Doctors using tablets at the point of care don't always have the easiest time switching between apps, especially when they're trying to keep the patient's medical record in front of them. Now UPMC is working with a trio of healthcare IT companies to simplify that workflow.
The Pittsburgh-based health system is partnering with Caradigm, Intel and Microsoft on a mobile Windows 8.1 tablet-based platform that lets physicians, with the touch of a screen, instantly switch among different clinical applications while maintaining patient context.
"Our clinicians demand and deserve applications that enhance patient care, rather than detract from it," said Rebecca Kaul, president of UPMC‘s Technology Development Center, in a statement. "Working with Caradigm, Microsoft and Intel, it was critical that we find a way to dramatically simplify the workflow of our clinicians and give them time back to spend with patients."
Cardiologists at UPMC are testing the platform and its ability to navigate through Cerner’s electronic health record and two new UPMC-developed applications that allow physicians to see relevant patient information pulled from multiple data systems and to follow a recommended “clinical pathway” to treat a patient for certain diseases.
Using Microsoft Surface Pro 2 tablets at the point of care, the physicians are able to sign in just once to a clinical desktop and move rapidly back and forth among applications to perform a variety of tasks related to caring for the patient, according to UPMC. With the correct patient record automatically displayed in each application, the cardiologists maintain patient context, saving them steps and time.
Oscar Marroquin, MD, a cardiologist participating in the pilot and executive director of clinical analytics and new models of care at UPMC, said in a news release the team wanted a solution that would let clinicians easily view and interpret the full "patient story" and act on that information rapidly to improve care.
"We’re excited to demonstrate the power of our combined technologies to help doctors and nurses drive better patient care and to take interoperability to the next level," said Jim Campbell, vice president of identity and access management for Bellevue, Wash.-based Caradigm, in a news release.
Technology components
UPMC and Caradigm officials demonstrated the platform at the HIMSS14 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando last month. The platform uses the following technologies:
- Caradigm Single Sign-On enables clinicians to use a single set of credentials – entered once per session – and multi-factor authentication in an integrated clinical workstation. They can access applications quickly without signing on to each one separately.
- Caradigm Context Management maintains patient context across applications, giving clinicians automatic access to the right patient record as they move from system to system.
- With a touch-enabled application dubbed "Convergence," the UPMC Technology Development Center delivers relevant patient information from disparate clinical applications and EMRs in a single, patient-centric and secure workflow. Convergence gives clinicians control over access, display and mobility of their workflow and patient information.
- UPMC’s clinical pathways application leads a clinical team through UPMC-approved pathways of care for specific medical conditions. The touch-enabled application displays, tracks, and reports the series of clinical steps compared against the recommended pathway.
- Windows 8.1 provides a touch interface, consistent user experience across devices, and an enterprise-level of security and manageability that today’s healthcare organizations demand.
This story first appeared on mHealth News sister site Healthcare IT News.
