Every year, the Memorial Hospital Foundation invests in technology and clinical services that enhance patient care around the region. The Foundation’s latest grant of $325,000 was used to purchase 47 Hewlett-Packard tablets for the staff of Shore Home Care and Hospice and Shore Wellness Partners.
The tablets, similar in size and capability to a small laptop computer, are used by field staff, including nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers and a bereavement coordinator, who care for patients at home.
“When you get a call after hours from a patient’s family, having mobile access to patient information is so crucial in providing the most appropriate care in an efficient manner,” says Rita Holley, MS, BSN, RN, Director of Shore Home Care and Hospice.
According to Holley, nurses who work out in the field can have difficulty accessing patient information in “real time.” Thanks to the purchase of the tablets, nursing staff can get up-to-the-minute access to their patient’s electronic medical records 24 hours a day, no matter the location. This information includes medications, laboratory results, advanced directives and physician orders.
“This generous gift from the Memorial Hospital Foundation gets our nurses the information they need, especially after hours, to make critical patient care decisions,” adds Holley.
This investment in technology is already showing significant benefits for staff and patients.
Sharon Stagg, DNP, MPH, RN, Director of Shore Wellness Partners, adds, “In addition to improving document legibility, which translates into safe, effective care, the tablets provide us with a secure mobile tool for interacting and educating our clients in the field.”
To learn more about how you can make a gift to support technological investments for patient care provided by Shore Health System, contact the Memorial Hospital Foundation at 410-822-1000, ext. 5915.
In photo above: Melanie Hampton, MSN, RN, Community Case Specialist for Shore Wellness Partners, updates a patient’s medical record from her car. Thanks to a $325K grant from the Memorial Hospital Foundation, staff at Shore Wellness Partners and Shore Home Care and Hospice, have tablets that provide real time access to their patient’s records.
In photo: From left, Rita Holley, MSN, BSN, RN, Director of Shore Home Care and Hospice and Sharon Stagg, DNP, MPH, RN, Director of Shore Wellness Partners, provide an update to the Memorial Hospital Foundation Board of Directors on how their newly purchased tablets have helped enhance patient care.