Poughkeepsie, NY – Standing with doctors, hospital staff and administrators at St. Francis Hospital today, U.S. Rep. John Hall (D-Dover Plains) announced that he had secured $86,000 in federal funding for the hospital to purchase hand-held devices that will allow doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff to communicate life-saving information to each other quickly. Soon St. Francis Hospital will be able to expand its critical wireless communication system hospital-wide. Last year, Saint Francis Hospital saw more than 8 thousand trauma patients and had 31 thousand emergency room visits, making it the busiest Level II trauma center in New York State.

 

"In a hospital, seconds can mean the difference between life and death," said Congressman John Hall. "It is critical for doctors and nurses to have life-saving information at their fingertips immediately in order to accurately diagnose, treat, and respond to patient emergencies. When you are treating so many patients and juggling so many emergencies, it is essential to have immediate access to ever-changing information."

 

Once the new system is fully implemented, St. Francis Hospital staff will be able to send and receive secure information to one another by voice, text, or alarm.  Even while at their patient's bedside, doctors and nurses can access critical data, including health records, test results, and monitoring information about each patient.  Not only will these new devices be quick and convenient, they will also be secure, ensuring that the safety of a patient's private medical data is not breached.

 

"As more of the medical staff at Saint Francis begins to use the wireless devices, patients in the hospital should begin to see improvements in the already exceptional care provided by the hospital," said Hall. "Doctors, nurses, and other medical team members will not only be more informed, but they will also be more responsive.  Instead of running around the hospital to find out lab results or shouting down the hall for help during an emergency, they will be able to use 21st century technology to securely receive the results of a patient’s MRI, or can send an alarm alerting their colleagues about an emergency."

 

"As the busiest Level II Trauma Center in the state, we've learned the ability to communicate is vital to the care of our patients," said Bob Savage, President and CEO of Saint Francis Hospital. "This wireless communication system takes desk top phones and puts them in our pockets. No more leaving a patient's side to place or receive a call. Physicians and nurses can speak with a primary care physician or specialist, for example, while treating a patient. This system has been introduced in our Emergency Department and Trauma Center and now we can begin expanding it throughout our hospital."

 

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