Customer Meeting - Guelph G.H.

The team met with suits from Guelph G.H. today @ 11:00 am in Guelph. This was our first meeting with Guelph G.H. Robert is a U.W. accountancy grad and Jason is U. Guelph computing grad.

We have two directions with these people. Either take an existing wireless application and make it run over our technology via an adaption layer, or write a simple application like a vitals recorder.

Robert F. Biron, CA*IT, MHSc, CHE
     Vice President, Diagnostic & Support Services
     Chief Financial / Information Officer
     Ph:  (519) 837-6440 x 2792
     Fax: (519) 822-2170
     email: robert.biron (at) guelphgeneralhospital (dot) com

Jason Winter
     Manager - Information Technology
     Ph:  (519) 837-6440 x 2292
     Fax: (519) 837-6434
     email: jason.winter (at) guelphgeneralhospital (dot) com

NOTES:

In early stages of wireless use:

• feasibility study (technology and legal)
• long term (electronic health record)
  • no paper on floor (tablet or PDA) (18 to 36 months)
  • want "right info at the right time to the right people"

Concerns:

• RF interference with existing equipment
• high density materials in building causes dead zones
• security - data must stay in building, can't leave premises
• reliability - can't frustrate front line staff
• physician time
  • get through rounds quickly
  • do documentation later
• when in hospital, users must use our technology

Currently have one access point.

Applications:

• health info system: Meditech - legacy system
  • modules
    • lab, radiology orders
    • demographics
    • diagnosis
    • billing
    • and others
  • speaks HL7
  • access through telnet over VPN
  • 2k3 terminal services - kiosk environment
• will be looking at wireless application separately from technology
• there are HL7 Pocket PC applications
  • Mercury MD
  • Patient Keeper
  • DrugMart.ca

Desired rollout:

• 1st phase: non-physician users: nurses
  • have one hour verbal hand-off at shift changes
  • have to gather information from different sources
  • workflow: scrap -> chart -> electronic
• 2nd phase: physician - order entry

Applications:

• checking vitals
• order entry - lab orders (want less error)
• voice recognition not good enough yet (being tested elsewhere)
• they like "push"
  • for abnormal results
    • currently: nurses loop up results and have to locate doctor to report
    • want doctors to be able to respond directly
  • like audit trail
    • remove nurses as info relay
  • makes turn-around shorter
• clinical decision support
  • drug conflicts / allergies