Smithsburg, MD, March 21, 2024 — UNC Health Blue Ridge outfits its new intensive care units with some of the best technology available, including the implementation of MEDI+SIGN® Digital Whiteboards and MEDI+SIGN Digital Door Displays, keeping with its commitment to providing the very best in healthcare for the region.
Read the actual press release on PRWeb here
Part of a larger system-wide expansion called “Project Forward,” the new Intensive Care Unit at UNC Health Blue Ridge is included in the $118 million expansion that adds a six-story, 220,500 sq ft tower to the Morganton Campus. The new tower also houses an expanded emergency department, a rooftop helipad, and shell floors flexible for future expansion.
The implementation of MEDI+SIGN is a testament to UNC Health Blue Ridge’s commitment to the community and patients they serve. In addition to providing high-quality care, this patient-facing technology shows the extent to which Blue Ridge is going to ensure their patients understand their care and stay informed during that process. This project not only creates an expanded hospital, but a more patient-focused hospital.
The critical care rooms at UNC Health Blue Ridge feature fully automated 43” digital in-room whiteboards and 15.6” digital door displays to present real-time healthcare data to clinicians, patients, and their families. MEDI+SIGN ensures that the information presented is always up-to-date with automatic data flows from Epic®, UNC’s electronic medical record (EMR). “The board is immediately updated in real-time as information is entered into the electronic medical records by the clinical staff,” said Amanda Krause, MSN, RN, Director of Patient Experience and Navigation at UNC Health Blue Ridge. “Enhancing communication in this way elevates the patient experience, which ultimately enhances patient outcomes.”
“The electronic boards are exciting, innovative, patient-centric, and important to enhancing the care we provide.”
– Jon Mercer, Chief Operating Officer at UNC Health Blue Ridge
MEDI+SIGN electronic patient room whiteboards replace the traditional dry-erase boards in the patient rooms, eliminating manual entry and duplication and allowing the staff to focus on the critical needs of the patient. The door displays provide an overview of any patient isolation procedures, safety alerts, precautions, and other risks to the healthcare team. These communication enhancements not only increase Patient Safety but also create a safer environment for staff.
“When we first saw the MEDI+SIGN displays in action, we were blown away and immediately thought about the benefits to the patients and staff,” says Barry Nelson, Vice President of Nursing/Chief Nurse Executive of UNC Health Blue Ridge. “The door displays greatly assist with infection control and quality efforts, while the patient room displays reduce the workload on staff and improve the overall coordination of care.”
“Clear communication is key for effective care,” says David Linetsky, Founder/CEO of MEDI+SIGN. “The names of the care team, specific diet, daily plan of care, and other important items are always available to patients and their families. When people are in the hospital, they are often scared and starving for answers. Having this information readily available is absolutely necessary to reduce the physiological stress, and accomplish the desired outcomes.”
Jon Mercer, Chief Operating Officer at UNC Health Blue Ridge, sums it up nicely – “The electronic boards are exciting, innovative, patient-centric, and important to enhancing the care we provide.”
About UNC Blue Ridge
UNC Health Blue Ridge is a comprehensive healthcare system, providing advanced healthcare and wellness services from nearly 50 locations across a three-county region of Western North Carolina. The system includes one hospital with two locations, a wellness center, and a continuing care retirement community. Nearly 120 primary care physicians, physician specialists, and extenders in the Blue Ridge Medical Group combine with other physicians on the Medical Staff to serve patients in the region. Blue Ridge provides graduate medical education programs for medical school graduates and students in osteopathic medicine. For more information, visit www.unchealthblueridge.org.
About MEDI+SIGN
MEDI+SIGN is a game-changing communication tool used by hospitals that are pursuing the creation, improvement, and sustainability of their quality and safety goals. Driven and perfected by evidence-based outcomes, MEDI+SIGN deploys strategies tailored to the hospital’s specific needs and existing workflows. This unique approach allows hospitals to experience quality and safety transformations without negatively impacting the day-to-day workflow of staff. MEDI+SIGN is the first and only patient-facing technology in its class that requires zero effort from clinical staff while reinvesting time back to the bedside. With patient experience and complex psychology at the epicenter of this technology, patients are kept informed, satisfied, and safe. Beyond patient experience, MEDI+SIGN focuses on improving HCAHPS and increasing patient safety by preventing falls as well as other sentinel events related to HAC, among other CMS programs. To experience these results for yourself, visit medisigndisplays.com.
*Epic is a registered trademark of Epic Systems Corporation.
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