Hospital reduces the time needed to collect and document vital signs by 86% CHICAGO, April 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In response to the need for more effective collection of patient vital signs data, Greenwood Leflore Hospital recently went live with Soarian(R) Device Connect v2.0, which Siemens (http://www.siemens.com/healthcare) will showcase at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) 2009 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070904/SIEMENSLOGO) Soarian Device Connect v2.0(1), which will be on hand in Siemens' HIMSS booth (#2036), operates as a clinical workflow tool and data gateway for various patient monitors that collect vitals data, such as noninvasive blood pressure, pulse, and blood oxygen saturation (SpO2). When coupled with these monitors, the healthcare professional can electronically validate and transfer data from the monitor to the enterprise's clinical repository. This eliminates significant opportunities for manual transcription errors. The solution also makes information available to the healthcare provider more quickly, enabling the healthcare provider to make care decisions more effectively. With only a few clicks, nurses can electronically begin capturing vital signs and distributing the data online throughout the enterprise within seconds. Greenwood Leflore Hospital, a 248-bed regional medical center in Greenwood, MS. adopted Soarian Device Connect v2.0 as part of an initiative to re-engineer its vital-signs-collection workflow. Streamlining the process with Soarian Device Connect v2.0 helped the hospital reduce the time it takes to collect and document vital signs by 86%. It also reduced process steps for vital signs collection from 36 to 21. "Vital signs data is critical throughout the entire patient-care process, especially during the administration of medications," said Wanda Kelly, Project Manager, Clinical Applications, Greenwood Leflore Hospital." By using Soarian Device Connect v2.0 our care providers no longer need to wait for busy nurses to find the time to transfer paper-charted vitals data to an on-line system." Soarian Device Connect v2.0 also provides an important link in delivering a true electronic health record (EHR), a key requirement of which is that patient information is complete, accurate, and up to date. Since vital sign information can be immediately available, physicians can enter and update orders according to the most current patient information. Nurses are also equipped with the critical data needed for patient care. The data generated and displayed by the monitor then becomes part of an enterprise-wide, web-based information system that stores data in a single repository. As a result, the data is accessible by any department within the enterprise. "In the need for clinicians to have current vital signs information readily available to plan and deliver care we must adopt technology which captures vital signs data automatically versus traditional manual documentation methods," said Gail E. Latimer, RN, MSN, FACHE, Vice President, and Chief Nursing Officer, Siemens Healthcare. "Soarian Device Connect v2.0 streamlines the steps of transcribing and entering vital signs data while supporting hospital patient-safety initiatives and distributing information across the enterprise to various caregivers." The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry. The company is a renowned medical solutions provider with core competence and innovative strength in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies as well as in knowledge engineering, including information technology and system integration. With its laboratory diagnostics acquisitions, Siemens Healthcare is the first integrated healthcare company, bringing together imaging and lab diagnostics, therapy, and healthcare information technology solutions, supplemented by consulting and support services. Siemens Healthcare delivers solutions across the entire continuum of care - from prevention and early detection, to diagnosis, therapy and care. Additionally, Siemens Healthcare is the global market leader in innovative hearing instruments. The company employs around 49,000 people worldwide and operates in 130 countries. In the fiscal year 2008 (Sept. 30), Siemens Healthcare reported sales of euro 11.2 billion, orders of euro 11.8 billion, and Sector profit of euro 1.2 billion. Further information can be found by visiting http://www.siemens.com/healthcare. (1) Soarian Device Connect is not intended for continuous vital sign monitoring purposes http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070904/SIEMENSLOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Siemens Healthcare CONTACT: Gian Sachdev, Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., 1-610-448-3024, Web Site: http://www.medical.siemens.com/

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