch Allyn will introduce new solutions to help doctors and nurses on medical surgical (med/surg) floors identify early warning signs for patients in deteriorating condition. The tools will allow staff to access medical information from a central monitoring station or mobile phone, as well as in the patient’s room.
Med/surg floors can be among the most difficult to manage in an acute care hospital. Patients vary in age, complexity, acuity, and disease state, and the nurse-to-patient ratio is typically lower than in an intensive care unit. Nurses must also care for patients while dealing with caregivers, technicians, and physicians.
As a result, patients in these areas are far more likely to succumb to common hospital dangers like respiratory failure, cardiopulmonary arrest, code blue events, pressure ulcers, and falls. Besides impacting patient health and lengthening hospital stays, these incidents can also injure a hospital’s bottom line: A study for CPM’s HealthGrades found that post-operative respiratory failure has cost almost $2 billion and has the third highest mortality rate among Patient Safety Indicators.
Welch Allyn will preview its forthcoming products at the American Association for Respiratory Care International Respiratory Convention and Exhibition in Anaheim, Calif, November 16-19.
