News Feature | October 14, 2013

Integrate Mobile Carts Into EMR Upgrade

Source: Health IT Outcomes

By Wendy Grafius, contributing writer

Southcoast Health System expects gains in efficiency while updating its EMR operation

By Wendy Grafius, contributing writer

Southcoast Health System, a three-hospital group serving residents of southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, has chosen JACO UltraLite 200 Series Carts as part of a technology upgrade of new laptops and mobile computer carts. An early adopter of EMR and bedside patient recordkeeping, Southcoast expects to gain efficiency while updating its EMR operation.

A community-based health delivery system, Southcoast comprises 423-bed St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford, 328-bed Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, and 64-bed Tobey Hospital in Wareham, offering an integrated continuum of health services. A medical staff of 850 physicians provides advanced clinical services, including open heart surgery, angioplasty, cancer care, neurosurgery, weight loss surgery, orthopedics, advanced imaging, and the region’s only maternity services.  Accredited by the Joint Commission, Southcoast employs state of the art technology and offers advanced IT solutions to its caregivers.

As past customers of JACO, officials at Southcoast were convinced of the American-made products’ quality and were sold on the compact design, effortless mobility, and reliability. “For Southcoast the right decision was to actually make the same decision that they had made years ago,” said Gary Brayton, National Sales Manager for JACO.

JACO UltraLite carts are constructed of lightweight, yet strong aluminum and steel in an industry where other offerings are of non-durable plastic. Powder-coated for infection control, the carts feature ergonomic design for maximum productivity with minimum physical effort. “Southcoast Healthcare IT decision makers have configured a powerful, yet cost effective solution to provide bedside patient care,” continued Brayton. “By utilizing EMR through non-powered laptop carts versus powered carts, nurses have a much lighter weight solution – making their EMR less physically demanding. Also, IT does not have the added expenses tied into managing a mobile cart fleet with onboard battery systems.”

SOURCE: PR Newswire