Two hospitals preparing to go 'all-digital'

Two Ohio hospitals--Magruder Hospital in Port Clinton and Fisher-Titus Medical Center in Norwalk--soon will be among the top 5 percent of the most automated, fully digital hospitals in the United States, reports the Port Clinton News Herald. The hospitals will implement wireless, all-digital patient care systems from Cerner Corp. that will give caregivers "instant access to real-time patient information," says Fisher-Titus President Pat Martin.

Both hospitals will go live with the new technology April 27. Magruder will spend about $10 million over the next 10 years to implement the system, while Fisher-Titus' costs will come in at about $20 million. The price tag includes hardware, room remodeling, software, training and other costs.

Patient information will be available in each patient room via a customizable, digital television screen that uses biometric fingerprint identification. Hospital officials cite improved patient safety as the primary impetus for the move. For example, the system includes a digital medicine cabinet that tracks patient drugs and cross-checks prescriptions, as well as a wireless scanner that verifies that nurses administer the right drug to the right patient.

To learn more about the hospitals' transition to an all-digital environment:
- read the News Herald article

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