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Canadian hospital institutes new information systems to aid patient flow

Case Management Weekly, March 21, 2007

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Information kiosks are to be located in emergency department waiting areas at both campuses of The Scarborough Hospital of Toronto, ready to collect patient information in seven different languages, reports CNW Telbec, a Canadian news source. The effort, titled "Enhancing Emergency Services: A Patient-Centered Approach," will help physicians in triage move patients through the hospital faster and with a better understanding of patients' symptoms.

The kiosks allow patients to enter information into the system about their medical problems. Staff will be alerted each time a patient enters new information into the system. This allows patients to take on a larger role in their own care and it allows staff to have a better grasp on a patient's situation once he or she is seen by a caregiver.

Aside from delivering detailed patient information to caregivers faster, the system also helps the hospital deal with the language barrier faced by many caregivers. It is estimated that 50% of the hospital's patients speak English as their second language. This system will help caregivers better understand their patient's symptoms.

Source: Patient Flow Weekly, HCPro, Inc.

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