Spectrum Health Starts Asset Tracking Project
Skytron, a division of KMW Group Inc., Monday announced that Grand Rapids-based Spectrum Health has successfully implemented its realtime location system, powered by Awarepoint and Intelligent InSites, to automatically track and manage over 5,300 hospital assets.
The assets are spread among 1.8 million square feet of Butterworth Hospital, Fred and Lenna Meijer Heart Center, Helen DeVos Women's and Children's Center and Blodgett Memorial Hospital.
"Tracking medical equipment that requires preventative maintenance to ensure patient safety was priority No. 1," said Robert Rinck, director of clinical engineering for Spectrum Health System. "In addition, optimizing the utilization of our mobile assets, including our infusion pumps, wheelchairs, computers on wheels has provided early and immediate benefits for deploying the RTLS solution. We can use the assets more efficiently, reducing rentals and capital purchases, while improving workflows."
Said Skytron president and CEO David M. Mehney: "Skytron has worked together with Spectrum Health for over 35 years delivering progressive, quality medical equipment innovations here in West Michigan. We are pleased to provide Spectrum Health with RTLS solutions that will further enhance patient care, clinical workflows and efficiency,
And Awarepoint's senior vice president of marketing, Valerie Fritz, added: "Initial installation and simply locating assets is just the beginning step of a successful RTLS partnership. Achieving ongoing clinical and financial benefits for Spectrum Health is of paramount importance to Awarepoint, Skytron and Intelligent InSites. Through the continuous support by the client success management team, we assure best practices are implemented to achieve the hospital's goals. We are excited to be part of Spectrum Health's cost saving and efficiency initiatives and look forward to a long-term and mutually beneficial partnership."
Skytron asset tags, powered by Awarepoint, broadcast low power radio messages which allow Spectrum Health to quickly locate specific assets and provide real time, automatic location data capture via the Intelligent InSites' Enterprise Visibility Platform. The information is then leveraged to visualize the location and status of assets, track equipment utilization rates, and generate rule-based notifications and alerts, resulting in increased productivity and efficient deployment of resources.
"In addition to using InSites' suite of applications that leverage the location information generated by Awarepoint's ZigBee mesh network, Spectrum Health is able to utilize InSite's open and interoperable architecture to integrate with their existing equipment management software, allowing Spectrum Health to enhance their current systems and processes," said Mark Rheault, president and CEO of Intelligent InSites.
Spectrum Health was recently named one of the nation's top 10 health systems by Thomson Reuters. Spectrum is also the recipient of the 2010 HealthGrades Patient Safety Excellence Award. Spectrum Health Blodgett, Butterworth and Helen DeVos Children's hospitals also earned Magnet Recognition status by the American Nurses Credentialing Center -- one of only 5 percent of U.S. hospitals to receive this prestigious designation. Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit, integrated health system based in West Michigan, and provides world-class care that includes diagnostic, outpatient, inpatient, women and children's and emergency services to patients across the region. The health care system is also the largest provider of post acute services, including rehabilitative, long-term acute, home and residential care in West Michigan.
More at www.skytron.us, www.awarepoint.com or www.IntelligentInSites.com.
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