Bluetooth sensors known as beacons will track clinical staff and patient interaction at extended acute care facilities to improve patient outcomes and coordination of care.
Centric Consulting has partnered with Special Care Providers of America to release BlueBeak software for healthcare. BlueBeak is an Internet of Things (IoT) sensor technology framework that gathers signals and data from battery-powered Bluetooth beacons installed in Special Care Providers’ facilities.
In October, Centric kicked off the pilot with BlueBeak with Special Care Providers, an organization that provides quality care to catastrophically ill, ventilator-dependent patients. The pilot project is planned for an 11-bed unit operated by Special Care Providers in a new facility.
The project enables Special Care Providers to record when clinic staff enter and exit the hospital units where Special Care operates, monitor staff dwell times at the patient’s bedside, and monitor foam in/foam out activity for hygiene compliance. Special Care Providers will also be able to view an online dashboard of staff location and data analytics to determine where clinicians and staff are providing the most significant impacts to patients.
‘”This is a win-win solution for patients, families and healthcare providers,” said Kim Caruthers, Centric Miami’s Practice Lead. “Not only does it give patients and families some peace of mind in knowing their care is being monitored for effectiveness, but it also gives healthcare providers more confidence. They’ll know that clinicians are doing their job, and can identify things that can be done differently.”
“We want to monitor dwell times at the patient bedside because we know that this high touch care model achieves improved outcomes for patients,” said Sam Nimah, CEO of Special Care Providers.
Centric’s Miami office developed the BlueBeak technology to improve data analysis and insights into clinic staff movements within acute care facilities. Clinic staff carry a small ID badge that includes a wireless beacon sensor. The beacon sensor operates on very low battery power and creates a wireless connection with nearby beacon readers installed at the facility.
As clinic staff visit patients and move throughout the facility, Special Care Providers will access the dashboard to view staff location, patient visit history and ensure compliance with foam in/out procedures for patient safety.
“Technology like this can be a game-changer for the healthcare industry,” said Karla Schnell, National Healthcare Clinical Lead. “When we review patient surveys, we often see that patients don’t think staff come and check on them regularly. This can be a perception founded on fear of what is happening to them and being alone to deal with it, or in some cases it is true.”
Karla added: “BlueBeak can help address both issues because we can now track staff activity and reassure patients that we know and are able to ensure a more regular cadence of check points. We see this as another way to instill a renewed confidence in the healthcare system and the practitioners that work within it.”
Learn More About BlueBeak
https://centricconsulting.com/beacons-and-bluebeak/
About Centric Consulting
Centric Consulting is a business consulting and technology solutions firm providing full-service consulting services. Centric’s expert consultants help clients tackle their toughest business challenges with innovative, balanced, and measurable solutions. With more than 700 employees in 13 cities in the U.S. and India, Centric is known for helping clients drive operational efficiency, improve customer service, and increase profitability. Centric was founded in 1999 and is a privately owned company.
About Centric Miami
Centric Miami offers technology solutions and consulting services to clients throughout South Florida with deep expertise in Healthcare, Travel and Hospitality, Logistics and Supply Chain. Specialization areas include Enterprise Program Management, Mobile App Development, Digital, Business Intelligence, BPI and BPM.
About Centric’s National Healthcare Practice
Healthcare institutions are continually looking for ways to improve care, streamline processes, reduce costs and share information more effectively across the continuum. Centric understands and uses this tension to provide clients with creative solutions through innovative planning, process improvements and use of information technology.
Centric’s National Healthcare Practice delivers these services through a combination of clinical and business operations and process management solutions. We bring technology to the point of enabling the process of care and business operations.
About Centric’s Digital Practice
Successful organizations adapt their digital strategies and capabilities as they learn and as digital landscapes change. No matter where you are on your journey, Centric’s digital consulting services help you assess your strategy, plan your course and implement solutions for real results thank to expertise in digital strategy, digital technology, interactive, and marketing operations.
About Special Care Providers
For 25 years, Special Care Providers of America has partnered with acute hospitals to provide aggressive multi-disciplinary rehabilitation, catering to the unique needs of the ventilator-dependent, catastrophically ill or medically complex patient.
The Special Care Unit Team, managed by Special Care Providers, provides patients the best opportunity for ventilator weaning, while safely keeping the patient in the acute care setting. By doing so, Special Care Providers provides its host hospital with incremental revenue, improved core measures, reduced readmissions and shorter lengths of stay per episode.