Bedside monitors at WDMH transfer data to EHRs

WINCHESTER, Ont. – Generous donations are enabling every patient room at Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH) to have a new vital piece of equipment – a Welch Allyn Vital Signs Monitor. The total cost of 70 monitors is $482,632.75.

The vital sign monitors will result in safer care and more time for patient care. When a nurse takes a patient’s blood pressure or other vitals such as heart rate or temperature, the information will flow directly into the patient’s electronic health record from the machine. There is no need to write things down to enter into the system later. This process saves time and improves accuracy.

In November, WDMH will be launching the Epic health information system. The vital sign monitors are a key part of the new technology. With Epic, patients will get better access to their own health information and more seamless care from their providers. The system will securely store, organize and access patient records while maintaining patient privacy.

“A huge thank you to everyone who supported this important initiative. Because of our community’s incredible generosity, we were able to fund this project very quickly,” notes WDMH foundation managing director Kristen Casselman. “The timing worked out very well since WDMH is launching the Epic project in November.”

Winchester District Memorial Hospital is a rural teaching hospital located in Winchester, Ontario, southeast of Ottawa. WDMH has a 24/7 emergency, childbirth centre and diagnostic imaging facilities including digital mammography and CT scans.

Pictured: Jessica Hartle, RPN, with vital sign monitor.