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News Archive |
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Thursday, 17 December 2009
The University of Kentucky College of Nursing has announced the launch of an interactive health information kiosk at the Erlanger, Ky., branch of Northern Kentucky's Kenton County Public Library.
The touchscreen kiosk, called "The Well," is a feature of the UK College of Nursing's Clean Indoor Air Partnership with St. Elizabeth Healthcare and the Northern Kentucky Health Department and will provide information on heart health, smoking cessation, secondhand smoke and radon. It will allow users to take interactive quizzes about these topics and also features a body mass index (BMI) calculator and a scale.
Sue Banks, branch manager for the Erlanger library, says the kiosk is part of a large-scale initiative to educate residents of Northern Kentucky about their health:
Several years ago, we began to realize how important the library was as a resource for people in regard to healthcare, wellness and fitness. We are thrilled that the library can now offer this health kiosk because of our partnership with the University of Kentucky College of Nursing, St. Elizabeth's and the Northern Kentucky Health Department.
The kiosk's official launch is Friday, Dec. 18, and the public is invited to attend the free event.
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Healthcare self-service provider Greatwater Software has announced it has changed its company name to PatientPoint Inc. PatientPoint is the name of the company's flagship line of self-service kiosks, which allow patients to check in at physicians' offices and are integrated with existing physician office-based practice management and electronic medical record systems.
Chakri Toleti, COO of PatientPoint Inc., says the name change will allow the company to maintain consistent branding with its signature product:
By adopting the name of our core product offering, PatientPoint, as our company name, we are simplifying our brand to better represent our core mission of enabling physician practices to deliver value-added services to patients at the point of care. Under the PatientPoint brand, we will continue to broaden our product line and find new ways to leverage self-service technology to help physicians eliminate inefficient, paper-based processes, reduce administrative costs and minimize wait times while also improving care delivery.
PatientPoint Inc. also has launched a new Web site, patientpointkiosk.com, and says it will conduct all future business activity using the new PatientPoint name and brand.
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
D2 Sales, a provider of interactive kiosks and digital signage, has announced that the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medial Center has successfully completed a self-service check-in pilot program and will deploy D2's My Patient Passport Express kiosk throughout its facilities.
According to D2, the touchscreen, HIPAA-compliant kiosk allows hospital patients to check in, make appointments, update medical history, make copayments and sign documents electronically. The kiosk's enclosure was created to be consistent with the hospital's branding program.
Thursday, 03 December 2009
Canda's CBC News reports the Ontario legislature has passed Bill 179, which will allow prescription drug sales through self-service kiosks. The Web site says Oakville, Ontario-based PCA Services Inc. will roll out a network of PharmaTrust kiosks across Ontario in locations such as malls and grocery stores, once appropriate regulatory measures are in place.
The kiosks, which have been in use in a handful of Ontario hospitals for two years, will likely become as indispensable as bank machines and cellphones, particularly as governments look for ways to cut healthcare costs, said Peter Suma, president of PCA Services, which developed the machine.
'It will be like a cell phone. It will free you from locational dependence,' Suma said in an interview with CBC News.
He used an example of going to a grocery store late at night, only to find the pharmacy section is closed. In the future, a customer will just head over to a PharmaTrust machine, as they're called, feed the doctor's prescription through a slot and pick up the phone for a video conference with a pharmacist. Upon payment, the pharmacist releases the actual drug in the machine and the interaction is complete.
CBC says some Canadians are critical of the machines and fear the "casual" vending of prescription drugs and that patients may not be comfortable asking important private questions. The Canadian Pharmacists Association hasn't taken a position on the kiosks, according to the report.
PCA already has deployed the PharmaTrust kiosks in other countries and plans a trial deployment in the U.K. in early 2010.
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Atlanta-based SoloHealth today announced an agreement with Kroger that will expand the SoloHealth EyeSite kiosk to 10 Kroger locations in the metro Atlanta area. The touchscreen EyeSite kiosk offers shoppers a free vision screening and risk assessment with a customized results report, as well as free eye health information and lists of local eye care providers.
Bart Foster, founder and CEO of SoloHealth, says many people neglect eye health without realizing the damages:
Eyes deteriorate so slowly that people often don't realize their vision is changing. The EyeSite kiosks are a great way for people to check their vision and get related eye-health information. Our goal is to get people to think about their eyes as part of their overall health and to take the appropriate steps to minimize eye health risks.
In recent months, the EyeSite kiosk also has expanded to 30 grocery locations in the St. Louis area and has been featured in a segment on the popular CBS talk show "The Doctors."
Friday, 06 November 2009
Express Scripts Inc., a provider of pharmacy technology, and GreatWater Software Inc., a maker of patient self-service solutions, have launched a program that will enable patients to review options for reducing prescription costs when checking in for physician appointments.
According to a news release from the two companies, Express Scripts will utilize Greatwater's PatientPoint kiosk platform to present its members with information regarding their prescription benefit and prescription management options, such as generic drug and home delivery options.
Don Shaver, CEO of Greatwater Software, says the program will help patients understand and comply with their prescription options more easily:
An increasing number of physician practices are adopting self-service for functions such as patient registration, bill payment and appointment scheduling. Through this important collaboration, patients who are members of health plans that partner with Express Scripts will have access to prescription management options that make it more cost-effective and convenient for them to comply with their medication plans. At the same time, the initiative will provide Express Scripts with a centralized method for communicating with their member population at the point of care.
Wednesday, 04 November 2009
Atlanta-based SoloHealth has announced it will showcase the EyeSite vision-screening kiosk at next week's KioskCom Self Service Expo in New York City. SoloHealth says the solution will be on display at NCR Corp.'s booth, where attendees will be offered free vision screenings.
Stephen Kendig, SoloHealth's VP of operations and development, commented on the announcement:
"We are excited to be part of KioskCom again this year. The show is a great place to meet vendors, network with potential clients and engage with industry experts."
Kendig also will speak during the show at a session entitled "Funding Your Kiosk Project: Creative Business Strategies for Any Economy."
According to SoloHealth, the EyeSite kiosk won three awards at last year's KioskCom Self Service Expo: "Best Healthcare Innovation," "Best New Innovation Overall" and "Best in Show."
Tuesday, 03 November 2009
Austin, Texas-based fd2s, a wayfinding and environmental graphic-design consultancy, today announced the completion of a donor kiosk system for the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
According to a news release from fd2s, visitors to the cancer center can use the kiosks to browse content about M.D. Anderson and its donors, learn about volunteer opportunities and make donations via credit card. Fd2s says the kiosks feature embedded keyboards and flat-panel displays, in addition to a topper display that plays M.D. Anderson commercials on an attract loop. The center's fundraising staff is able to update the kiosks' play loops using a Web-based content management system. The kiosks' enclosures were manufactured and installed by Imagecraft Exhibits of Austin, fd2s says.
Steve Stamper, principal at fd2s, says interactive components are an innovative complement to traditional donor-recognition efforts:
The thing that makes these kiosks really interesting is their ability to bring so many aspects of the fundraising process together in one place. You can educate people about the institution's mission, share information about people or groups that have contributed in the past and give them a chance to participate themselves. I think that there will always be a place for traditional recognition elements like donor walls, but we believe that interactive components like these are a great complement to these types of installations and can even be integrated with them, and we're looking forward to creating similar systems for other institutions.
Fd2s has developed similar donor-recognition solutions for other medical institutions in Houston and Austin, Texas, Little Rock, Ark. and Kansas City.
Monday, 26 October 2009
D2 Sales LLC today announced that Beaumont Hospitals, located in Troy, Mich., will deploy D2's My Patient Passport Express kiosk for its patient check-in program.
According to a news release from D2, the My Patient Passport Express kiosk enables hospital patients to check in for appointments, make co-payments, update their medical records and schedule future appointments.
Sandy Nix, CEO of D2 Sales, says the kiosk solution will streamline the healthcare process for patients and staff:
D2's purpose-built healthcare kiosks allow patients a choice when registering, updating their records and making co-pay payments, providing a quicker and more efficient check-in process. We are delighted Beaumont Hospitals chose to partner with D2 in bringing this added convenience to their patients and staff.
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
NCR Corp. has announced the deployment of the PatientPoint self-service kiosk at Orlando Internal Medicine's eight-provider practice in Orlando, Fla.
According to a news release from NCR, the PatientPoint self-service solution is provided by Greatwater Software, an NCR reseller. NCR says Greatwater has built on NCR's MediKiosk hardware and software platform to integrate additional applications, such as prescription adherence management and clinical trials enrollment. The system's standard applications include appointment check-in, processing co-payments and health-record updating.
Dr. Pradeep Vangala, president of Orlando Internal Medicine, says the self-service solution already is helping the practice increase revenue:
All providers face the challenger of improving the speed and efficiency of payment collection, particularly at a time when patient bad debt continues to increase. By utilizing self-service, we've not only increased the amount of patient co-payments and deductibles captured at the time of service, but we're also receiving more prompt and accurate reimbursement from payers.
Monday, 05 October 2009
D2 Sales, a maker of kiosk and digital signage technology, has announced Boston's Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates will deploy D2's My Patient Passport Express kiosk for its patient check-in program. In August, a New York University medical facility also deployed D2's kiosk solution.
Sandy Nix, D2's chief executive, says patients ultimately benefit from the enhanced convenience kiosk check-in offers:
D2's purpose-built healthcare kiosks allow patients a choice when registering, updating their records and making co-pay payments, providing a quicker and more efficient check-in process. We are delighted Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates chose to partner with D2 in bringing this added convenience to their patients and staff.
According to a news release from D2 Sales, patients can use the HIPAA-compliant check-in kiosks to sign in for their appointments, make future appointments, make credit card payments, sign documents electronically and update their medical history.
Thursday, 01 October 2009
The EyeSite kiosk, developed by Atlanta-based SoloHealth, is scheduled to appear on Thursday's episode of "The Doctors," a popular CBS talk show featuring four renowned physicians, according to SoloHealth founder and chief executive Bart Foster.
EyeSite offers free vision screenings for customers and provides eye-health information, along with a customized, printed evaluation and information on local eye care providers. EyeSite recently announced a 30-unit retail deployment in St. Louis.
VIDEO: SoloHealth EyeSite kiosk demonstration
The episode featuring the EyeSite kiosk will air Thursday, Oct. 1 in syndication.
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Atlanta-based SoloHealth has announced that regional grocery chain Schnucks Markets Inc. will deploy SoloHealth's EyeSite vision-screening kiosks at 30 of its St. Louis-area stores.
Bart Foster, founder and chief executive of SoloHealth, says many people don't realize they may be at risk for eye problems:
Too often, people don't realize that their vision may deteriorate so slowly that it may be imperceptible. They may think they have 20/20 vision, but in reality, eye disease may be forming. In fact, of the 175,000 people tested in our home base of Atlanta, 25 percent had never had an eye exam despite, in many cases, having risk factors such as family history of eye disease. By partnering with Schnucks, we hope to encourage those in the St. Louis area to take a brief moment to stop by our free kiosks and make their vision health a priority. By taking care of our eyes today, we can help to preserve the gift of sight for years to come.
The EyeSite kiosk provides a free, interactive vision test that assesses risk of eye disease and provides relevant eye health information and lists of local eye care providers. The kiosk prints a customized report of the test's results for users to share with their eye care professionals.
Monday, 28 September 2009
Los Angeles-based IridoTech Inc. has introduced IridoLab, a health-evaluation kiosk system that uses biometric iris scans to help users monitor their well-being.
According to a news release from IridoTech, IridoLab uses a dual-eye camera to complete iris scans and evaluates them using iris-based biometrics and techniques in Iridodiagnostics:
In short, a customer approaches an IridoLab kiosk ... and scans both eyes at once using our dual-eye camera system in as little as 10 seconds. Then the computer searches the pictures for specific biometric characteristics of the iris and compares the obtained readings to statistical norms, producing the IridoLab Evaluation Report.
IridoTech says a summary of the report is free to the customer and that a detailed report can be purchased and viewed or printed at the kiosk or online. IridoTech says the field of Iridodiagnostics is typically categorized as a complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM.
The company says it will begin taking orders for the IridoLab in November.
Monday, 21 September 2009
Medical Check In Systems Inc. has announced the deployment of its Customer Service Check In kiosks in court and probation offices across the state of Virginia. In a news release, Medical Check In Systems says the deployment is part of Virginia' efforts to reduce overhead costs, meet budget cuts, improve customer service and track visitor statistics.
In the release, Medical Check In Systems describes how the kiosks will simplify the process of obtaining government services for the public:
The touchscreens now in place at some Virginia offices take a visitor name and ask the reason for their visit. The information is then posted on the computers of the office, where each department can respond with the proper person to handle the request. Using the system, the visitor can directly notify the right person for the job from the minute they walk in.
The company says its Customer Check In solution also has been deployed in state offices in Rock Hill, S.C., Michigan City, Ind., and Tulsa, Okla.
Thursday, 10 September 2009
ADUSA, a self-order kiosk provider, has announced that Schnuck Markets Inc., owner and operators of more than 200 grocery stores and pharmacies, is adding to its fleet of ADUSA's S4G Fresh Foods kiosks. According to a news release from ADUSA, Schnuck installed the kiosks in its new St. Louis store, Culinaria, which opened last month.
Larry Maggio, director of marketing services for Schnuck Markets, says shoppers have responded positively to the Fresh Foods ordering kiosks deployed in its other stores:
A growing number of our customers are using the kiosks to place their orders, and the response continues to be very positive. They are really taking advantage of the added convenience and the easy access to all of the products we offer in the fresh foods and made-to-order areas of our store.
Wednesday, 09 September 2009
Kiosk and digital signage software provider Nanonation has announced a partnership with LodgeNet Interactive Corp. to provide digital signage software and services to the hospitality and healthcare verticals. Nanonation says in a news release that the deal will allow LodgeNet to add expanded digital signage capabilities, such as interior wayfinding, video walls and integrated meeting room signage, to its traditional informational and promotional digital display solutions.
Bradley Walker, Nanonation's CEO, says collaboration between the two companies will allow clients to create better customer experiences and save money:
Nanonation's software is engineered to drive sales, fuel profits and enhance the guest experience. Our platform seamlessly integrated digital media content while monitoring, measuring and managing customer interactions. Partnering with a complete solution provider like LodgeNet enables more businesses to take advantage of technologies that make a difference in creating compelling experiences, while enhancing the bottom line.
Tuesday, 01 September 2009
Clearwave Corp., manufacturer of the Clearwave real-time, self-service healthcare check-in solution, has announced that the Atlanta Women's Health Group has installed Clearwave's kiosks in each of it 26 locations.
According to a news release, the Clearwave kiosk allows medical facilities to remotely verify a patient's insurance eligibility and allows patients to check in prior to their appointments.
Richard C. Zane, chief executive of Atlanta Women's Health Group, says the Clearwave kiosks have allowed the organization to operate more efficiently and improve the patient experience:
The speed in which we receive a patient's eligibility information and the ease of use for our staff are among the compelling reasons we decided to install Clearwave's solution throughout our practice's locations. Other deciding factors include Clearwave's ability to integrate with our existing practice-management system and, most importantly, we are now able to provide a more sophisticated and streamlined check-in process for our patients.
Tuesday, 01 September 2009
Opinionmeter International, a maker of survey kiosks and other consumer survey technology, has announced a partnership with New York City's Metropolitan Hospital Center to deploy Opinionmeter's touchscreen tablets and kiosks. Metropolitan will use the technology to survey patient and staff members about their knowledge of patient safety.
According to a news release from Opinionmeter, Metropolitan obtained a grant from the HHC Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corp., to fund the survey effort, which will help the institution promote the Joint Commission's National Patient Safety Goals, or NPSGs:
The purpose of the Joint Commission's National Patient Safety Goals is to promote improvements in patient safety, which would include improving the accuracy of patient identification, the effectiveness of communication among caregivers and the safety of using medications. In addition, they seek to reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections, encourage patients' active involvement in their own care as a patient safety strategy and improve recognition and response to changes in (a) patient's condition.
Irene Quinones, associate director of patient safety and cultural competency for Metropolitan Hospital Center, says Opinionmeter's survey capabilities will help providers promote patient involvement, which it believes is a crucial part of the patient experience:
The Joint Commission has made patient involvement a priority by including the issue in its National Patient Safety Goals. We strongly believe in doing whatever we can to educate the patient and to involve them in their medical care. The Opinionmeter technology allows us to do this. We are delighted with the findings from our patient surveys, and we are expanding its inclusion to other areas.
Metropolitan also will use Opinionmeter's technology to obtain patient feedback about the provider experience at outpatient clinics, the release says.
Monday, 10 August 2009
D2 Sales LLC has announced the deployment of its My Patient Passport Express healthcare check-in kiosk at New York University's Langone Medical Center in New York City.
According to a news release from D2 Sales, the kiosk allows patients to check-in, make future appointments and update their medical history. The device features a HIPPA-compliant touchscreen user interface, and patients can make co-payments via credit card and sign documents electronically.
Sandy Nix, CEO of D2 Sales, says that in addition to providing convenience to the patients, the kiosks help providers streamline their operations:
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D2's purpose-built kiosks for healthcare facilities have a proven track record of increasing patient satisfaction, while at the same time improving efficiency for the medical facility. We are proud to add NYE Langone Medical Center to our fast-growing list of clients.
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The kiosks also will feature wayfinding and mapping capabilities and be branded with the NYU Langone Medical Center logo.
Friday, 17 July 2009
ATLANTA — SoloHealth, maker of the EyeSite vision-testing kiosk, has announced it will team with Eyemaginations, a leader in eye care education, to enhance the educational experience featured in the kiosks. The EyeSite kiosks offer free, simple and quick vision assessments and drive consumers to local eye care professionals for comprehensive eye exams.
"Our goal is to get people to think about their eyes when they think about their overall health, and to take the appropriate steps to minimize their eye health risks," said Bart Foster, CEO & founder of SoloHealth, in a news release. "In line with this goal, Eyemaginations provides a wealth of educational content and 3D animations, which will enhance the EyeSite kiosk experience to educate people about various eye conditions and diseases and encourage them to continue the eye health dialogue with an eye care professional."
According to the release, some of the kiosks are being sponsored by Transitions Optical Inc., Optos, and other leading eye care companies who demonstrate a mission to educate consumers on the importance of eye health.
Using the kiosks, patients answer a series of lifestyle questions on a touchscreen and are presented with various-sized letters to determine near- and far-distance acuity, all in less than five minutes. They are then given a printout with basic results and are encouraged to schedule a full, comprehensive examination with a local eye care provider who is listed in the system or located via zip code. The EyeSite system can advise the selected eye care practice to follow up with the prospective patient, or the consumer can contact the practice directly.
"Healthcare is changing rapidly, and people need a reliable and trusted means to receive information," said Jeff Peres, CEO of Eyemaginations. "By collaborating with SoloHealth, we are able to heighten eye health awareness among the public. We believe that this empowers consumers to make increasingly educated healthcare decisions, such as seeing an eye care practitioner for their specific eye health needs."
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: SoloHealth, maker of the EyeSite vision-screening kiosk, has announced plans to expand into two new markets, more than doubling its installations. The kiosks will be placed in St. Louis and in one other new market and will be in 50 retail locations by next month, said company founder Bart Foster. EyeSite kiosks are currently deployed in 20 locations in metro Atlanta and Birmingham, Ala.
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Monday, 22 June 2009
BRADENTON, Fla. — SteriLyfe LLC has introduced the latest addition to the STERISTATION line of hand sanitizing/advertising kiosks. STERISTATION Jr. has a smaller footprint than its predecessor, as its height and base areas have been reduced by 40 percent. The kiosk is 50 inches tall and 15 inches wide at its base and has a one-piece design that allows for easy set-up.
According to a news release, the STERISTATION kiosks offer advertising space for custom signage and graphics and can be a revenue-generating vehicle for retailers, who can integrate coupon dispensers, brochure holders, business card dispensers and menu boards if desired. The kiosks are made from lightweight, recyclable plastic and come standard with built-in, touchfree hand-sanitizer dispensers, which are connected to five-liter cartridges that can handle more than 5,000 uses.
"Now more than ever is the time to use the first line of defense and the No. 1-recommended tool against the spread of infections and disease in all public places," said David J. Stob, president of SteriLyfe. "Areas such as restaurants, schools, buffet lines, hospitals, airports, train stations, food courts, shopping malls, cruise ships and sports areSteriLyfe intros small-format hand-sanitizing kiosknas are just a few of the numerous areas STERISTATION can be placed for providing a hand hygiene tool with the added benefits of advertising and promotion."
Thursday, 11 June 2009
Atlanta-based SoloHealth was recently featured on CNBC's "The Tech Effect," demonstrating its eye exam kiosk.
"We think SoloHealth is right at the cornerstone of a couple of major growth trends: one is consumer-directed health care, the other is self-service technology," said Bart Foster, CEO and founder of the company.
Tuesday, 09 June 2009
SAN DIEGO — Asteres Inc., a provider of automated prescription pickup kiosks and makers of ScriptCenter, announced today that it has named retail pharmacy veteran Mark de Bruin as CEO to lead its rapid expansion into the retail, healthcare and military markets.
“Leading three of the largest U.S. retail pharmacies, Mark’s strategic leadership and national operations expertise are key,” said Ron Taylor, Asteres’ chairman. “Asteres is growing, ScriptCenter markets are expanding and Mark brings the right experience at the right time.”
“I am excited to join Asteres, the leader in automated pharmacy pick-up,” said Mark de Bruin. “With solid technology, Asteres allows pharmacy patients the opportunity to pick-up their prescriptions quickly, while providing the pharmacist additional time to provide clinical consultation to patients.”
Mark de Bruin joins Asteres from Sears Holdings, where he was senior vice president and president of pharmacy. Formerly, Mark was the executive vice president of pharmacy for Rite Aid and vice president of pharmacy for Albertsons. Mark also held several senior positions at American Stores Company, including general manager, and served as Vice President of RxAmerica, a pharmacy benefits-management company. Mark has previously served as chairman of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores-Policy Council, chairman of the National Association of Chain Drugstores Pharmacy & Technology Annual Meeting and as a member of the Federal Medicaid Commission, appointed by HHS Secretary, Michael O. Leavitt.
Monday, 08 June 2009
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — PharmaSmart International Inc. has announced the integration of its patient hypertension tracking portal, the Blood Pressure Tracker, with the Microsoft HealthVault.
According to a news release, Microsoft HealthVault users will now be able to access and share blood-pressure readings from PharmaSmart's network of pharmacy-based health kiosks.
"PharmaSmart, along with our retail pharmacy partners, is committed to offering the hypertensive patient a more convenient, easy-to-use and affordable way to track and manage blood pressure between visits to the doctor," said PharmaSmart president Fred Sarkis. "Our partnership with HealthVault makes it easier for millions of Americans to track their blood pressure and then share that information with their family members or healthcare provider."
More than 73 million Americans are diagnosed with hypertension, the nation's leading cause of death. These patients and their health providers are looking for better ways to monitor and manage hypertension between doctors' visits. PharmaSmart's pharmacy-based network of clinically validated blood-pressure kiosks leverages the expertise of today's full-service pharmacy to provide an affordable, convenient and long-term solution for managing hypertensive patients through active counseling.
"PharmaSmart's alignment with HealthVault represents a natural progression as we continue to invest in technology, partnerships and programs that elevate our core competency — world-class blood-pressure-management solutions,” said Lisa Goodwin, PharmaSmart’s chief technology officer.
By obtaining a personal smart card from their pharmacists, patients can test their blood pressure as frequently as they like and access their readings online via PharmaSmart's Blood Pressure Tracker patient portal. Users easily can copy their blood pressure data to their HealthVault record, which enables the secure storage, management and sharing of a wide array of health information.
"PharmaSmart and their retail pharmacy partners offer an innovative approach in the management of hypertension," said Dr. James Mault, director of the Health Solutions Group at Microsoft. "Aligning HealthVault's capability with PharmaSmart's pharmacy-based solutions improves the integration of blood-pressure data with other wellness information and delivers information at the point of care.”
Wednesday, 03 June 2009
DENVER, Colo. — IncentaHEALTH LLC, a Denver-based provider of corporate wellness programs, today announced that the U.S. Patent Office has awarded a patent to the company's health screening kiosk system and methods.
The patent (U.S. Patent No. 7,541,547) relates to some features of incentaHEALTH's private wellness kiosk that allow companies to offer health coaching programs to their employees and dependents. The kiosk enables users to privately weigh in, taking both a weight measurement and a photo of the user.
"The HEALTHspot kiosk is an integral part of our program to reduce employers' healthcare costs," said Todd McGuire, chief technology officer for incentaHEALTH. "Sadly, two out of three American adults are either overweight or obese. These conditions are a primary driver of healthcare costs. IncentaHEALTH provides a technology-based behavior change program to help employees improve their lifestyle through daily email coaching and incentives. This new technology transforms the way we can deliver evidence-based wellness programs. Based on this verified measurement of success, incentaHEALTH can pay incentives that reinforce lasting changes in an employee's habits regarding physical activity and nutrition."
Every three months, participants enter a private room to automatically record their weight and photo by logging into the kiosk and stepping on the scale. The participant's current weight and photo appear on the HEALTHspot kiosk display for review. Once confirmed by the participant, the information is encrypted and transmitted to the incentaHEALTH data center for secure archival.
Since the kiosk is Internet-enabled, participants can see their progress in real time. The results are only accessible by the participating employee. The employer never sees individual participant results. This private weigh-in takes approximately 45 seconds, and the HEALTHspot kiosk is available for use 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
By participating in the incentaHEALTH wellness program, participants receive daily e-mail instruction on proper nutrition and exercise, targeted to the specific barriers and motivators of each participant. The emails also contain video instructions for performing each day's recommended exercises, as well as a comprehensive set of meal ideas.
Every 90 days, participating employees return to the HEALTHspot kiosk to track their performance. They receive a cash incentive from incentaHEALTH based on the percentage improvement in their weight (BMI). Participants can earn incentives for the entire duration of the year-long program if they maintain their success at each screening.
Friday, 29 May 2009
British Journal of Heathcare Computing and Information Management: New sexual-health advice and dispensing kiosks targeting teenagers are being installed by primary care trusts, or PCTs, and local authorities in the U.K.
Developed and made by Engage Now, the secure, touchscreen Medi+Vend kiosks are designed for installation in medical and youth centers, schools and colleges, as well as other locations such as homeless shelters.
The interactive devices allow patients to obtain free condoms, kits to test for sexually transmitted diseases, health advice and information on local sexual health services.
So far, more than 80 Medi+Vend kiosks have been sold to PCTs and similar organizations across the U.K.
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Wednesday, 20 May 2009
PHEONIX, Ariz. — NEOS Consumer Driven Healthcare, a third-party healthcare administrator, has launched version 2.1 of its employer self-service HSA Management Module. NEOS CDH self-service enables employers to easily manage the entire process of employee health savings account setup, plan creation, funding and reporting.
Accounts and plan data are easily accessed online by human resources departments for plan administration functions and by employees for inquiry and contribution updates, regardless of employer size. Online reporting and analysis based on qualified medical expense data, as well as premium and deductible data is always available. The real-time data tools create a complete picture of plan participation and usage specific to the company.
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
MEQUON, WI — D2 sales, a digital media designer and manufacturer, has released the My Patient Passport Express Wayfinding Kiosk as the newest addition to its healthcare kiosk line.
Designed specifically for use in hospitals and clinics, the kiosk includes wayfinding software, accessible via touchscreen, and customizable hardware. It also features the capability to print a map or building directory.
Tuesday, 05 May 2009
KYW-Radio, Channel 1060: Thousands of immigrants have no health coverage. Many times it’s not a question of locating a doctor, but of getting questions answered. A new easy-to-use tool is the Women’s Wellness Guide kiosk. It’s a free-standing electronic unit with a touchscreen that educates people about prevention and early detection and is available in Spanish as well as English.
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Monday, 04 May 2009
CHICAGO — Olivia Greets, a live, 24-hour avatar-based virtual-receptionist company, has launched a new product targeting the healthcare market. The Olivia Greets Patient Check-in Solution allows busy healthcare clinics, doctors' offices and hospitals to streamline the check-in process in a way similar to how airline companies have added check-in kiosks for customers.
Since the Olivia Greets solution is integrated with the practice management application, staff is alerted when a patient has arrived and checked in. Additional modules may be added and integrated as required.
"Many patients are using self-service technology in other areas of their lives — from ATMs and airlines to supermarkets and fast-food restaurants — and often find the Olivia Greets system to be easy to use and more convenient than waiting in line to talk with the receptionist," said Jim Farrell, president of Olivia Greets. "We felt the time was right to enter the healthcare market as it attempts to consolidate data and improve efficiency and accuracy, as these are all things the Olivia Greets Patient Check-in Solution provides."
The Olivia Greets kiosk features a live, knowledgeable avatar that can walk computer-weary patients through the touchscreen check-in process. The avatar is operated by a call center agent, thus allowing greater flexibility than a standard kiosk in assisting patients.
Thursday, 23 April 2009
AOL Canada: The pharmaceutical version of the ATM could be coming to Ontario, as the province's pharmacy college took a step toward allowing drug dispensing machines in places where a pharmacist is not present. On Tuesday, the Ontario College of Pharmacists voted in favor of opening the door to the new technology.
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Monday, 13 April 2009
Health Data Management: Atlanta-based International Medical Solutions has introduced portable patient kiosks for hospitals and physician practices. Connected to an organization's wireless network, the kiosks enable patients to register, update their medication histories, read and sign consent forms, and view educational videos.
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Thursday, 09 April 2009
ATLANTA — SoloHealth, maker of EyeSite self-service vision testing and new patient generating kiosks, plans to team with Transitions Optical Inc., Optos, and other leading eye-care companies to deploy a large number of its EyeSite kiosks in the United States this summer.
“We view eye health education as an important part of our mission,” said Dave Cole, general manager of the Americas for Transitions Optical. “As consumers better understand the importance of taking care of their eyes, they’re more likely to make regular appointments. EyeSite is free and convenient, and has real potential to stimulate interest in vision care and increase the number of patients practitioners see.”
According to a news release, EyeSite will be an innovative vehicle to stimulate the eye-care category and drive patients to eye-care professionals through its simple and quick vision assessments. Manufacturers have the opportunity to market products on the interactive kiosks, which are placed in a variety of locations meant to capitalize on consumer demand and traffic.
EyeSite kiosks allow consumers to assess their near and far vision, schedule an appointment with a local eye-care practitioner, and learn about general eye health conditions.
“Self-service is growing in popularity and partnering with SoloHealth, an innovator in the self-service market, gives us one more tool to reach out to patients and consumers,” said Tom Daniells, vice president of marketing at Optos. “Because EyeSite vision screenings do not replace a full eye exam, we feel it will drive traffic to eye care practitioners, resulting in opportunities for increased sales of products and medical services, including our retinal imaging technology.”
Established in late 2007, SoloHealth has placed EyeSite kiosks throughout its home base of Atlanta in Walgreens, Kroger, Walmart and regional malls. Since September of 2008, SoloHealth has screened more than 100,000 people.
“SoloHealth, combined with these eye care industry leaders, is helping to create new ways to drive additional traffic,” said Bart Foster, chief executive and founder of SoloHealth. “Results have shown that of the people who have used the EyeSite kiosk, over 25 percent have never visited an eye care professional. Many of those have gone on to book appointments. EyeSite self-service vision testing kiosks educate people about the health benefits of seeing an eye doctor on a regular basis.”
Wednesday, 08 April 2009
CHICAGO — Allscripts and Fujitsu have unveiled the Allscripts Patient Kiosk, the next generation of patient kiosk technology for physician practices.
According to a news release, the Allscripts kiosk cost-effectively enhances how patients interact with healthcare providers. The integration of the Fujitsu PalmSecure biometric authentication solution improves the security and privacy of electronic health records and other sensitive patient information.
Allscripts (booth #1303) and Fujitsu (booth #325) will demonstrate their new kiosk April 4-8 during the HIMSS09 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Chicago.
"Physician practices are always on the lookout for ways to lower costs while improving patient satisfaction, and the Allscripts Patient Kiosk is the answer," said James Hewitt, chief information officer of Springfield Clinic, a 260-provider multispecialty physician group with 24 locations in Springfield, Ill., and surrounding counties. "Patients love the kiosk because they are in control."
Springfield, which co-developed the healthcare solution with Allscripts to work on the medical kiosk from Fujitsu, expects to deploy 50 of the kiosks this quarter.
The Allscripts kiosk also will be deployed this month at the George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates, a 550 physician group in Washington, D.C., made up of the faculty of the George Washington University School of Medicine.
"We're excited that the kiosk will offer our patients the ability to securely check in, using nothing more than their hand on the Fujitsu reader, pay their co-pay, update and correct any mistakes in their personal information and get an alert about an overdue colonoscopy — all within about two minutes. It's what our patients want and it saves our practice time and money," said Stephen Badger, chief executive of the George Washington University MFA.
Allscripts solves the problem of the seemingly endless stream of paperwork that patients must fill out every time they register for appointments. The kiosk eliminates frustration while helping physician practices reduce the costs and overhead associated with traditional patient check-in. The integration of the Fujitsu PalmSecure palm vein authentication solution maintains patient confidentiality, privacy and information security.
Through the integration with Allscripts Electronic Health Records, the kiosk helps patients take control of their own healthcare with a dashboard view of all personal information, including a complete health maintenance plan.
The Allscripts Patient Kiosk is available now through Allscripts, which provides physician practices a full-service kiosk package, from initial design through development, deployment and maintenance.
"Patients want to remove the pain of completing paper forms during every visit and physician practices want nothing more than to find better, faster, more effective ways to complete accurate patient registrations and collect co-pays," said Glen Tullman, CEO of Allscripts. "The kiosk is the latest example of Allscripts' ability to partner with our clients and great companies like Fujitsu to quickly deliver highly innovative new products that transform and improve the delivery of healthcare in America."
Tuesday, 07 April 2009
LONDON — King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in London has deployed a new patient automated arrival system from NCR Corp.
According to a news release, the solution is designed to reduce queuing, increase the immediacy and privacy of patient communications and cut down on paperwork, allowing staff to focus on providing the highest standards of clinical care.
The queue-busting NCR MediKiosk enables patients to inform the hospital quickly that they have arrived for an appointment, view and update their contact details and complete questionnaires. Receptionists will be on hand to assist patients in using the kiosks if required. Targeted "well being" messages will also be broadcast on digital displays in the waiting room according to the profile of the patients who are present.
King's reported that one in seven patients fails to turn up for a scheduled appointment. The majority of patients need follow-up consultations and it is difficult to ensure that they receive correspondence sent by the hospital.
By consistently asking patients to check their contact details — including their mobile phone number and email address — at the kiosks, King's will help ensure communications regarding future appointments are received. Additionally, the NCR system can identify patients who miss appointments, allowing staff to reschedule at a more appropriate time.
In the next phase of the project, routine information will be relayed to patients prior to their consultation via the kiosks; for example, reminders that they will be asked to provide a urine or blood sample or need to observe a 24-hour fast if they are undergoing surgery. This will help to free up clinicians' time to focus on diagnosing, explaining and treating patients' conditions.
From their desktop computers receptionists will be able to monitor whether consultations are in progress, about to begin or delayed via a simple traffic light system. The solution enables individuals to be seen early if slots become free, maximizing the use of the clinicians' time, and alerts patients about anticipated delays using a real-time ticker on the digital displays. It also broadcasts audio announcements to call forward the next patient for his appointment.
"King's College Hospital selected NCR due to the depth of its self-service experience in the U.S. healthcare market and the proven reliability of its solutions," said Howard Lewis, ICT project manager at King's College Hospital NHS Trust. "It will help to improve the immediacy and privacy of patient communications as well as reduce queuing and paperwork, enabling our staff to focus on delivering excellent clinical care and enhancing the patient experience at King's."
Monday, 06 April 2009
DAYTON, Ohio — According to a survey of U.S. and Canadian consumers commissioned by NCR Corp., patients are growing increasingly frustrated with long waits at doctors' offices and hospitals and are looking to self-service technology as a way to help expedite these interactions.
The annual research study reveals that 74 percent of patients find waiting at a hospital or doctor's office the greatest frustration at a healthcare appointment. In addition, respondents indicated they are inconvenienced by the time and effort required to schedule appointments, pay medical bills and complete paper forms, and they would like to spend less time on these activities.
"Patients desire greater control over their care, and that includes the way they interact with their providers," said Raj Toleti, vice president and general manager for NCR Healthcare and Public Sector. "In today's consumer-directed healthcare environment, hospitals and clinics have an opportunity to increase overall satisfaction and strengthen patient loyalty by leveraging self-service as a way to make everyday interactions faster and easier."
The research findings, unveiled at this year's HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition, clearly indicate that patients also want better access to information about their care and are more likely to choose providers that offer multichannel solutions to help them manage associated tasks:
- 62 percent of consumers are more likely to choose a healthcare provider that offers the flexibility to interact via online, mobile and kiosk self-service channels versus a provider that does not.
- 53 percent of consumers expressed interest in booking or changing medical appointments online, through a mobile device or at a kiosk and receiving text message reminders of an appointment.
- 49 percent of consumers said the ability to book an appointment online would be convenient to them.
- 49 percent consumers said the ability to securely receive lab results online would be convenient them.
- "As healthcare providers move to implement electronic health records, self-service will become even more widespread," Toleti added. "Automating patient interactions not only addresses consumer demand, it serves as the entry point for electronic record keeping."
According to NCR, more than four million patients have checked in for medical appointments using self-service technology, resulting in time savings of up to 10 minutes per encounter. In addition, healthcare providers utilizing NCR MediKiosk have seen copayment collection increase by up to 40 percent and insurance claim denials decrease by up to 36 percent. Adopting self-service also can reduce the costs associated with paper-based forms by up to 90 percent and free up staff to focus on patient needs, which can help lead to increased patient satisfaction.
Thursday, 02 April 2009
Metronews (Toronto): The self-serve PharmaTrust kiosks, in test mode at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, have served hundreds of people with considerable success — almost 95 percent of people who inserted their prescriptions and health cards into a machine got their medication in less than five minutes, according to a survey done by the company. "Patients are intrigued by the fact that it is easy to use. It’s quick and they don’t have to drive somewhere and wait for the pharmacist," said Dr. Sharon Domb, director of family medicine at Sunnybrook, where the kiosks have been set up since January.
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Monday, 30 March 2009
American Medical News: Adoption of patient kiosks is on the rise, according to a study released earlier this month by the California HealthCare Foundation. While hospitals have been among the first to adopt the systems in outpatient and emergency departments, the study indicates patient kiosks could also soon be a common sight in other ambulatory settings as well.
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Wednesday, 18 March 2009
HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Commission for Women, an association that promotes the needs of the state's female population, and First Lady Judge Marjorie O. Rendell, have jointly announced the deployment of bilingual, touchscreen-based Women's Wellness Guide kiosks in two Philadelphia-area Acme Markets.
Shoppers can spend a few minutes with the kiosk to learn about healthcare issues such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, depression, asthma, diet and exercise, weight management, smoking, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases and insurance options. Information is available in both English and Spanish, and the kiosks can also provide audio for individuals with visual impairments or literacy issues.
Click here to view slideshow.
"Women have a tendency to care for everyone else but themselves, and their own health ends up low on the priority list," said Leslie Stiles, executive director of the Pennsylvania Commission for Women. "Providing ready access to potentially life-saving medical information and educating women, especially those in overburdened communities, about prevention and early detection of diseases is an essential component for a productive life."
The Pennsylvania Commission for Women is providing 12 kiosks, free of charge, to targeted locations across Pennsylvania. The two Acme Markets are among them. Additional kiosks are located in county assistance offices, healthcare clinics and prison waiting rooms.
"Knowledge is power when it comes to your health," said First Lady Judge Marjorie O. Rendell. "This kiosk and others will hopefully empower women to find answers to health issues, and we are excited about the opportunity that these kiosks will provide for women across the state."
Monday, 16 March 2009
ROYAL OAK, Mich. — Two Michigan-based cancer centers operated by Beaumont Hospital will deploy touchscreen kiosks to disseminate information about cancer and related hospital services, according to a news release.
Visitors of the centers, which are located in the cities of Royal Oak and Troy, will also be able to use the kiosks during regular business hours to schedule appointments with doctors. If requests for appointments are made at the kiosk after business hours, the kiosk will add the user's name and contact information to a log so a Beaumont representative can call them.
"If there's one thing I've learned from my patients through the years, it's that they crave information," said Frank Vincini, M.D., chief of Oncology Services for Beaumont Hospitals. "This is a well-researched, credible source for that information."
The American Cancer Society provides much of the regularly updated kiosk content, which includes information about 40 kinds of cancer in both English and Spanish. Recently, 23 short video segments co-produced with Discovery Health Channel were added to the kiosk.
The kiosk can also refer users to the Beaumont hospital Web site, where they can review information on topics such as the Comprehensive Breast Care centers, radiation oncology, cancer genetics, clinical trials and support groups.
The kiosks are part of a joint venture between the American Cancer Society and St. Andrew Development Inc. They're funded by the Freeman Wilner Foundation
Monday, 16 March 2009
National (Ontario, Canada) Post: Vending kiosks from PharmaTrust, a provider of IT solutions for the healthcare industry, are now dispensing prescription medications to hundreds of Toronto-based patients. Customers using the kiosks insert their prescriptions into a slot and, moments later, receive their medications from a dispenser on the machine. Users can also communicate directly with a live pharmacist via a video link, even after business hours. "I think it could be the next BlackBerry," said Dr. Sharon Domb, medical director of family medicine at Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. "The feedback has been positive: 'It's great, it's fast, I don't have to go anywhere else.'"
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Thursday, 05 March 2009
Oh My Gov!: As reported in the Technology Review, an electronic "doctor kiosk" is being developed by the Massachusetts General Hospital. The purpose: to gather patient information such as medical history, weight, pulse, blood pressure and conduct blood tests for glucose and cholesterol. Eva Marie Stahl, a commentator for OhMyGov.com, says this can alleviate the burden faced by understaffed healthcare providers, as long as the doctor-patient relationship isn't compromised.
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Tuesday, 03 March 2009
The eSoles Foot Imaging Kiosk System was created by Scottsdale, Ariz.-based eSoles Inc. to take precise measurements of the user's foot so that custom orthotic footpads can be created. It has already been deployed at The Cycle Loft, a bicycle retailer in Boston, and there are plans to roll it out at additional locations in the future. The solution was developed with the help of Self-Service & Kiosk Association members Olea Inc. and Flextronics Self-Service Kiosk Systems.
Click here to view a slideshow of the kiosk.
Monday, 02 March 2009
BRADENTON, Fla. -- SteriLyfe, a provider of hand sanitizing kiosks, has unveiled its new SteriStation kiosk model.
According to a news release, the new SteriStation is the only hand sanitizing kiosk in the world that combines a deck-mount, touch-free sanitizing dispenser with interchangeable or permanent graphic panels and digital signage.
"SteriStation combines unsurpassed beauty and practical functionality that will help in the fight against the spread of nosocomial infections and disease in all public places," said David J. Stob, president of SteriLyfe. "The SteriStation kiosks will have plenty of advertising space for custom signage and graphics."
The kiosks can be equipped with other accessories including coupon dispensers, brochure holders, business card dispensers and menu boards.
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
(MIT) Technology Review: Massachusetts General Hospital is currently developing a kiosk that may one day help bring some relief to a healthcare system that many say is facing a doctor shortage. The kiosk can take a patient's medical history, pulse, weight, blood pressure and other vital signs, and even perform simple bood tests for glucose and cholesterol. Doctors hope the kiosk will encourage blood tests to increase the chances of early diagnosis of chronic diseases.
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Thursday, 19 February 2009
DAYTON, Ohio -- A study commissioned by NCR Corp., a member of the Self-Service & Kiosk Association, has determined that U.S. healthcare providers are making moves to cut IT expenditures during the current economic recession.
One in three healthcare organizations are either postponing all non-essential projects or imposing longer IT project implementation timeframes, according to the study.
At the same time, NCR says that healthcare providers that implement self-service patient check-in applications have seen co-payment collection increase by 40 percent and insurance claim denials decrease by as much as 36 percent, according to a news release. Self-service tech adoption can also decrease the costs associated with paper-based forms by up to 90 percent and free up staff to focus on patient needs, which can help drive increased patient satisfaction.
"With the current economic climate, we have to be very strategic with how we spend our IT dollars," said Tim Reiner, senior revenue officer for Adventist Health System. "By utilizing NCR's self-service technology, we've been able to consistently increase data accuracy, solicit outstanding patient balances and boost collections. In 2008, four percent of all payments, representing more than $4.87 million in revenue, were received through self-service channels including the on-site check-in kiosks and online bill pay."
Chakri Toleti, vice president of healthcare industry marketing for NCR, pointed to NCR's suite of self-service solutions that are designed to enable healthcare organizations to automate everyday patient interactions.
"Our goal is to facilitate customer-driven healthcare that will make organizations more efficient and profitable so they can succeed in these tough economic times," Toleti said.
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Hamacher Resource Group Inc. has announced an exclusive alliance with in-store kiosk pioneer ReadyTouch Inc., according to a news release.
"With increased focus on in-store influence and the overall shopping experience, we are extremely confident and excited about this new relationship that will allow innovative health, beauty and wellness retailers to step out of the shadow of conformity and into an era of leadership," said Dave Wendland, vice president of HRG.
ReadyTouch is a Menlo Park, Calif.-based provider of retail marketing systems designed to seamlessly bring the latest product expertise to consumers at the point of decision. The technology was first deployed to wine and spirit retailers and the unique browser-based search capabilities are also ideally suited for retail healthcare.
ReadyTouch is a RealPartner with NCR. The ReadyTouch System leverages content management technology on an NCR hardware platform to enhance the consumer shopping experience, to allow product promotions, and ultimately boost retail ROI and sales. NCR provides customers with the reassurance of dependable hardware support.
"HRG is the ideal partner for us in retail healthcare," said Peter Bostwick, president and founder of ReadyTouch. "They have a thorough understanding of the market, enjoy an unprecedented level of respect and have a robust library of content that will enhance the consumer's experience with our technology."
Friday, 06 February 2009
(Boston) Mass High Tech: A Boston-based physician is working on a kiosk he believes could eliminate the need for routine doctor visits in some cases. The Health Care 360 kiosk, developed with five hardware and software experts, is a 2-foot by 4-foot Windows-based tabletop machine. The patient uses a touchscreen to submit information that is sent to a central computer via a network link. The kiosk poses questions to patients about their dietary and exercise habits, and patients can input vital signs and data such as weight. The kiosk has an attached cuff that can be used for blood pressure testing. It can also be used in blood testing, but the current prototype would require someone to place a blood sample in the device.
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Tuesday, 03 February 2009
(Chicago) SouthTownStar.com: Ingalls Memorial Hospital has become the next in a long line of hospitals to embrace the value of self-service check-in and check out, enabling the hospital to increase customer satisfaction by speeding up long lines and reducing wait times. Ingalls officially introduced its self-check-in kiosks last month to positive patient reviews. The three computerized registration kiosks in Outpatient Registration on the hospital's first floor delivered on their promise, according to patient feedback.
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Monday, 26 January 2009
CHICAGO -- The American Hospital Association has awarded an exclusive endorsement to Vecna Medical, a Maryland-based technology company, for its kiosk and Patient Portal services, according to a news release.
AHA Solutions Inc., a subsidiary of the AHA, awards the AHA endorsement to organizations that help member hospitals and health care organizations achieve organizational excellence.
After a thorough review of vendors in the market, AHA Solutions selected Vecna's Kiosk / Patient Portal because of its integration capabilities. The integration of disparate information systems is truly the backbone of either a Web portal or a kiosk. In order to truly benefit from these solutions, a patient must be able to access certain information and have any updates or requests based off of that information communicated back to the hospital. It is this approach that allows a more streamlined process for the patient and a more efficient process for a hospital resulting in the value from the investment in these solutions. A hospital must examine its needs and carefully decide what it wants to make available through a portal or kiosk and Vecna's Kiosk / Patient Portal can work with the hospital's existing systems to coordinate that information back to the patient. Vecna's integration experience and consultative nature was a standout for the AHA and their members.
"Vecna was selected because they can truly consider the individual needs of each hospital and then combine that with their technical expertise to make it a good fit for the hospital," said Anthony Burke, president and chief executive of AHA Solutions. "We value their commitment to hospitals and patients, their innovative thinking and their partnership approach."
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
BaldwinCountyNow.com (Fairhope, Ala.): The Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center in Mobile, Ala., has a new tool to combat health issues -- 50 new tools, as a matter of fact. The center has deployed 50 interactive kiosks that will educate visitors on topics such as obesity, sensible eating, exercise, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. It's all part of the My BodyWorks exhibit, which opens Jan. 19.
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Friday, 09 January 2009
The (Clarksville, Tenn.) Leaf Chronicle: The Blanchfield Army Community Hospital's Blue Clinic in Fort Campbell, Ky., has a redesigned location that offers self-service check-in. Incoming patients swipe a military ID card at the check-in kiosk, which prevents bottlenecks at the sign-in counter.
"We were concerned about having only one check in desk," said Lt. Col. Kenneth Russell, chief of BACH's clinical services division. Despite his initial concerns, Russell says the kiosk has worked better than expected.
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Friday, 21 November 2008
CINCINNATI — Electronic Art, an interactive agency specializing in custom kiosk software, kiosk hardware and integrated Web sites, will be providing services for two new clients, Adplex and Engagement Health.
According to a news release, Electronic Art is creating a kiosk for one of Adplex's retail food clients as part of its customer loyalty program that allows account management and in-store printing of rewards. Based in Houston, Adplex is a strategic marketing solutions company with a focus on customer relationships and communication that drive measurable value.
In addition, Electronic Art has signed Engagement Health, of Westchester, Ill., as a client. Electronic Art will provide kiosk software applications to be used in corporate wellness programs that reduce healthcare costs for both the employee and the corporation. The kiosks incorporate specialty hardware for measurement of blood pressure, weight and other unique data items to help employees monitor their progress towards healthy living.
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
DENVER — Catholic Health Initiatives, the second largest Catholic health system in the United States, has signed a vendor agreement with NCR Corp. for self-service kiosks. The NCR MediKiosk technology is designed to eliminate the need for staff to re-enter patient demographic and insurance information into hospital information systems, resulting in fewer claim denials and improved cash flow.
"By simplifying and streamlining patient encounters like the check-in process, NCR MediKiosk can help us reduce administrative paperwork and enable us to create more meaningful interactions between patients and staff," said David Peterson, regional chief information officer for the Catholic Health Initiatives. "We hope to see that this faster, easier approach will lead to increased patient satisfaction. We expect it will allow us to decrease the overhead costs associated with patient registration, increase co-payment collection and improve forms management."
NCR MediKiosk offers services in English or Spanish. A patients swipes a credit card, driver's license or enters a name directly on the kiosk, along with an additional identifier, such as a birth date. The kiosk engages the patient to view and confirm appointment information, enter insurance information, electronically sign forms and pay outstanding payments or copayments prior to service.
"CHI's selection of NCR reinforces its commitment to providing exceptional patient care," said Chakri Toleti, vice president of healthcare industry marketing at NCR. "Automating the check-in process can benefit patients through shorter wait-times and reduced paperwork."
NCR MediKiosk is part of a comprehensive suite of products that allows hospitals and clinics to provide patient self-service capabilities such as preregistration via the Web, Online BillPay, eSignature for digital capture of patient signatures and eClipboard, NCR's wireless patient check-in solution.
Tuesday, 11 November 2008
LINCOLN, Neb. - MacPractice, Inc., a Macintosh practice-management and clinical-applications developer, has announced the release of the MacPractice Kiosk Interface with signature pad for users of MacPractice MD, MacPractice DDS, MacPractice DC and MacPractice 20/20.
According to a news release, MacPractice Kiosk is a simple yet powerful, easily customizable solution for a paperless practice that makes registration, health history, HIPAA, consent, treatment acceptance and all other patient forms available for completion and signature electronically in a doctor's office.
After the patient electronically signs his forms on a Mac computer designated to operate as a kiosk, the forms are automatically incorporated into his Electronic Medical Record (EMR) or Electronic Dental Record (EMR/EDR) in MacPractice. Virtually any paper form may be recreated in electronic format in MacPractice EMR/EDR and made available for completion by the patient on the kiosk computer.
"MacPractice Kiosk Interface is another terrific tool to improve efficiency, enhance productivity, and eliminate paper in a doctor’s office", states Mark Hollis, MacPractice's president.
Physicians, dentists, chiropractors and eye doctors are encouraged to view QuickTime demonstration movies of MacPractice software including the Kiosk Interface after registering at MacPractice.com. MacPractice also supports users of DentalMac, MediMac and ChiroMac.
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
(Johnstown, Pa.) WJAC-TV, Channel 6: After coming home from war many members of our armed forces experience post-traumatic stress. A local research team is reaching out to the community and health care professionals to make sure they know how to treat the illness. Memorial Medical Center announced they are installing kiosks in the Johnstown area. They give advice to family and community members with loved ones who are having a rough time dealing with stress.
Click to continue (video included).
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
ADDISON, Texas — MEDHOST, provider of the Emergency Department Information System (EDIS), announced that it has extended its product offering to include a patient self-check-in kiosk called Emergency Department Patient Access Self Service (ED PASS).
Upon arrival, patients can check in with the easy-to-use touchscreen kiosk. After patients check in, their information instantly becomes visible in the MEDHOST EDIS which gives clinicians a real-time view of the waiting room and immediately alerts them to any high-risk patients.
Northridge Hospital Medical Center, MEDHOST's first ED PASS customer and Catholic Healthcare West's flagship hospital located in Northridge, Calif., is implementing three ED PASS kiosks to speed patient check in, assist nurses in managing triage and streamline patient registration.
"The MEDHOST EDIS has greatly benefited our ED, and we're excited that those benefits will now impact our waiting room," said Dr. Stephen Jones, medical director of emergency services at Northridge Hospital Medical Center. "ED PASS fits into our workflow perfectly. Data can be entered by the patient as they arrive, which speeds processes, keeps nurses focused on caring for patients and gives us rich information about which patients might have ailments that require immediate attention."
Like MEDHOST EDIS, ED PASS features a touchscreen interface for simple data entry. With the swipe of a driver's license, patient demographics are immediately captured, and details such as reason for visit, location and intensity of pain or injury, and complaint-specific risk factors empower clinicians with rich information about patient background and acuity. Intuitive desktop alerts notify clinicians when a high-risk patient checks in so care can begin without delay.
MEDHOST currently serves more than 160 facilities, including the Baylor Healthcare System in Texas, Catholic Healthcare West in California, Catholic Health System in New York and Tenet Healthcare Corporation.
Monday, 13 October 2008
(Alpharetta, Ga.) Gwinnett Herald: A new Johns Creek, Ga., company has rolled out a product it is hoping can take the market by storm to help people get a better understanding of their eye health. SoloHealth recently unveiled its EyeSite Kiosk, which gives consumers a free eye-health screening with recommendations based on the findings. Now, SoloHealth could receive a Forbes award for its innovation, which was accomplished via a partnership with manufacturer KIOSK Information Systems and software vendor Netkey — both association members.
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Monday, 13 October 2008
REDONDO BEACH, Calif. — Unicomp Corp. of America will showcase automated registration processing Oct. 19–22 at the MGMA Annual Conference in San Diego.
Using the IMPOWER core platform and automated registration engine, Unicomp developers have created a touchscreen interface and established the POWERstation Kiosk to enable self-service patient registration.
The POWERstation Kiosk integrates and shares data with any practice management and electronic medical record system through HL7 messaging protocol and ODBC connectivity, without requiring a custom interface. Authorization and consent-form signatures are electronically captured and sealed in a HIPAA-compliant digital-document format. Optical character recognition technology converts insurance card and driver's license information into digital patient data and stores images of the documents in patient-centric folders for accessibility locally or from remote offices. Insurance eligibility is verified in real-time over the Internet, allowing co-pay and deductible requirements to be determined. Credit-card payments are collected, and immediately processed electronically, before medical services are rendered.
Unicomp selected SeePoint Technology's secure kiosk systems, which include fully integrated duplex card scanners, electronic signature pads, magnetic card readers, HIPAA privacy filters and AEGIS Antimicrobial treatments proven to be effective against MRSA and a wide range of bacteria, fungi and harmful microbes.
"SeePoint's integrated hardware is a great fit to display and drive our POWERstation Patient Registration Kiosk application. The units contain all the devices needed to drive our software solutions, and they protect all cables, ports and wires from the public," said Andy Kaplan, president of Unicomp Corp. of America. "They are a great partner to work with as they are responsive and their units are manufactured specifically for healthcare facilities."
Thursday, 02 October 2008
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Health care providers now have a new self-service option when it comes to patient registration.
Unicomp Corp. of America, a provider of process automation products for the business side of medicine, will showcase its comprehensive POWERstation Patient Registration Kiosk during the MGMA 2008 Annual Conference, October 19-22, in San Diego at exhibitor booth #1015.
POWERstation is a part of Unicomp's IMPOWER family of workflow optimization solutions that are specifically developed for the office-based medical practice.
According to the news release, POWERstation is a feature-rich 'elegantly simple' application that includes an innovative suite of productivity tools to improve patient registration efficiency and accuracy. Patient registration is also the beginning of the revenue cycle. Improving patient demographic and insurance information accuracy will reduce insurance claim denials and increase cash-flow. Patient registration errors account for approximately 60 percent of all insurance claim denials, and subsequently result in unnecessary revenue write-offs and labor-intensive claim rework. For example, it is estimated that by incorporating the POWERstation solution, a moderate-size group practice could realize a bottom line benefit of several hundred thousand dollars, and thus yield a significant return on investment.
POWERstation's technology platform includes a combination of clerk-assisted workstations and/or self-service kiosks that can be used individually, or can coexist as complementary components, to enhance the patient check-in process. POWERstation integrates and shares data with any Practice Management and Electronic Medical Record system through the use of the widely-supported HL7 messaging protocol and ODBC connectivity, without requiring a custom interface.
Patient-completed forms are automatically translated into text records using handwriting recognition technology. Authorization and consent form signatures are electronically captured and sealed in a legally-binding, HIPAA-compliant, digital document format. Insurance cards, driver licenses, referrals, and other patient-provided documents are scanned along with the patient-completed forms and stored in paperless patient charts and folders, which are accessible locally or from remote offices. Optical Character Recognition technology converts insurance card and driver license information into digital patient data. Insurance eligibility is verified in real-time over the Internet, allowing co-pay and deductible requirements to be determined. Payments are collected by check or credit card, and immediately processed electronically, before medical services are rendered.
"As a long time user of Unicomp's IMPOWER solutions, I know the benefits they bring to the patient registration process," said Ron Welty, executive director of Amarillo Heart Group. "Our clinic sees over 300 patients a day and the efficiencies we've gained from using IMPOWER products at our check-in desks have helped our organization immensely."
Thursday, 02 October 2008
LONDON — Now in its third year, KioskCom Self Service Expo Europe opened yesterday at Olympia and offered attendees a look into the European display market with the inclusion of the Digital Signage Show Europe.
Many of the kiosk exhibitors had already jumped on board early on, using digital screens as part of total kiosk solutions.
One such company was Cammax, which showed a patient check-in kiosk used in health clinics. The unit issues numbered tickets for those in the waiting room and those numbers are automatically fed to a digital sign, so patients know their place in the queue.
The kiosk also allows users to purchase personal items such as pregnancy tests, etc. through the kiosk without having to see a doctor or health consultant.
"It's saving the nurses time, helping speed up the processes and does this discreetly," said Adrian Hamor, production manager for Cammax.
On the digital signage front, Samsung's booth proved to be a popular destination for those interested in display technology.
The Samsung ID video wall was launched in recent months and is being shown in the U.K. for the first time at this show, said Ami Randhana, commercial manager for Samsung. The unit comes with a base that anchors the screens, which can then be stacked up to five-high using interlocking posts.
Randhana said that the video wall at the show, a three-by-three matrix, took only about 20 minutes to set up, while other video walls can take several hours to assemble. Using the posts, screens can pivot, allowing the wall to be convex or concave as well as flat.
The screens themselves were thin-bezel digital information displays (DIDs) that are manufactured to commercial standards. The screens are intended to be left on 24/7, so they are equipped with temperature controls to minimize heat which causes considerable wear over time.
Content was driven to the video wall using Samsung's MagicNet software for digital signage, which allows users to stretch the content across the entire matrix or control each screen individually.
Also in Samsung's booth was a 70-inch fully-integrated touchscreen powered by infrared touch, the 460CXn screen networked with Samsung MagicInfo and the customizable 400MNx display.
Tuesday, 30 September 2008
ScienceDaily: Much like a dashboard gives a good read on how a car is doing, researchers hope they'll soon give physicians a better idea of how they are doing with patients. Researchers working at the Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine have developed a touchscreen kiosk that lets patients quickly answer questions about their physician encounter. Their input instantly becomes a colorful measure displayed on a 24-inch monitor at the back of the clinic: red abstract orbs for below average, yellow for average and green for above-average.
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Friday, 26 September 2008
MEQUON, Wis. — D2 Sales LLC has announced that the Dean Health Systems of Madison, Wis., has chosen the My Patient Passport Express kiosk for its patient check-in program.
The My Patient Passport Express kiosk allows patients to check-in, make future appointments and update their medical history, all using a simple to navigate touchscreen. Patients can use their credit card to make co-pay payments, and sign documents using the integrated electronic signature pad.
"The kiosk allows our clients to provide outstanding patient care and service while at the same time improving efficiency for the medical facility," said Sandra Nix, D2's chief executive.
The D2 My Patient Passport Express kiosk provides patients with the convenience of easy check-in, records updating, co-pay payment acceptance and wayfinding and mapping features.
Monday, 22 September 2008
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: The Pennsylvania Commission for Women and the Highmark Foundation have unveiled a Women's Wellness Guide kiosk at the Allegheny County Jail. The two organizations say the kiosk will be a critical health-information resource for women who tend to be underserved by health agencies. The first of its kind in Pennsylvania, the kiosk has an ATM-sized touchscreen portal that provides women with answers to questions about a wide range of health topics, ranging from heart disease to obesity. It will also provide information about health-insurance options.
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Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Central Penn Business Journal: York Hospital has added a self-checkout kiosk — called ScriptCenter — at its WellSpan Pharmacy. ScriptCenter allows patients and hospital staff to pick up prescription refills any time, without waiting in line, according to the hospital, which is operated by York-based WellSpan Health. Customers enroll for ScriptCenter and order prescriptions as usual. To pick them up, they log into ScriptCenter with a user identification and PIN, and follow prompts on the touchscreen.
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Wednesday, 10 September 2008
The (Allentown, Pa.) Morning Call: Less than two minutes. That's all the time it took for Adrienne LeCause to check in for a routine ultrasound, verify her insurance records and take care of her co-pay. She did it all from a self-service kiosk at her obstetrician's office in Allentown. ''It's convenient,'' said LeCause, trying the machine for the first time. Catering to an increasingly tech-savvy population, self-service kiosks are everywhere: at malls, airports and grocery stores. And they could be coming to a hospital or doctor's office near you.
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Wednesday, 03 September 2008
INDIANAPOLIS — Community Health Network is one of the first healthcare system in the nation to offer technology that allows patients to check in with a self-service kiosk and magnetic-stripe membership card.
According to a news release, Community is partnering with NCR Corp. to offer the myCommunity Express Check-in, a solution that expedites the check-in process by allowing patients to verify their demographic and appointment information via a secure and private touchscreen. The kiosk will be available first at Community Regional Cancer Center on the Community Hospital North campus in Indianapolis.
The card and kiosk solution provides patients the ability to bypass the traditional check-in desk and electronically notify the clinician that they have arrived for their appointment. Historically, this type of data verification was only possible through the use of paper charts that were updated by manually entering information into a computer. The myCommunity Express Check-in allows patients complete control and privacy when verifying health, insurance and other personal information upon check-in.
The myCommunity magnetic-stripe membership card is swiped at the kiosk, identifying the patient or user. The card is part of Community's myCommunity program, which incorporates Internet technology to provide convenient access to many health care needs, including personal health records; online appointments; medical transactions (such as prescription renewal) via mobile phones with Internet connectivity; medical text messages; onsite amenities and retail discounts. The card is the passport to these multiple services.
"The myCommunity Express Check-in is a big step toward responding to consumer frustration with filling out duplicate forms about health and insurance information," said Dan Rench, vice president of e-Business for Community Health Network. "This new model, which provides greater health care integration for myCommunity members, will be especially helpful to cancer patients, who often require multiple visits during the course of their care."
Implementation of the myCommunity Express Check-in will start on the campus of Community Hospital North and then be implemented at select facilities network-wide during the next two years.
Wednesday, 27 August 2008
ATLANTA — Insight Imaging, a national provider of diagnostic imaging services, and Clearwave, a health care technology company focused on streamlining administrative processes, have announced that 16 Clearwave kiosks have been deployed at Insight's centers to ease the patient check-in process.
Eight kiosks were introduced at Insight's Dallas-Fort Worth area facilities while eight were installed in certain California locations.
The Clearwave kiosk system affords Insight Imaging the ability to verify insurance eligibility in real time, increasing the company's capacity to manage its health care operations more efficiently, while streamlining financial and administrative processes.
Through HIPAA-compliant standards, Insight's front desk staff are now able to check in patients and verify eligibility in real-time, as well as determine benefits and patient responsibilities at the time of service. This provides Insight Imaging the opportunity to increase cash flow, lower collection costs and decrease potential year-end write offs related to bad debt.
During the roll out, Clearwave also successfully integrated with Insight's practice management system via Clearwave's Health Level Seven interface. Through this new functionality, Clearwave provides the only fully integrated kiosk solution that also provides a real-time eligibility check.
"At Clearwave, we are working to help the health care industry shift its mentality to one that is focused on conducting business at the time of service where eligibility and benefits can be immediately verified and patient payment accepted," said Gerard White, chief executive of Clearwave. "Insight Imaging fully recognizes this sense of urgency and the importance of advancing within the healthcare industry. This is evidenced by its commitment to work with us to provide technology capable of enhancing customer service and reimbursement efforts while offering a positive and convenient patient experience."
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
DAYTON, Ohio — NCR Corp. today unveiled NCR Prescription Drop-off, a secure self-service kiosk solution that makes it simpler for retail pharmacy customers to drop off and pay for prescriptions during and after business hours.
On display this week at the 2008 National Association of Chain Drug Stores Pharmacy & Technology Conference in San Diego, this multichannel solution helps customers avoid lines and eliminate multiple trips to the pharmacy by simplifying routine transactions. New prescriptions are submitted via kiosk while refill requests can be made via kiosk, phone or Web. Once the request is made, the patient receives a barcoded receipt and the request is forwarded to the pharmacist. When the order is ready, an e-mail, phone or text alert is generated and sent directly to the customer, who presents the barcoded receipt to the cashier or pays for the prescription on the kiosk.
According to a 2007 study conducted by Wilson Health Information, an independent health-care consumer research company, convenience is one of the top three drivers of pharmacy customer satisfaction along with price and overall professional services. The same study also found that short lines, convenient store hours and 24-hour pharmacy access are key drivers to customer satisfaction.
A leader in self-service solutions across industries, NCR is extending the dependability, ease of use and convenience of its self-service solutions to new areas, including health care.
"Retail pharmacies face a significant challenge when it comes to meeting consumer demands and building loyalty," said Chakri Toleti, vice president of health care industry marketing for NCR. "Self-service technology gives pharmacies the opportunity to minimize wait times for their customers — a key factor for increasing satisfaction and overall convenience. It also enables pharmacists to spend less time receiving prescriptions, which frees them up to focus on more productive tasks, such as answering medication-specific questions."
The pharmacy drop off solution also allows pharmacies to target the distribution of relevant health information to customers. When picking up prescriptions, customers have the option of printing information about specific drugs or conditions at the kiosk or requesting that this information be sent to them as an e-mail.
Monday, 25 August 2008
Progressive Grocer: Increasing wait-times are fueling consumer demand for self-service options at the pharmacy counter, according to consumer research that claims seven out of 10 pharmacy shoppers expressed interest in having a kiosk to pickup and drop off their prescriptions — including when the pharmacy is closed — according to a new study by pharmacy research firm Wilson Health Information LLC. In the The WilsonRx Pharmacy Satisfaction Survey, more than 70 percent of pharmacy shoppers said they wait in line five or more minutes to pick up their prescriptions, a 10 percent increase from last year.
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Monday, 25 August 2008
In-Forum News: A screaming child with a late-night earache will make any parent’s skin crawl. Not only may the pain trigger a trip to the emergency room, but the chances of getting needed medications before morning often are nil. Hospitals can’t stop ear infections, but several are addressing the prescription problem by installing ATM-style machines that dispense drugs.
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Thursday, 21 August 2008
STAMFORD, Conn. — Pitney Bowes Inc., a mainstream technology company, and Asteres Inc., a provider of automated prescription pick-up kiosks, have announced a new agreement whereby Pitney Bowes will provide nationwide, on-site maintenance services and support for Asteres and its retail, health care and military customers.
Through the agreement, Pitney Bowes will act as an independent service provider, offering nationwide on-site repair and maintenance services to Asteres for its ScriptCenter kiosks. The automated prescription pick-up kiosks, which work like an ATM, allow consumers to pick-up and pay for their prescriptions when pharmacies are closed or without waiting in line when pharmacies are open. This enables retailers to extend prescription pick-up hours without adding staff and alleviating long lines at the pharmacy counter.
"Asteres is an innovator and industry leader in developing secure self-service kiosks for the storage and delivery of pharmaceutical products to consumers," said Joanne Boyd, vice president of business development and multi-vendor services for Pitney Bowes. "We are delighted to be collaborating with Asteres to help offer flexible repair services and maintenance solutions to their retail pharmacy customers for their automated prescription pick-up kiosk devices."
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
Newham Recorder: Three futuristic kiosks that help people get health information at the touch of a button have been launched in Newham, England. The free Wellpoint kiosks, in three Newham community centres, are interactive and use touchscreen technology. They offer health tests and signpost people to local and national health information. The tests give readings of height, weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, heart rate and blood pressure.
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Friday, 15 August 2008
MEQUON, Wis. — D2 Sales LLC has announced that the Bert Fish Medical Center of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., has chosen the My Patient Passport Express kiosk for its patient check-in program, according to a news release.
The My Patient Passport Express kiosk allows patients to check in, make future appointments and update their medical history, all using a user-friendly touchscreen. Patients can use their credit card to make co-pay payments, and sign documents using the integrated electronic signature pad.
"The kiosk allows our clients to provide outstanding patient care and service while at the same time improving efficiency for the medical facility," said Sandra Nix, D2's chief executive.
The D2 My Patient Passport Express kiosk provides patients with the convenience of easy check-in, records updating, co-pay payment acceptance, wayfinding and mapping features.
Tuesday, 12 August 2008
The (Halifax, Nova Scotia) Chronicle Herald Metro: Some people with scheduled appointments at clinics in the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre now can check in via touchscreen kiosks. The Express Check-in system, similar to those in airports, has been in use in the cardiology and endocrinology clinics at the Halifax hospital since mid-April.
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Thursday, 07 August 2008
The Indianapolis Star: Many people can't imagine banking without an ATM card to grab cash and the Internet to pay bills. And millions of travelers head straight for the electronic check-in kiosk when they get to the airport. Now Community Health Network, an Indianapolis-based hospital system, wants to bring that same sort of computerized convenience to health care through its new myCommunity program.
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Monday, 28 July 2008
Nurse.com: A Florida hospital has adapted the touchscreen technology used for airport check-in and hotel check-out, using self-service kiosks to speed-up service while improving triage, outcomes and satisfaction. Mercy Hospital, Miami, developed its emergency care kiosk system in-house almost two years ago. With emergency care kiosks, patients enter identifying information and their chief complaint, which immediately is sent to nurses.
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Tuesday, 22 July 2008
The Newham (London) Recorder: Three futuristic kiosks that will help people get health information at the touch of a button have been launched in Newham. The free-to-use Wellpoint kiosks, which have been installed in three community centers around the borough, are interactive and use touchscreen technology to provide a personal reading of height, weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, heart rate and blood pressure.
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Friday, 18 July 2008
(Bangor, Maine) WLVZ-TV, Channel 2: This summer, Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest healthcare organizations in the country, expects to roll out 90 self-service kiosks in 60 of its medical clinics. The kiosks are designed to do almost everything a receptionist can do, but most patients recently surveyed at one office ignored it. "I still do like the human factor. I like going up to the desk, being greeted by a person and not a machine," said Joe Freitas, a patient at Kaiser Permanente.
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Friday, 27 June 2008
ATLANTA — When more than 6,000 north Georgians took a simple vision test using EyeSite, a self-service vision screening kiosk, inside a Wal-Mart store in Cumming, Ga., earlier this spring, the results showed that 30 percent of the participants had never visited an eye care professional for an examination. In addition, 80 percent of the people who used the kiosk were recommended to see an eye care provider, according to a news release.
These statistics come as no surprise to Jenny Pomeroy, chief executive of Prevent Blindness Georgia. PBGAs mission is to double the number of Georgians who seek regular eye exams by the year 2020.
"We know that people go to the dentist three to four times more often than they get an eye examination," said Pomeroy. "The concept of an EyeSite kiosk is a wonderful vehicle to deliver eye health messages to the public, such as information about glaucoma and for reminding diabetic patients that they need an annual dilated eye exam."
The EyeSite kiosk is the brainchild of Atlanta entrepreneur Bart Foster. His start-up company, SoloHealth, is in the early stages of testing the self-service vision screening device in several markets. SoloHealth plans to launch its kiosks in high traffic retail locations, such as Wal-Mart stores.
Thursday, 26 June 2008
Centre Daily Times: Kaiser Permanente deployed its first "KP Self-Service Kiosk" to optimize the patient check-in and payment experience in a project that will include more than 60 medical clinics in Southern California. This is one of the largest pilot kiosk projects undertaken by any U.S. healthcare organization. During the kick-off event at Kaiser Permanente's Rancho Cucamonga Medical Office Building, officials demonstrated how the easy-to-navigate touchscreen kiosks will improve service to customers.
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Tuesday, 24 June 2008
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Health insurers hoping to convince physicians to bypass their offices' brand name sample drug "closets" are embracing an ATM-like generic drug dispensing machine. Highmark Inc. for the past five years has partnered with MedVantx Inc. of San Diego, which places the generic drug machine in physician offices, free of charge to doctor and patient. "We wanted to encourage the use of generics when we began a pilot study in 2003," said Eric Culley, Highmark's manager of Clinical Pharmacy Services. Most insurers in the area are using the MedVantx system, he said.
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Monday, 23 June 2008
PALO ALTO, Calif. — Based on its recent analysis of the remote patient monitoring market, Frost & Sullivan awarded Computerized Screening Inc. (CSI) with the 2008 North American Frost & Sullivan Award for Technology Leadership in recognition of "its leadership and vision in the remote monitoring kiosks for community-based or population health disease management applications," according to a news release.
The release states that CSI's years of "leading the public kiosk space has given the company vital experience in this model of vital signs monitoring. By entering the dynamic health and disease management space with the Genesis Managed Health unattended clinic and remote medication management system, CSI is leveraging its expertise to capitalize on unique market conditions and end-user needs."
"Health kiosks provide a vital avenue to tap the right remote monitoring payer groups, which is crucial for higher revenues from remote monitoring services," said Zachary Bujnoch, research analyst for Frost & Sullivan. "Exploring avenues such as this show the market really beginning to establish itself and move toward its grand, billion-dollar potential."
"Convincing payers that a product or service is going to save them money is of critical importance in the remote monitoring market. Therefore the design of a system with the right payer group in mind is essential," said Bujnoch. "Recognizing the potential appeal of its kiosk model, CSI developed a unique system for the remote healthcare and disease management market."
The Genesis Managed Health System appeals to many untapped potential payer groups. For instance, in the emergency room setting, this kiosk can create Personal Health Records (PHR's) and Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) by itself, reducing paperwork in the admissions process.
In the corporate world, companies can reduce medical expenses by employing such a system for their employees on site. In remote areas this system can work independently as part of a clinic or pharmacy, greatly reducing the need for the long trip to a medical center.
Friday, 13 June 2008
Nutraceutilcals World: While hot beverage machines aren’t exactly a good fit for the gym and health club crowd, Bessemer City, N.C.-based Vendweb.com thought a cold nutraceutical drink machine might be. The company’s Nutri-Vend 1000 is capable of dispensing any powder-based nutraceutical drink mix—be it protein, weight loss, low-carbohydrate meal replacement, high carbohydrate meal replacement, recovery or energy supplement—in the form of a chilled beverage. The company guarantees great tasting, healthy nutraceutical and energy drinks delivered cold to the consumer in 30 seconds, all at the touch of a button.
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Thursday, 05 June 2008
Knoxnews.com: St. Mary's North Women's and Imaging centers in Knoxville have added self-service check-in kiosks for such services as MRI, CT, ultra-sound and mammogram tests. Similar to check-in kiosks at the airport, hospital officials say patients will be able to verify personal and insurance information and sign the necessary consent forms with an electronic signature pad.
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Tuesday, 20 May 2008
MEQUON, Wis. — D2 Sales LLC today announced that Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters of Norfolk, Va., has chosen the My Patient Passport Express kiosk for its patient check-in program.
The My Patient Passport Express kiosk allows patients to check-in, make future appointments and update their medical history, all using a user-friendly touchscreen. Patients can use their credit card to make co-pay payments, and sign documents using the integrated electronic signature pad.
“The kiosk allows our clients to provide outstanding patient care and service while at the same time improving efficiency for the medical facility,” said Sandra Nix, D2’s chief executive officer.
The D2 My Patient Passport Express kiosk provides patients with the convenience of easy check-in, records updating, co-pay payment acceptance, wayfinding and mapping features.
Monday, 19 May 2008
e-Health Insider: A new touchscreen kiosk is to be launched in Europe by self-service specialist NCR, designed to simplify the checking in and out procedures for patients. MediKiosk, a self-service machine which interfaces with hospital information systems and collects clinical information from patients prior to an appointment, is to be piloted by an NHS foundation trust, and one practice in England later this year.
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Friday, 16 May 2008
The New York Daily News: Doctors at Jacobi Medical Center in New York want to get the word out about a program they've created that allows people to be tested for HIV while getting important lessons on AIDS prevention. The idea behind Project BRIEF is to boost the number of people tested for the AIDS virus by offering the test in emergency rooms via individual, portable HIV kiosks. The kiosks give patients privacy as they answer a short questionnaire on a computer and watch informational videos while waiting for the results from their cotton-swab tests, which take about 20 minutes.
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Thursday, 15 May 2008
Pop City: East Liberty, Pa.-based Electric Owl Studios is keeping children happy while they wait, one hospital at a time. The company’s flagship toy, K.I.C.K., kids interaction creation kiosks, is a futuristic fun device that entertains children to age seven with short interactive games while they pass the time in waiting rooms.
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Tuesday, 13 May 2008
MEQUON, Wis. — D2 Sales LLC announced that the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark, N.J., has chosen the My Patient Passport Express kiosk for its patient check-in program.
The My Patient Passport Express kiosk allows patients to check-in, make future appointments and update their medical history, all through a user-friendly touchscreen. Patients can use their credit cards to make co-pay payments, and sign documents using the integrated electronic signature pad.
Monday, 12 May 2008
Progressive Grocer: Healthnotes, a provider of wellness marketing programs for food and drug retailers, has changed its name to Aisle7 in a new branding initiative designed to cater to the broadening health and wellness market — and shopper marketing initiatives — at retail. Healthnotes, known for providing educational content for in-store kiosks and retailers' Web sites, said it began expanding into a storewide marketing solution in 2006, and has seen over 40 percent annual growth in this segment of the business. Today Healthnotes/Aisle7 claims to be part of more than 2,500 retail implementations, including projects at nine of the top 10 U.S. supermarket chains.
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Friday, 09 May 2008
ITBusiness Canada: A Canadian firm says it can help the healthcare industry cut down on prescription errors and improve patient-pharmacist contact by installing automated pill-dispensing kiosks at doctors' offices, clinics, drug stores and hospitals. PharmaTrust, a sleek green-and-white box similar to an ATM, can read doctors' prescription scripts, dispense 150 commonly prescribed drugs, collect and manage patient records and set up a remote live video conference with a pharmacist. The machine, developed by PCA Services Inc., of Oakville, Ontario, will soon be tested by the Sunnybrook Health Services Centre in its hospital pharmacy in Toronto.
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Thursday, 08 May 2008
MEQUON, Wis. — D2 Sales LLC has announced that Group Health Cooperative in Madison, Wis. has chosen the My Patient Passport Express kiosk for its patient check-in program.
The My Patient Passport Express kiosk allows patients to check-in, make future appointments, and update their medical history, all using a user-friendly touchscreen kiosk with HIPPA compliant custom privacy overlay. The Group Health Cooperative branded kiosk allows patients to use their credit card to make co-pay payments and sign documents using the integrated electronic signature pad.
“The kiosk allows our clients to provide outstanding patient care and service while at the same time improving efficiency for the medical facility,” said Sandra Nix, D2’s chief executive.
The D2 My Patient Passport Express kiosk provides patients with the convenience of easy check-in, records updating, co-pay payment acceptance and wayfinding and mapping features.
Tuesday, 29 April 2008
MEQUON, Wis. — D2 Sales LLC has announced in a news release that Vanderbilt University Medical Center of Nashville, Tenn., has chosen the My Patient Passport Express kiosk for its patient check-in program.
The My Patient Passport Express kiosk allows patients to check-in, make future appointments, and update their medical history, all using a user-friendly touchscreen kiosk with HIPPA-compliant custom privacy overlay. Patients can use their credit card to make co-pay payments, and sign documents using the integrated electronic signature pad.
“The kiosk allows our clients to provide outstanding patient care and service, while at the same time improving efficiency for the medical facility,” said Sandra Nix, D2’s CEO.
The D2 My Patient Passport Express kiosk provides patients with the convenience of easy check-in, records updating, co-pay payment acceptance and wayfinding and mapping features.
Wednesday, 23 April 2008
Click here to see a slideshow from the Digital Signage Show.
LAS VEGAS — KioskCom Self Service Expo and Digital Signage Show came and went last week with more exhibitors and kiosks than ever before. But when all was said and done, one kiosk stood out from the rest.
SoloHealth’s EyeSite kiosk, housed at the KIOSK Information Systems booth, stole the buzz from other devices as it took home three Self Service Excellence Awards, including Best in Show. The kiosk was submitted for the show’s awards by KIOSK and software partner Netkey.
"The EyeSite kiosk was the instant standout of KioskCom 2008," said Robert Porter, lead judge for KioskCom 2008. "It was unlike anything else. This unique application is practical, fun to use and presents a breakthrough technology platform that demonstrates the ability to make an enormous impact of people's eye health, as well as the ability to drive revenue in the vision market."
To use the free kiosk, individuals walk up to device and answer questions on the touchscreen. It asks the person’s age, the date of the person’s last eye exam and whether or not he wears contacts or glasses, Foster said. Based on that information, the kiosk presents a series of stimuli for both near and distance vision. Then, based on the responses, the kiosk prints out a report and gives the user video analysis of the results.
The kiosk also gives information about local eye professionals and encourages the user to visit them for a thorough eye examination.
Here’s a look at what some of KioskCom’s other featured exhibitors touted on the show floor.
3M TOUCHSYSTEMS showed a 32-inch interactive digital sign used during the 2008 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament. Tim Holt, communications manager for 3M, said that in a pro-am tournament setting the screens could be used for golfers to check each others’ scores, but in major tournaments they could be public-facing screens for fans to stay updated on scores.
5POINT’s vice president Edward Crowley said the convergence of digital signage and kiosks has never been more visible than at this year’s show. It was fitting, then, that 5point announced its new Vision Series Modular Kiosk and Eclipse Series Interactive Digital Signage at the show.
The Vision kiosks are designed for a wide range of environments, including the outdoors, and were used by KioskCom as its platform for self-service registration at the show.
“We’ve seen a strong interest in this type of all-in-one technology and we’re very excited to announce that the new Vision Series platform is now available for our customers and partners,” Crowley said. “There’s a growing demand for the peripherals these touchscreen devices offer as standard options as well as other kiosk integrated peripherals like thermal printers and secondary monitors. We created this new series with these factors in mind to ensure we’re providing a higher self-service experience overall.”
The large format Eclipse digital signage is also designed for outdoor deployments. The unit can operate in temperatures from minus 20 degrees to 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
ASAHI SEIKO USA displayed several of its card dispensers, including the CD-1000, the company’s most popular model, said Robert Angell, a sales representative for Asahi Seiko. The large dispenser, designed for paper and polyester credit-card sized cards and tickets, can hold up to approximately 1,000 cards.
Launched in October, BETTER ATM SERVICES touted its patented technology that enables existing ATMs to dispense prepaid cards through ATM cash trays. The company’s cost effective distribution option means banks, shopping malls, grocery stores and restaurants can now offer prepaid gift cards, premiums, and other incentives through ATMs without need to refit or reconfigure the ATMs’ hardware.
“Getting a gift card is now a snap,” said Derek Cook, Better ATM Services’ chief financial officer. “And it’s basically zero cost to ATM owners.”
CARD SCANNING SOLUTIONS’ SnapShell ID Reader camera solution was on showcase at the CSS booth. The scanner captures driver’s license information quickly and accurately. The SnapShell uses a 3 mega-pixel camera built into its base to snap high-quality digital images of ID cards (up to 600 dpi).
It also uses a USB 2.0 connection and features no moving parts while requiring no calibration, making it a low maintenance solution that allows users to simply place their cards face down on the window and letting the ID reader system do the rest.
CHETU’s Terry Owen, director of sales, was enthusiastic about the company’s second visit to KioskCom.
“Kiosks aren’t just the ‘dumb terminals’ anymore,” Owen said.
Owen explained that Chetu is an IT consulting company which offers a low-budget software solution. The company offers custom-designed kiosk software for $20 per hour.
“Once we create the software, there are no licensing fees – the customer owns it,” Owen said. “Normally a customer would have to pay licensing fees on each piece of the kiosk.”
COMARK CORP. displayed its Wide-Touch Kiosk, which Comark president Steve Schott said is ideal for maps, directories, shopping malls and movie tickets. The kiosk features include 19-inch screen and optional touchscreen. The booth displayed a golf course directory and information application on its kiosk demo.
A 32-inch interactive digital signage touchscreen was also on display. Schott said the unit was big in Europe and it on its way to catching on in the United States.
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY SERVICES was on hand to explain the company’s expertise in digital signage and kiosk network installation and answer any deployment questions attendees had.
“Customers don’t always know what they want,” said Michael Shaub, national account executive for CTS. “We help steer them in the right direction.”
CTS does not subcontract its work out; all installations are done by CTS trained personnel. Shaub said this helps maintain a similar quality throughout all their work.
DIEBOLD PREMIER SERVICES touted its installation and maintenance services at the show. Julie Manson, Diebold’s senior services marketing manager, said Diebold’s more than 3,400 technicians handle small and large installations. Diebold also provides a 24/7 customer response center, service parts logistics, inventory management, software support and a host of other services.
“We’re about providing pleasant and consistent customer service,” Manson said.
DFI TECHNOLOGIES had several of its mini computers on display, but the highlight of the showcase according to business manager Albert Chien was the ST-300. This slim mini computer is used in various kiosk and digital signage applications, with its key feature being slimness.
“Most customers don’t care about the overall size of the computer,” Chien said. “For installation purposes they’re concerned about the thickness.”
DFI also showed an all-in-one touchscreen kiosk that was designed for many different mounting applications. Chien said the kiosk could be placed on a desktop stand, wall-mounted using a bracket or placed in a kiosk enclosure.
ELAN FINANCIAL SERVICES showed a multi-function financial self-service machine loaded with features and capabilities. All of the components were integrated into a freestanding MoniMax ATM enclosure from Nautilus Hyosung. In addition to normal ATM functionality, Elan’s machine featured a check scanner, coin acceptor, barcode scanner and a security-enabled screen that eliminated over-the-shoulder glances.
ELO TOUCHSYSTEMS’s RemoteNurse Patient Monitor was a finalist for the Best Health Deployment at the Self Service Excellence Awards. The kiosk, which includes a device that measures pulse, helps diagnose patient symptoms and ailments.
The booth also featured its 17A2 touch computer, a 17-inch all-in-one desktop. The space-saving, compact design of the touch computer offers increased flexibility for easy integration of a variety of optional field-replaceable peripherals including three-track magnetic stripe reader for credit, ID and loyalty card transactions; customer-facing display to verify those transactions; biometric fingerprint recognition for increased security; speakers and DVD drive.
FAST TRANSACT was on hand representing the financial payment aspect of retail kiosks. The company was showing its Argofire payment software solution. The software is designed to secure transactions and benefit both the customer and the retailer. Fast Transact software operates on a revenue-sharing program, so the customer has full ownership of the software when using it.
“All transactions through the Argofire gateway happen on our server, not at the kiosk, making the transactions more secure,” said Adriane Armbruster, senior account executive for Fast Transact.
FLEXTRONICS, a $30 billion global electronics company, announced its new venture to help speed the deployment of self-service applications. The program, called “Jumpstart,” offers companies a set of software plug-ins and hardware components preconfigured for faster, more effective rollouts.
“We want to bring to market a product that will help jumpstart businesses,” said Andrew Block, senior director of Flextronics’ Self Service Solutions Group. “And we hope to jumpstart not just the product, but the industry as well.”
Block said that since acquiring WebRaiser Technologies and Solectron, Flextronics has benefited from the unification of self-service resources, thus becoming a major player in the industry. The acquisition made Flextronics the world’s second-largest electronics manufacturing and self-service powerhouse, trailing only Taiwan-based Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. in terms of annual sales, according to Forbes.
The Nintendo Wii kiosk at the FRANK MAYER AND ASSOCIATES was arguably the most popular machine on display at the Expo, judged by the lines to use the interactive demo. The kiosks allowed Nintendo to take the displays to events across the United States and played an integral part of Nintendo's marketing campaign, said Michael Mayer, president and chief operating officer of Frank Mayer and Associates.
The Mayer booth also displayed its Ford SYNC Kiosk, which won the Best Other Industry Deployment Award at the Self Service Excellence Awards. Displayed predominantly at auto shows and high-traffic outdoor events, the Ford SYNC kiosk houses a 50-inch touchscreen that provides a guided tour of the SYNC technology. The SYNC system was developed jointly by Ford and Microsoft Corp.
FREEDOM SHOPPING’s sole item at the show was its self-assisted bill and coin dispensing kiosk. The Valet kiosk model offers POS functionality for unmanned and partially manned self-checkout, accepts cash, credit/debit, store accounts, loyalty cards, hotel room keys, online accounts and biometrics ID, and manages inventory, including returns and automatic re-orders. The system includes RFID-tag association and integrated digital advertising that correlates with purchases.
FUJITSU highlighted its new two-inch thermal printer unit for receipt and ticketing kiosks at the show. The new model offers OEMs a reliable, high-quality printing solution for medium-volume print output. The printer integrates an auto cutter capable of full or partial cutting, an automatic paper feed, a paper holder for up to 83mm diameter rolls, and an integrated paper guide. The unit’s double-tilt function enhances maintenance for paper jam clearing and thermal head cleaning, said Jim Harrison, Fujitsu’s product marketing manager for thermal printers.
The printer also includes built-in detection functions such as motor over-current protection, paper-out/near-end and abnormal thermal head temperature to prevent print interruptions.
GA SERVICES’ Bill Gorksi said the company had a lot of inquiries at the show. Gorksi explained to many the company’s services with deployments, integration and shipping for digital signage and self-service projects.
“No two stores are ever the same, even though they may claim to have the same layouts,” Gorski said.
For projects such as ADFLOW’s Office Max digital signage deployment, GA Services coordinated the integration and staging and aggregation of components such as cables, mounts, media players, etc.
H&M NETWORKS didn’t have any flashy new kiosk on display at their booth. That’s not what they do, said Rich Henkels, director of national accounts sales for H & M NetWorks.
“What’s forgotten (in a kiosk deployment) is what has to happen beyond the box,” Henkels said. “That’s what we take care of.”
H&M provides services, including wireless, that tie kiosks to the network.
HECON/HENGSTLER was showing the new Extendo Series X-56 thermal printer for kiosk applications. Extendo printers are designed for rugged use and are usually found in outdoor kiosks and other outdoor customer-facing applications such as self-service car washes and gas pumps. The printers on display could print paper or ticket stock. David Widmann, general manager, said that the printers are effective in temperatures ranging from -25 degrees to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
A host of partners that use IBM CORP.’s Anyplace Kiosk were on display at the company’s booth. Experticity’s Live Support On-Demand Kiosk was demonstrated for attendees. The enclosure for the kiosk was designed by Olea Inc., designer and manufacturer of self-service kiosks. Olea’s “green” enclosure was made from an engineered panel from Sorghum plant. Sorghum plant is grown around the world for food production. The plant stalks are dried and heat pressed using a non-toxic adhesive to form the board product. The stalks of the plant are not used in food production and would otherwise be thrown away.
Curiosk, a wine greeting card and information kiosk, was also on view at IBM’s exhibit. The kiosk guides users through wine selection and then allows them to personalize a greeting card using a touch keyboard. After the transaction, a receipt is printed along with the greeting card, which folds to fit on top of the wine bottle.
The wine kiosk is currently in the pilot stage at some Florida wine shops, but may move into grocery stores with wine departments in the future.
“It’s simple and so easy to use,” said David Weinberg, president of Curiosk. “Scan, personalize and print.”
ID TECH was the magnetic stripe specialist at KioskCom, showing several versions of the company’s card reading technology for use in traction kiosks. Some of the company’s peripherals included swipe and insertion magnetic stripe readers and encrypting PIN pads.
INFONOX’s “bank-in-a-box” solution, formally called the KioskPASS, was on display at the company’s booth. The multi-function financial kiosk, in which Infonox makes the software, features, in addition to ATM functions, gift cards, bill payment, prepaid top-up and money orders. A digital sign also allows kiosk owners to sell advertising and offset some of the cost.
“You are making money before the first transaction is made,” said Ashim Banerjee, executive vice president for Infonox.
Infonox’s kiosk was the named the Best Financial Services Deployment at KioskCom’s Self Service Excellence Awards.
Specializing in outdoor kiosks, primarily in the car wash space, INNOVATIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS showcased its Auto Sentry eXP kiosk, which accepts multiple payment methods including cash, credit and gift card.
Streaming audio and video guides the user swiftly through the sales purchase, instructing them through wash selection and payment method. A normal transaction takes between 15 and 30 seconds, with credit cards clearing in an average of three seconds.
The kiosks are deployed in about 1,000 locations in the United States and Australia.
JCM GLOBAL had the DBV-307 Cash Recycling System on display, a device that product manager Jeff Gray said is seen mostly in casino and gaming settings. The Las Vegas-based company has 80 percent of the cash recycling market share in Sin City, according to Gray. JCM products, traditionally used in slot machines, are also seen in table games in the form of bill validators.
“Plastic enclosures on these devices mean they are lower cost, but still have a high acceptance speed,” Gray said.
KIOSK INFORMATION SYSTEMS brought a myriad of kiosks to KioskCom this year. In addition to the EyeSite kiosk, KIOSK displayed its Dave and Buster’s Power Gaming Card Kiosk and retail outfitter Cabelas’ kiosk, all of which were finalists for KioskCom’s Self Service Excellence Awards.
KIOSK also touted its growing presence abroad by announcing it has tripled its number of international distributors. The company added distributors in Brazil, Columbia, Mexico, Venezuela, Canada, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Jordan, Kuwait, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa. This expansion follows KIOSK’s strongest 2008 first quarter in the company’s 15-year history, said Cheryl Madeson, marketing manager for KIOSK Information Systems.
KIOSK LOGIX displayed its NetStop software, a package that protects the hard drive of a kiosk, preventing access to the operating system and other sensitive data. The software incorporates a design module that lets owners customize the user interface, said Kevin Mathison, Kiosk Logix’s vice president of technology.
The latest version of NetStop allows users to remotely monitor, administer, update or query all of their kiosks, provide digital signage technology with ease, auto transfer files, including digital signage content, to all remote kiosks and get statistics on Web sites visited and applications used.
The Foxwoods Resort Casino Promotions Kiosk was demonstrated at the LIVEWIRE INTERNATIONAL booth. The solution is deployed on 36 kiosks throughout the property and allows visitors to view resort and casino amenities. Rewards patrons may also swipe their cards to view point balances, enter sweepstakes, sign up for events and obtain personalized rewards in the form of coupons and bonus slot tickets. In addition, digital advertising monitors mounted on the kiosks above the touchscreen interfaces continuously display advertising and other casino information such as drawing winners and jackpot payouts.
Livewire’s casino kiosk nabbed the Best Entertainment/Gaming Deployment award at the Self Service Excellence Awards.
The company also announced that the MGM Grand at Foxwoods plans to install Livewire’s hotel check-in kiosks later this year.
NANONATION showed off its newest point-of-decision application which allows an Apple iPhone to control product content on a digital screen. Using Nanonation software, the iPhone itself can also play video content relevant to the product. Brian Ardinger, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Nanonation, also said that sales associates can use the iPhone to control digital screens during sales pitches.
“Deployers have the option of having this be interactive or more like traditional digital signage,” he said.
Nanonation also featured an interactive media kiosk designed for SanDisk that allowed users to download movie trailers and short films their cell phones. Ardinger said the kiosk has been used as part of promos for the Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals, among others. The SanDisk kiosk enclosure was also on display at the Frank Mayer and Associates booth.
NEXT WINDOW’s booth in the Digital Signage Show area was chock-full of digital signs, all of which were touch-enabled using the company’s optical overlay technology. Next Window’s screens are designed to be integrated with third party enclosures and can enable touch on screens up to 100 inches. At the front of the booth was a screen from Next Window and PanelWorx which featured a multi-application system containing a digital jukebox and photo editing tools controlled by touch.
Next Window technology had a presence at Mandalay Bay prior to the show with the recently installed Virtual Concierge interactive digital signage network in the hotel lobby and casino. The company said that one of the displays is experiencing more than 4,000 unique customer interactions per week.
OPERATOR INTERFACE TECHNOLOGY, known for its metal-encased rugged keyboards, had a new addition to its line of outdoor interfaces. Where in the past DFI’s keyboards featured a trackball or joystick for cursor movement, the newest Rugged Keyboard sports a sealed touchpad. The pad is similar to those found on many laptops today, except this one was sealed with a molded bezel to keep out the elements.
“We see a lot of people try to use a cheap keyboard with kiosk applications, but it just doesn’t work,” said Bob Nolan, president of OIT.
PANJIT TOUCHSCREENS had its line of capacitive touchscreens on display at the front of its booth, but the company’s most innovative recent product was kept in the back. Upon request, Todd Winter, director of sales, showed the Touch Window, a small touchscreen that could be attached to cell phones that would enable touch-capabilities. The screens are made of impact-resistant plastic to withstand normal cell phone abuse.
Winter said that in addition to cell phones, the screen could touch-enable digital cameras, PSPs and anything with a flat surface.
PAY-EASE displayed its automated commerce machine, a self-service kiosk designed for bill payments and services. The application, which was launched in August 2007, allows citizens to pay parking and red-light citations, as well as utility bills. Pay-Ease’s software can be customized to allow consumers to pay bills, purchase gift cards, transfer funds, purchase wireless and long distance minutes, renew driver's licenses and registrations and conduct ATM transactions.
As of February, approximately 20 kiosks had been deployed at Chicago payment centers, police stations and libraries. They are also installed at Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports, and DePaul University. Pay-Ease is in talks with other municipalities and always on the lookout for others, said Wes Pollard, Pay-Ease’s director of marketing.
REALITY INTERACTIVE, a content developer for digital signage and kiosks, recently completed a large project with BMW, where the auto maker replaced freestanding kiosks with an interactive digital signage experience in all 350 of its U.S. dealerships. Screens showing car features and track footage in HD are placed in a branded area, complete with high-back leather chairs resembling those in BMW cars.
“You can really take a high energy drive in an area like downtown Chicago, but this screen can let you take one in the showroom,” said Bryson Hyte of Reality Interactive.
RED DOT NET showcased its kiosks, which use wheels instead of touch. The kiosks, which are deployed at many Barnes and Noble Bookstore locations, also have wayfinding capabilities, said Robb Kirschenmann, Red Dot Net’s director of operations.
“It’s not your typical kiosk,” Kirschenmann said. “People can get engaged with it using the wheel.”
SEIKO INSTRUMENTS debuted its APU-9000 thermal printer unit, which will go into mass production later this summer. The printer, which can support extreme temperatures, maintains a small footprint and high-printing speeds, said Adam Ortlieb, associate director of marketing for Seiko’s Thermal Printer Division.
Seiko also announced that it named Kazuhisa “Kaz” Onishi vice president and general manager with overall responsibility for the Americas. Onishi previously served as general manager of sales and marketing for Seiko Instruments Print Systems Division in Japan, where he achieved 100 percent worldwide revenue growth during his six year tenure.
Onishi will oversee the execution of SIU Thermal Printer Division’s strategy to leverage global dominance in thermal printer technology and expand business across targeted sectors, including healthcare, self-service, mobile workforce, government and retail and hospitality.
STAR MICRONICS was on hand to demonstrate its line of kiosk printers which range from two to four inches in width. Star also offers adjustable width printers for custom kiosk applications. All printers on display from Star were open-frame. Representatives from the company said that the line of kiosk printers have been popular with airline e-ticket and CUSS kiosks, bus and rail ticketing, Internet access terminals, maps and directional kiosks as well as gift registry, ATM and gaming applications.
STOREFRONT.COM, the company that recently won six out of eight DIMA Awards for photo kiosks, displayed a digital signage video wall in the Digital Signage Show area as well as its photo solutions in the Self Service Expo.
Both systems were controlled by Storefront’s Remote Monitoring System, which Tom Ceh, VP of sales and marketing, said can be used to manage everything from small kiosks to digital billboards.
TELPAR demonstrated its new two-inch printer designed for use in kiosk and self-service applications, as well as gaming, vending, receipt ticketing and ATMs, and many remote printing environments. The printer features USB, serial, parallel and Ethernet interface connectivity, a faster print speed (up to seven inches per second), and a wider operating temperature range.
Rebecca Whalen of Telpar said that the wide range of interfaces is so that customers using legacy connections can begin to migrate to more modern connections as they update their systems.
TELSOURCE CORP. was showcasing its InfoZone lightweight kiosk, which was set up for a retail assistance application. Vince Sciarra, president and CEO of TelSource, said that the kiosks are great for retail because they are connected by Ethernet cables which are easier and cheaper to run than common CAT-5s.
Sciarra also explained that IP voice recognition on the InfoZone, which allows customers to call sales people and even call center assistants at remote locations for product info and help. The InfoZone has been deployed in TransWorld Entertainment’s FYE music and movie stores.
Digital Signage Today editor Bill Yackey also contributed to this article.
Monday, 21 April 2008
ABC7News.com: A Mountain View, Calif., company wants to help make a trip to the drug store a little bit quicker. It's been working on its idea for the past two years, and it officially came out to the public in April. Their product is a kiosk that offers tips on over-the-counter drugs for your specific symptoms. The kiosks prompt you to select your symptoms, then the computer does a search for you. It comes up with a list of medicines that should cure what ails you, offers you a look at the label and even tells you where to find it on the shelf. The kiosks can be found in 135 Longs Drug stores.
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Thursday, 17 April 2008
LAS VEGAS—It was triple vision for SoloHealth at KioskCom’s Self Service Excellence awards ceremony as its innovative EyeSite kiosk won two of three categories where it had been entered and snagged the day’s grand prize, the Best of the Best, for receiving the most votes of entries in all categories.
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David Drain (left), executive director of the Self-Service & Kiosk Association, congratulates IBM's Cortlandt Johnson, who was inducted into the association's hall of fame.
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Users of the EyeSite kiosk enter sight-related information on a touchscreen, such as the person’s age, the date of his last eye exam and whether he wears contacts or glasses. The kiosk then presents a series of stimuli for both near and distance vision. A printout of the results and a video analysis help the user determine the next steps for eye care.
In addition to overall best, the application was voted best healthcare application and best new innovation in a kiosk deployment. Manufacturer KIOSK Information Systems and software vendor Netkey submitted the kiosk for the Self Service Excellence awards, which were presented on the first day of KioskCom Self Service Expo.
For the first time, the Self-Service and Kiosk Association announced its Hall of Fame inductees as part of the awards ceremony. They were Cortlandt Johnson and Janet Webster. Johnson’s background includes helping Eastman Kodak develop the first photo kiosk and being a leader of self-service technology at IBM. He also helped found the association. Webster, who manages self-service for the United States Postal Service, is responsible for the deployment of 2,500 Automated Postal Center kiosks. For 2005, she was the recipient of the 2005 Kiosk Industry Leader of the Year Award in the Deployer category.
Below are all entries and winners of the KioskCom Self Service Excellence Awards.
Best Retail Deployment
• Cabelas - Best Retail Deployment, submitted by KIOSK Information Systems
• Self-Service Networks: Electronic Gift Card Dispenser, submitted by Self-Service Networks
• WINNER: Self-Service Networks: Thule Interactive Point-of-Purchase, submitted by Self-Service Networks
Best Financial Services Deployment
• Alltel BillPay Kiosk, submitted by Source Technologies
• Automated Commerce Machine (ACM), submitted by Pay-Ease LLC
• WINNER: Multi-Function Financial Services Kiosk, submitted by INFONOX
Best Goverment/Education/Non-Profit Agency Deployment
• WINNER: Automated Commerce Machine (ACM), submitted by Pay-Ease LLC
• Barcelona City Council Service Kiosk, submitted by FOCUS ON EMOTIONS
• SWANSON SERVICES CORPORATION COBRA KIOSK, submitted by Source Technologies
Best Travel/Hospitality Deployment
• Northwest Airlines Mobile Website, submitted by Northwest Airlines
• WINNER: PDC Smart Kiosk, submitted by MEI
• SITA S2 AirportConnect Kiosk, submitted by SITA
Best Entertainment/Gaming Deployment
• Dave & Buster's Loyalty Kiosk, submitted by KIOSK Information Systems
• WINNER: Foxwoods Resort Casino Promotions Kiosk, submitted by Livewire International
• SanDisk Digital Media Download Kiosk, submitted by Nanonation
Best Healthcare Deployment
• WINNER: EyeSite Kiosk by SoloHealth, submitted by Netkey and KIOSK Information Systems
• Patient Passport Express, submitted by D2 Sales
• Phreesia - The Patient Check-in Company, submitted by Phreesia, Inc.
• RemoteNurse Patient Monitor, submitted by Elo TouchSystems
Best Food Service Deployment
• Mandalay Bay - Bayside Buffet, submitted by NCR Corporation and MGM
• WINNER: Prepayment Kiosk by School-Link Technologies, submitted by MEI
Best Other Industry Deployment
• BMW ICS (Indoor Communication System), submitted by Reality Interactive
• EyeSite Kiosk by SoloHealth, submitted by Netkey, KIOSK Information Systems
• WINNER: Ford SYNC Kiosk, submitted by Frank Mayer & Associates, Inc., Wireless Ronin Inc.
Best Overall Software Solution
• BMW ICS (Indoor Communication System), submitted by Reality Interactive
• WINNER: Dave & Buster's Loyalty Kiosk, submitted by KIOSK Information Systems, St. Clair Interactive
• Showroom Technology SHOW/PRO V3 Kiosk, submitted by Netkey
Best Hardware/Enclosure Design
• Automated Commerce Machine (ACM), submitted by Pay-Ease, LLC
• BMW ICS (Indoor Communication System), submitted by Reality Interactive
• WINNER: CVD's, submitted by CVD, Inc.
Best New Innovation in a Kiosk Deployment
• WINNER: EyeSite Kiosk by SoloHealth, submitted by KIOSK Information Systems & Netkey
• Live Nation - Interactive Mobile Phone Digital Signage, submitted by Nanonation
• Phreesia - The Patient Check-in Company, submitted by Phreesia
• Qflix, submitted by Sonic Solutions
Best of the Best
EyeSite Kiosk by SoloHealth, Netkey & KIOSK Information Systems
Industry Deployer of the Year
David Forbes, exec director, IT, AT&T, for his work using kiosks and digital signage to enhance the customer experience for mobile customers.
Monday, 14 April 2008
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Source Technologies, a provider of transactional and interactive kiosks, is demonstrating its full line of self-service solutions for bill payments, services, retail, hospitality and financial services industries at this week’s KioskCom Self Service Expo and The Digital Signage Show.
Source Technologies will also showcase products currently used by Alltel and Swanson Services Corp. Alltel's BillPay Kiosk and Swanson's tamper-resistant Cobra Kiosk have both been selected as finalists for the KioskCom Award. Source Technologies' clients have received the award for three consecutive years.
Wednesday, 09 April 2008
MEQUON, Wis. — D2 Sales LLC has announced that Geisinger Medical System of Danville, Pa., has chosen a semi-custom version of the My Patient Passport Express kiosk for its patient check-in program. Geisinger is a physician-led health care system, dedicated to health care, education, research and service spanning 40 counties of 20,000 square miles and serving 2.5 million people.
The My Patient Passport Express kiosk allows patients to check-in, make future appointments, and update their medical history, all using a touchscreen kiosk with HIPPA compliant custom privacy panels. Patients can use their credit card to make co-pay payments, and sign documents using the integrated electronic signature pad. In addition to the monitor on the kiosk, Geisinger has added a custom designed backlit panel with changeable translucent graphic art inserts to the top of the kiosk to promote its use.
“Geisinger worked with D2 to customize the My Patient Passport Express healthcare kiosk and make it their own,” said Sandra Nix, D2’s CEO. “The addition of the privacy panels and backlit graphic panel are just two of many optional features D2 offers that allow health care facilities to easily create an original, customized patient check-in solution to meet their specific needs,” Nix added.
Tuesday, 08 April 2008
DAYTON, Ohio – NCR Corp., a leading provider of self-service solutions, today introduced CVM Mobility, a suite of services that lets patients use their mobile phones or other mobile devices to receive appointment reminders and other alerts, pay bills and access lab results.
Patients may opt in for all of these features based on personal preference through NCR’s CVM Online Self-Service portal solution. CVM Mobility is designed to help reduce missed appointments, enhance collections and improve staff productivity for healthcare organizations while providing added convenience to patients.
According to the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions’ 2008 Survey of Healthcare Consumers, 60 percent of patients want online access to their physicians, medical records, test results and same-day appointments. In addition, one in four respondents indicated they would pay more to physicians for these digital services.
“On-the-go consumers expect to be able to conduct an increasing number of everyday transactions via their mobile devices, which are, by and large, Internet-capable,” said Chakri Toleti, vice president of health-care industry marketing at NCR. “At the same time, health care organizations are starting to understand how mobile-phone services can minimize no-shows, expedite communications with patients and impact the bottom line.”
To notify patients of appointments, pending bills or other announcements, CVM Mobility transmits reminders and alerts as text messages in the widely used SMS (Short Message Service) protocol or as voice messages to mobile, home or office phones. Patients also can use their Internet-capable mobile devices to pay outstanding medical bills or balances. In addition, CVM Mobility also offers secure, HIPAA-compliant delivery of normal laboratory or test results by mobile phone, minimizing outbound dialing duties for healthcare staff.
CVM Mobility is part of a comprehensive suite of products that allows hospitals and clinics to provide patient self-service capabilities such as the NCR MediKiosk patient check-in solution, preregistration via the Web, Online BillPay, eSignature for digital capture of patient signatures and eClipboards, NCR’s wireless patient check-in solution.
Tuesday, 01 April 2008
MEQUON, Wis. — D2 Sales LLC has announced that Children’s Memorial Hospital of Chicago has added the My Patient Passport Express kiosk for its patient check-in program. The My Patient Passport Express kiosk allows patients to check-in, make future appointments and update their medical history all using a user-friendly touchscreen. Patients can use their credit card to make co-pay payments, and sign documents using the integrated electronic signature pad. The kiosks also provide records updating, co-pay payment acceptance and wayfinding and mapping features.
Wednesday, 19 March 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. — SeePoint Technology, a provider of interactive self-service solutions and touchscreen systems, debuted its KioHealth health-care solutions at the HIMSS health-care technology show in Orlando, Feb. 24-28. SeePoint’s KioHealth Division was created a few years ago to meet the needs of the health-care industry, seeking to contain costs while maintaining and improving operations and patient satisfaction.
The KioHealth solutions include touchscreen kiosks with HIPAA privacy screen filters to protect patient information, and antimicrobial treatment to protect patients from cross contamination of a wide variety of bacteria and fungi. In addition, KioHealth solutions include software applications that facilitate patient self check-in, facility wayfinding, patient surveys/testing, emergency room triage and many other h
ORLANDO, Fla. — SeePoint Technology, a provider of interactive self-service solutions and touchscreen systems, debuted its KioHealth health-care solutions at the HIMSS health-care technology show in Orlando, Feb. 24-28. SeePoint’s KioHealth Division was created a few years ago to meet the needs of the health-care industry, seeking to contain costs while maintaining and improving operations and patient satisfaction.
The KioHealth solutions include touchscreen kiosks with HIPAA privacy screen filters to protect patient information, and antimicrobial treatment to protect patients from cross contamination of a wide variety of bacteria and fungi. In addition, KioHealth solutions include software applications that facilitate patient self check-in, facility wayfinding, patient surveys/testing, emergency room triage and many other healthcare-specific functions.
ealthcare-specific functions.
Monday, 17 March 2008
MEQUON, Wis. — D2 Sales LLC has announced that Nemours, one of the nations’ largest children’s health systems, has selected the My Patient Passport Express for its kiosk-based patient check-in program.
"Nemours was excited to utilize new self-service kiosk technology to enhance the patient experience. We took a considerable amount of time determining what the enterprise model would look like, and D2 Sales took the time to help us make the best decisions for Nemours. They used their experience in the field to help guide us through the process. Being flexible, courteous and responsive helped make the hardware purchase of our pilot easy to manage," said Kathy Williams, business process consultant for Nemours.
The D2 My Patient Passport Express kiosk provides patients with the convenience of easy check-in and records updating, while providing co-pay payment acceptance and wayfinding and mapping features.
Thursday, 06 December 2007
LEICESTER, Leicestershire (UK) · Transitions Optical, a leader in Photochromics technology, recently won the Point-Of-Purchase Advertising International Silver Award for its Transitions Optical kiosk.
The aim of the project involved Working Solutions Ltd. working alongside Sector Design to introduce potential customers to the benefits of the Transitions technology at, and just before the point of purchase, in Optical Express and Pearle opticians stores located throughout the U.K. and the Netherlands. The system allows potential customers to discover the benefits of Transitions lenses.
The kiosks used the Acquire Digital Signage and Kiosk system to manage the playback and interactive system, including presenting the interactive content in multiple languages and collecting valuable usage information used in proving ROI. To ensure that the system was customer-friendly, Sector Design created a kiosk housing that took aspects of the stores, using modern materials, and also managed to encompass features such as height-adjustable screen and camera to create a unit that complemented any opticians' store, while being a point of interest to promote the Transitions material.
Working closely with Transitions, the team at Working Solutions took the concepts and developed the interactive system that leads the customer through the process of understanding the benefits, and even provides a simulation of the lenses in different light conditions so that customers can see the effects for themselves. The content also was designed to be used as a sales tool by staff members at the stores.
Monday, 03 December 2007
(Portland, Ore.) Business Journal: Long a mainstay in natural food markets, Healthnotes Inc. kiosks now can be found in mainstream grocery stores and pharmacies all over the country. The Portland company's roots go back to helping natural food retailers and pharmacies teach customers about natural supplements, vitamins and herbs. But the purveyor of educational touchscreen kiosks has expanded its focus to meats, produce and wine.
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Friday, 16 November 2007
MAITLAND, Fla. · Kings County Hospital Center, a public hospital located in Brooklyn, N.Y., plans to deploy self-service kiosks in its emergency department to streamline the check-in and triage process. The MediKiosk software solution from Galvanon automates patient registration and helps emergency department staff prioritize treatment based on medical urgency.
"Like many emergency departments, we experience extremely high patient volumes every day," said Albert Porco, CIO of Kings County Hospital Center. "By using MediKiosk to expedite the check-in process, we will be able to better manage wait-times and decrease stress associated with a visit to the emergency department."
When patients arrive at the Kings County emergency department, they proceed to the registration kiosk as opposed to waiting in line to explain their symptoms. They then identify themselves by entering their names on the touchscreen, along with an additional identifier, such as a birth date. Patients indicate their symptoms by pointing to areas on a body diagram where they feel pain and answering brief questions about the nature of their visit. Once the process is complete, the data is sent to the emergency room's main computer system, where a nurse is able to review and monitor patient information. This allows staff to provide patients with timely treatment based on medical need, not wait time.
Wednesday, 31 October 2007
Tech Journal South: Bart Foster came up with the idea for automated self-service vision testing kiosks in malls and other public places while at Duluth-GA-based CIBA Vision, the eye care unit of Novartis. Foster now heads SoloHealth, a spinout from CIBA, which is seeking from $2 million to $3 million in initial capital to move toward tests of the concept next year.
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Thursday, 25 October 2007
PORTLAND, Ore. · Healthnotes has announced an all-new kiosk platform for delivering its "Fresh Ideas" program to shoppers. Healthnotes new interactive kiosks can be deployed throughout the store to provide seasonally relevant product information, wellness content, recipes and promotions to shoppers.
The Healthnotes "Fresh Ideas" kiosk was featured at the Olea booth at KioskCom's Self Service Expo at the Javits Convention Center in New York.
The all-new Healthnotes kiosk platform is based on more than 10 years' experience designing customer-facing technology and was developed with Olea, a manufacturer of interactive self-service kiosks. The platform can be deployed as a free-standing pedestal (floor unit), a space-saving wall-mount or a convenient countertop unit, each featuring integrated thermal printing and hardware from industry leaders IBM or NCR.
The platform can feature IBM AnyPlace or NCR EasyPoint Advantage kiosk hardware, depending on the retailer's preference. To make deployment easy, the kiosk is wireless- and Ethernet-ready, with an optional cellular networking card.
"We're proud to work with Healthnotes on the next generation of their kiosk platform. Our expertise in designing retail-hardened kiosks coupled with Healthnotes experience in wellness marketing has culminated in a unique, compelling design that we believe will lead to higher usage by consumers and thus bring even more benefits to grocery retailers," said Frank Olea, vice president of Olea Inc.
Thursday, 13 September 2007
Business Week: It is strange to me that common practice in the service sector is still to test potential innovations with simple, written concept statements. Worse still are the companies that follow with an expensive pilot only to find that their promising concept missed the mark · because it focused on the button rather than on what the button meant to the person pushing it. When innovators at the Mayo Clinic wanted to create a self-service check-in experience as part of its world-renowned health-care service, they worked with paper and patients' imaginations to understand how users would expect it to work.
Read more
Friday, 31 August 2007
San Jose Mercury News: As kiosks become more user-friendly and capable of handling more complicated tasks, healthcare providers, fast food chains and other businesses say trading face-to-face encounters for face-to-monitor transactions improves service and saves money.
"Every time you see a door, there's an opportunity for a kiosk to be deployed," Juhi Jotwani, director of marketing and strategy for retail stores at Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM, likes to tell her staff.
Read more
Thursday, 23 August 2007
World Health Care Blog: Self-service is a growing element of chronic disease management, where patients check their own weight, blood pressure, glucose levels, and other clinical metrics that may indicate progress in getting them under control or a problem that a professional should handle. Enabling patients to use self-service to learn about the risks and benefits of alternative treatments or medications is a way to at least reduce the time professionals spend educating them.
Read more
Tuesday, 07 August 2007
MAITLAND, Fla. · Patients at the Georgia Heart Center, a service of the Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon, Ga., can now check in for medical appointments using kiosks. The heart center is the first MCCG department to deploy MediKiosk, a patient check-in solution provided by Galvanon, an NCR Corp. company.
MCCG serves the residents of central and south Georgia, with a service area of 28 counties that represents a population of approximately 750,000. The Medical Center has approximately 5,000 employees and a medical staff of more than 500 physicians.
Other prominent MediKiosk deployments have occurred in Texas, Illinois, New York, North Carolina and Florida.
"It is clear that our self-service approach enhances the patient experience," said Jane Gray of MCCG. "When we went live, we received an overwhelmingly positive response from our patients, a majority of whom are senior citizens. In addition, MediKiosk works seamlessly with our existing IT systems, enabling us to streamline the registration process, improve our workflow and collect co-pays at check-in."
Later this year, MCCG also expects to deploy MediKiosk at its new Albert L. "Buddy"� Luce Heart Institute.
Research suggests that MediKiosk decreases registration time by 75 percent and increases patient throughput by 10 percent. More than 90 percent of patients who have used the kiosks nationwide are satisfied with their experience.
Wednesday, 25 July 2007
Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald: Slide a debit card into an ATM and can get some cash. Slide a debit card into a new machine in Mercy Hospital's emergency room and get some heavy-duty painkillers or antibiotics. Mercy is the first hospital in the Omaha area, and one of a handful of healthcare centers in Iowa, to get a pharmacy kiosk aimed at outpatients.
Read more
Monday, 23 July 2007
The (Beckley, W.Va.) Register-Herald: Low vision is a visual impairment not correctable by regular eyeglasses, contact lenses, medicine or surgery. It interferes with a person's ability to perform everyday activities. In an effort to increase awareness about low vision, The Eye Site, a traveling exhibit that includes five interactive kiosks, is touring the United States.
Read more
Friday, 20 July 2007
MILPITAS, Calif. · Solectron Corp., which was recently purchased by Flextronics, has announced that pharmacy-automation supplier Parata Systems LLC has chosen Solectron to manufacture Parata's kiosks. Solectron's Creedmoor, N.C. facility will manufacture the system.
Parata's kiosks give consumers a self-service option for picking up refill prescriptions, in some cases even when the pharmacy is closed. Installed at the pharmacy counter, Parata's kiosks hold up to 448 prescriptions.
Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Newsday.com: A soon-to-be-released Alzheimer's study is expected to include a look at in-home interactive kiosks that administer monthly memory and cognition tests, as well as track when seniors forget to take their medicines.
Read more
Thursday, 07 June 2007
Dallas Morning News: Instead of standing in line · sometimes for hours · just to explain their symptoms, Parkland Memorial Hospital's patients now type their woes into a computer at one of three automated check-in kiosks. While similar machines are popping up nationally to check in patients at medical clinics, Parkland officials say Parkland is among the first to use kiosks in a hospital emergency room.
Read more
Thursday, 24 May 2007
WIFR.com: Rockford Memorial Hospital, in Illinois, has deployed an interactive kiosk to portray the harmful effects of smoking. Tobacco addicts can see how their lung functions compare to those of non-smokers. It also captures an image of the user's face and shows versions of what it will look like at age 70 if the user continues to smoke and if the user quits.
Watch the video.
Wednesday, 23 May 2007
Medical Laboratory World: Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust has chosen MSoft's blood tracking solution, which incorporates IBM kiosk technology, to enhance patient safety and assist with the implementation of lean management.
Read more.
Monday, 21 May 2007
(Elmira/Corning, N.Y.) Star-Gazette: The Laurel Health System is offering a new, self-directed program to educate pregnant smokers about the benefits of refraining from smoking during pregnancy and quitting beyond the birth of their child. The kiosk-based program uses learning concepts developed by Penn State educators and researchers, the Clean Air for Healthy Children and St. Andrew Development Inc., according to a Laurel press release.
Read more
Monday, 07 May 2007
PORTLAND, Ore. · Healthnotes has launched Healthy Living kiosks for pharmacy and nutrition departments located in its redesigned Fresh Ideas Centers, the company announced in a news release.
Shoppers can used the kiosks to find healthy recipes and tips for preparing fresh foods.
The update to Healthnotes Connect includes a recipe partner program that gives shoppers access to fast, easy and healthy family recipes from food magazines and cookbooks. The touchscreen kiosks allow users to browse using personal tastes and/or special dietary requirements. The new fresh-foods focus also incorporates shopping tips for organic selections.
Department-specific homescreens feature new recipes every week and a new look every month.
Wednesday, 02 May 2007
MAITLAND, Fla. · Galvanon, an NCR Corp. company, announced new contracts with Dreyer Medical Clinic, Scarsdale Medical Group and Medical Clinic of North Texas. All three customers will license MediKiosk, a patient self-service check-in solution that allows patients to identify themselves upon arrival at the facility, view and confirm demographic and insurance information, electronically sign consent documents and make co-payments.
This self-service approach helps each clinic streamline the patient registration process, shorten wait times for patients and reduce administrative costs. All information entered by patients at check-in flows seamlessly to a clinic's back-end systems, helping to minimize the risk of error.
"These new contracts reinforce the important role that self-service technology can play in the health-care setting. By using MediKiosk, all three clinics will benefit from a paperless workflow that saves valuable staff time, increases data accuracy and improves overall efficiency," said Raj Toleti, president of Galvanon. "In addition, patients will appreciate the added convenience the kiosks provide, including shorter wait times. Clinics that have already implemented MediKiosk report they have reduced check-in times for visits by 50 percent."
Dreyer Medical Clinic is located in Aurora, Ill., Scarsdale Medical Group is in Scarsdale, N.Y., and Medial Clinic of North Texas is based in Dallas.
Wednesday, 18 April 2007
Rfidjournal.com: Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network, a group of three hospitals in eastern Pennsylvania, is gearing up to track surgical patients with an ultra-wideband RFID system. The hospital network hopes the technology improves communication among staff and patients' families and friends, ultimately providing better and more efficient care.
Read more
Tuesday, 10 April 2007
DURHAM, N.C. · Parata Systems LLC announced that it has acquired assets related to automated technology that allows prescription pickup via self-service kiosks from Amistar
and Distributed Delivery Networks Corp.
The deal is expected to fuel the company's growth and bring new jobs to the region.
"We continue to be energized by the high growth we've sustained over our six-year history," said Jess Eberdt, chief executive of Parata.
Eberdt said APMs offer consumers greater access and convenience in the pharmacy. Where state regulations allow, self-service kiosks let customers quickly pick up their prescriptions, even when the pharmacy is closed.
"APMs are an ideal way to extend consumers' access and improve service times for prescription pickup, two priorities among retail consumers today," Eberdt said. "APMs in pharmacy offer the same benefits of interactive self-service that consumers have come to appreciate in other industries where safety and privacy are a priority, such as banking and airline travel."
Monday, 02 April 2007
Healthcare IT News: A project funded two years ago by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has successfully deployed a patient-centered kiosk technology called ParentLink at two Massachusetts hospitals.
Read more
Monday, 26 March 2007
Canada.com: Canada may not have two-tier health care, but the Scarborough Hospital is plunging into self-service health care. No, it's not handing out suture kits or defibrillators to patients, but rather installing computer kiosks that will allow a patient to update his or her condition, in eight different languages, while waiting to be seen by the triage nurse or admitted into the ER.
Thursday, 01 March 2007
MAITLAND, Fla. · Galvanon, an NCR Corp.company, announced that Carolinas HealthCare System has deployed the MediKiosk patient self-service solution to streamline patient check in. CHS, the largest healthcare system in the Carolinas and third-largest not-for-profit system in the United States, has launched the MediKiosk at the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C.
MediKiosk provides patient check-in and checkout processes by allowing patients to identify themselves upon arrival, view and confirm demographic and insurance information, electronically sign consent documents, enter medical history information and make co-payments.
Patients can choose to interact with the kiosk in either English or Spanish. Patient information flows to the hospital's back-end system, reducing administrative costs and minimizing the risk of error.
Galvanon's MediKiosk is part of a suite of products that allows hospitals and clinics to provide patient self-service capabilities such as pre-registration via the Web, online bill payment and wireless patient check in.
Monday, 12 February 2007
MAITLAND, Fla. — Galvanon, an NCR Corp. company, announced that Philadelphia's Jefferson Health System will license Galvanon's patient self-service technology.
According to a news release, Main Line Health will be the first JHS member to implement Galvanon's MediKiosk throughout its facilities.
Galvanon's MediKiosk is part of a comprehensive suite of products that allows hospitals and clinics to provide patient self-service capabilities. When a patient arrives for an appointment, he enters identifying information at the kiosk to begin the check-in process. The kiosk allows the patient to view and confirm appointment details, electronically sign consent forms, enter medical information, and make co-payments.
Friday, 02 February 2007
Sewickley Herald: You can order a sandwich at Sheetz, scan groceries at Giant Eagle and withdraw money from a savings account with the press of a fingertip. Now that same finger can reduce wait times at some Heritage Valley Health System affiliates.
Using touchscreen kiosks, patients may bypass traditional methods of a person behind a desk typing in their information and check in themselves for blood work, X-rays and other procedures.
Read more
Tuesday, 16 January 2007
MAITLAND, Fla. · Intermountain Orthopaedics, one of Idaho's fastest-growing musculoskeletal medical groups, announced it has implemented self-service check-in kiosks that allow patients to identify themselves upon arrival for an appointment, enter or verify demographic information, sign consent forms, and make copayments. The technology, called MediKiosk, is provided by Galvanon, an NCR Corp. company.
When a patient arrives for an appointment, he or she swipes a driver's license or credit card on the kiosk and enter another identifier such as a birth date to begin the check-in process. Any new information provided by the patient automatically flows to the group's practice-management and electronic-medical-records systems, which are provided by NextGen Healthcare Information Systems Inc.
The functionality eliminates the need for staff to manually enter patient data or scan forms.
"MediKiosk provides added convenience for our patients and allows them to check in for appointments more quickly than the previous paper-based system," said David Kirk, administrator at Intermountain Orthopaedics. "Our staff is also freed up to deliver more personalized care, rather than focusing on paperwork and data entry. The end result is a considerable increase in staff productivity and patient satisfaction."
Automating the patient check-in process also allows Intermountain Orthopaedics to reduce costs associated with printing and storing paper forms. It also has helped increase the accuracy of demographic and insurance information captured during registration.
Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Fox28.com: An Indiana hospital has teamed up with the March of Dimes to help parents of premature babies. A new computer kiosk now sits in the waiting room outside the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Memorial Hospital. These new kiosks cost about $60,000.
Read more
Wednesday, 13 December 2006
The Star-Ledger: Robert Dela Gente loves the big, shiny kiosk in his office hallway. Several times a day, the family physician enters a code on the kiosk's small screen, opens a drawer containing samples of nearly two-dozen generic drugs and hands a bottle to a patient.
Read more
Thursday, 07 December 2006
24dash.com: A new system that lets air passengers sign up to voluntary biometric scanning is being unveiled at London's Heathrow Airport. Passengers on some Cathay Pacific and Emirates flights will be invited to join the trial, which allows them to check in by scanning their passports and right index fingers.
Read more
Thursday, 26 October 2006
Orlando Business Journal: Galvanon, an NCR Corp. company, has signed contracts with Emergency Health Center LLC of Houston and MedCenter One of Bismarck, N.D., for its self-service patient check-in kiosks. The value of the contracts was not disclosed.
The kiosks have been credited with streamlining the check-in process, resulting in shorter wait times for patients, improved efficiency and reduced administrative costs, said Galvanon president Raj Toleti.
Read more
Wednesday, 25 October 2006
SAN DIEGO · Asteres Inc. has received its first patent. According to a news release, Asteres' ScriptCenter is the first technology operating in the retail market today that is covered by a patent focused on the delivery of finished prescriptions to consumers.
Asteres develops secure self-service kiosks for the storage and delivery of consumer products. Asteres' premier product is ScriptCenter, a prescription pick-up kiosk for retail pharmacies.
The Asteres patent contains 94 separate claims covering various methods for delivering finished prescriptions directly to consumers, including claims covering its high-volume, auto-dispensing technology, ScriptCenter.
The company said it intends to "pursue aggressively additional intellectual property development and protection, including numerous patent applications pending in the United States and worldwide."
"We are very pleased to be awarded this breakthrough patent," said John Beane, Asteres' co-founder and vice president of strategic product development. "Next to the employees, our intellectual property is our greatest asset. In an emerging market, it is critical to be the first mover and have substantiated patent claims with freedom to operate. This patent cements Asteres' position as the market maker and market leader."
Monday, 16 October 2006
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Fred Zercoe likes to get a good reading on his health without the help of a nurse or doctor. He can check his blood pressure, pulse and other vital signs with the HomeMed Wellness Center. "You can do it with your eyes closed after you've used it a few times," said Zercoe, a retired claims adjuster. The kiosk works with the swipe of a card.
Read more
Wednesday, 06 September 2006
MAITLAND, Fla. · Healthcare self-service solutions provider Galvanon Inc., a subsidiary of NCR Corp., announced in a news release that Harlingen, Texas-based Valley Baptist Health System has signed an enterprise contract to license the Galvanon MediKiosk patient check-in solution at its affiliated facilities.
Under the agreement, Valley Baptist will use Galvanon's self-service kiosks to automate patient-registration processes and enable real-time membership-eligibility checking at its network of hospitals and clinics.
The contract follows a successful pilot program at Valley Baptist's two outpatient-rehabilitation centers where patients used MediKiosk to identify themselves, confirm demographic and insurance information, make co-payments and electronically sign documents at check-in.
The health system also is working with Galvanon to facilitate real-time eligibility checks for members of Valley Baptist Health Plan, an affiliate of the health system serving more than 15,000 members in the Rio Grande Valley. Upon arrival for an appointment, health-plan members can swipe their membership cards directly on the kiosk, triggering an eligibility check in the health plan's information system. The status of the eligibility check flows directly to the facility's registration system through Galvanon's common server platform, enabling the real-time exchange of data between MediKiosk and Valley Baptist's back-end systems. Having access to eligibility information prior to the time of service will allow the health system to reduce claim denials and speed payment for medical services.
"Galvanon's technology fits seamlessly with our vision of developing the most efficient way to manage health information across the enterprise," said Jim Barbaglia, chief information officer of Valley Baptist Health System. "By expanding our self-service strategy to include real-time eligibility checking, we will not only benefit from more streamlined workflow processes, but we will also have the resources in place to submit cleaner claims, reduce accounts-receivable backlogs and improve cash flow."
Sunday, 06 August 2006
BURTONSVILLE, Md. · Lifeclinic International Inc., manufacturer and distributor of automated health testing kiosks, and 3M Digital Signage have announced an initiative to develop a digital advertising and health information network designed to provide consumers with relevant health and product information in their local pharmacies.
According to a news release, participating pharmacies will be equipped with an Internet-connected Lifeclinic health kiosk. These kiosks will perform all the blood-pressure checks and health self-monitoring services, currently provided by Lifeclinic systems, with the added benefit of synchronizing the user's health information with relevant product information.
3M Digital Signage software will enable Lifeclinic and its media production partners to schedule, distribute and play media-file playlists at multiple, identified store locations.
Friday, 04 August 2006
Washington Times: Patients of Prince William Hospital in Manassas soon will be able to swipe identification cards through a machine, sign consent forms and submit co-payments -- all without visiting front-desk workers and dealing with a clipboard of papers.
MediKiosks for self-service check-in will be available starting in September. Sales of the machines have grown 200 percent every year since manufacturer Galvanon put them on the market in 2003, said Raj Toleti, president of the Maitland, Fla., NCR subsidiary.
Read more.
Monday, 31 July 2006
Dailybreeze.com: Some things, a person would rather tell a computer. That's one reason the staff at an Orange County hospital has deployed its computerized alcohol screening intervention kiosk.
Read more.
Thursday, 27 July 2006
Australian IT: In a bid to increase in-store sales, pharmacists across Australia are installing computer terminals, kiosks and televisions to help inform customers. Customers can use the terminals to look up illnesses and the best products to treat their symptoms. Melbourne-based iVision has installed more than 150 terminals in pharmacies around the country, with plans to expand to more than 1,500 locations over the next 18 months. Stuart Hayes, managing director of iVision, said the concept follows on from the success of digital signage in pharmacies in Britain, where some advertisers have seen product sales increases of up to 180 percent.
Read more
Thursday, 13 July 2006
Derbyshire Evening Telegraph: An information kiosk is being introduced to Derby City General Hospital to teach people about fire safety.
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service and Derby City Partnership want to reduce the risk of fire in people's homes.
Read more.
Friday, 07 July 2006
Hindu Business Line: The Kerala Government is setting up a series of kiosks attached to hospitals to facilitate immediate registration of births and deaths.
The "hospital kiosks," which are coming up at important hospitals in various municipal areas, would also help distribute the birth and death certificates. The registrations would be made electronically at the kiosks.
Read more.
Friday, 23 June 2006
bizjournals.com: Duke University Medical Center announced Friday that it will use an IBM technology to speed physician access to patients' electronic medical records.
The system will enable Duke's 1,500-plus faculty physicians and 800-plus staff to access records from any laptop, workstation or computer kiosk in any Duke clinic or hospital in the Triangle with a single password. The cost of the system was not disclosed.
Currently, physicians and nurses use several different log-in names and passwords depending on what type of information they are seeking. Many tasks require them to call a central help desk for assistance.
Read more.
Wednesday, 21 June 2006
WEST CHESTER, Pa. -- MEI announced the integration of its bill acceptor technology into the BodySpex kiosk, an electronic scale that measures body fat and body composition. With the scale, users insert a few dollars to test important health indicators like total weight, body fat percentage, fat mass, lean mass, metabolism, and body-mass index.
BodySpex kiosks utilize bioelectric impedance analysis technology and feature an MEI bill acceptor to collect cash payments for each use. Simple-to-follow touchscreen instructions and audio prompts guide users through their tests. Results are displayed on-screen or are available on a printout, so users can take results home or to their health professional. Through a wireless Internet connection, the kiosks also send each user's fitness data to a secure account online at BodySpex.com, where each user's test results are automatically stored and displayed in easy-to-read charts.
"These kinds of tests used to be administered in doctors' offices and health facilities by an attendant," said Justin McGilvery, marketing director at BodySpex. "With our do-it-yourself interface and reliable cash acceptor, BodySpex kiosks can now be placed in any location, making health monitoring readily accessible and affordable for the general public."
Monday, 19 June 2006
ytnews.com: Alzheimer's disease is degenerative and leads to a collapse of brain functions. A new Israeli computer program attempts to slow down deterioration in patients' brains.
The computerized system, which was developed by students from the engineering faculty at Ben-Gurion University, projects images, sounds, and texts from the patient's past and stimulates him to remember past events.
The computer system, which is designed for the use of patients and their families, includes a computer and touch-screen monitor installed with information from the patient's life; when operating it patients can view and react to images, sounds and texts. Two students, Moshe Barel and Yoni Epstein, developed the system.
Read more.
Thursday, 04 May 2006
East Hanover, N.J. — Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation installed touchscreen kiosks manufactured by Redondo Beach, Calif. -based SeePoint Technology, at its headquarters in East Hanover, N.J.
Novartis Pharmaceuticals operates from a 200-acre property, employing 11,200 people who work from more than 20 buildings spread out across the sprawling campus. Novartis looked to SeePoint to devise a self-service solution that would help the pharmaceutical company manage the influx of hundreds of visitors who come to the East Hanover site each day.
The kiosks provide Novartis with two important benefits. First, every visitor must check in at one of the kiosks upon arriving at the campus. Novartis can use this information to determine almost instantly who is on the premises. Second, visitors can also use the kiosks to view and print three dimensional maps with step-by-step instructions on how to get from the check-in point to the visitor's ultimate destination.
The sleek profile and elegant appearance of the SeePoint's Sterling stainless steel kiosks made incorporating the systems across the campus easy. All of SeePoint's touchscreen kiosks, including those in the Sterling line, are fully integrated systems which do not require on-site assembly, cabling or wiring.
Novartis also selected a number of add-ons. The kiosks feature a 19-inch touch interface to display the campus maps. Additionally, thermal printers provide full size (8.5 inch wide) printouts as a takeaway for visitors to navigate to their destinations. These printers provide clarity and detail without the expense of a laser printer. Overhead signage on the kiosks informs visitors of the purpose and use.
Friday, 28 April 2006
BEAVERTON, Ore.-(BUSINESS WIRE)--Planar Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLNR), a worldwide leader in flat-panel display systems, today announced it has selected ATI Technologies Inc. (TSX:ATY) (NASDAQ:ATYT) to provide advanced graphics processing technology for its medical imaging products. ATI is a global leader in the design and manufacturing of innovative 3D graphics, PC platform technologies and digital media silicon solutions. In an ongoing strategic effort for growth in digital imaging initiatives, Planar delivers the Dome AX4, built with the new ATI FireGL(TM) V3400, which is a commercially-available workstation graphics board created to dramatically accelerate the speed at which users can load, review, report and communicate patient cases with clinical colleagues.
With the integration of the ATI FireGL V3400, Planar's Dome EX series, designed for applications in radiology, cardiology, nuclear medicine (NM), positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), magnetic resonance (MR), ultrasound (US), dermatology and the operating room (OR), allows users to experience enhanced visualization of various color modalities, 2D color imaging, image fusion and 3D imaging with faster delivery and image processing.
In addition, the introduction of the Dome AX4 is enabling the integration of 3D volumetric rendering and texturing, which require the use of Open GL or DirectX acceleration, into Picture Archiving and Communications Systems (PACS). This allows healthcare professionals to rapidly load and view multiple grayscale and color images in a variety of formats in real time.
"Planar continues to provide customers with multiple options integrating the latest in graphics processing technology," said Patrick Herguth, vice president and general manager of the medical business unit for Planar. "ATI's premier stature in the graphics controller market coincides with Planar's stature in diagnostic imaging displays. This collaboration provides the customer with a best-in-class product offering while complying with RoHS standards."
In July of this year, RoHS-compliancy standards will be enforced in Europe, with the U.S. to follow in 2007. Planar and ATI are committed to developing and providing products for the medical imaging market that comply with this new regulation, like the Dome AX4, ATI FireGL V3400.
"ATI is dedicated to the creation of innovative display technology for cutting-edge solutions and we're excited to be working with Planar, a leader in the PACS medical imaging market," said Joe Chien, general manager, Workstation Group ATI. "Powered by an advanced ATI FireGL Graphics Processor Unit, the FireGL V3400 enables Planar to provide its customers with unprecedented image fidelity, performance and flexibility."
ATI FireGL V3400 graphics controller boards will be offered with Planar's Dome series: E2, E2c, E3, E3c and E4c, as well as the P1 Bundle and P2 Bundle, providing the ultimate in 3D acceleration capability. This ATI next-generation card provides stability and quality to the Dome AX4 via extended driver and technical support and long-term manufacturability.
The Dome EX line will be showcased at the Society for Computer Applications in Radiology (SCAR) show April 27-30, 2006, in San Antonio, Texas, at Booth #109. Please visit the booth or contact Niccole Muraca at 781-464-2537 or if you are interested in speaking with a Planar representative at the show.
About Planar
Planar Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLNR) is a leading provider of flat-panel display hardware and software solutions for demanding medical, industrial and commercial applications. Hospitals, shopping centers, banks and businesses of all sizes use Planar display technology to help connect people, information and ideas. Founded in 1983, Planar is headquartered in Oregon, with offices, manufacturing partners and customers worldwide. For more information, visit www.planar.com.
Tuesday, 25 April 2006
MAITLAND, Fla. — Galvanon, an NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) company, today announced that Spartanburg, S.C.-based Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System (SRHS) has implemented Galvanon's MediKiosk at its Village at Pelham facility to automate patient registration and reduce costly paper-based processes.
With Galvanon's self-service check-in kiosks, SRHS patients will be able to identify themselves upon arrival at the facility, view and confirm demographic and insurance information and electronically sign documents. This self-service approach to patient registration results in a faster, more streamlined check-in process that minimizes wait times for patients, improves registration accuracy and reduces administrative costs.
"Since we went live with Galvanon's technology, we've had an extremely positive reaction from patients and staff. Patients are impressed by the new technology and how easy it is to use," said Ray Shingler, vice president of information technology for Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System. "Our staff members also enjoy the new paperless workflow, which gives them more time to focus on patient care."
"Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System is known throughout the industry for its innovative approaches to patient care, and we are pleased SRHS chose Galvanon's cutting-edge technology to build on its technology success," said Raj Toleti, president of Galvanon. "By using MediKiosk, SRHS will increase patient satisfaction, streamline patient flow and eliminate costly paper-based processes."
About Galvanon
Galvanon, an NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) company, helps health care organizations enhance the patient experience at home, in the hospital and in the physician's office through innovative solutions such as kiosks, Web self-service applications and technology that streamlines everyday patient interactions and improves patient flow through the health care process.
About NCR Corporation
NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) is a leading global technology company helping businesses build stronger relationships with their customers. NCR's Teradata data warehouses, ATMs, retail systems, self-service solutions and IT services provide Relationship Technology that maximizes the value of customer interactions and helps organizations create a stronger competitive position. Based in Dayton, Ohio, NCR (www.ncr.com) employs approximately 28,200 people worldwide.
NCR, NCR EasyPoint, NCR FastLane, NCR RealPOS, NCR RealPrice, NCR RealScan, NCR RealSolutions, Online BillPay, MediKiosk, eClipboard and Teradata are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCR Corporation in the United States and other countries.
Tuesday, 07 March 2006
2006-03-07 Holtsville, NY - Symbol Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:SBL), The Enterprise Mobility Company, today announced that Frederiksberg Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in Copenhagen, Denmark, has selected a Symbol enterprise mobility solution to help maximize patient care by reducing the potential for hospital error during the process of administering medication. Frederiksberg Hospital has also increased the productivity of nurses and doctors by equipping them with Symbol mobile computers that can capture vitals and chart information instantaneously, ultimately allowing them to treat more patients.
Frederiksberg Hospital is using Symbol MC50 Enterprise Digital Assistants (EDA), and PPT8846 mobile computers, along with Symbol WS5100 wireless switches and AP300 access ports, and Symbol's Mobility Services Platform (MSP) to securely capture, move, and manage critical patient information for more accurate and timely medication administration. Healthcare professionals at Frederiksberg Hospital can now scan the bar code identification on a patient's wristband and review their medical history along with the correct medication and dosage to administer -- dramatically reducing the paper-based patient documentation that can be a source of medication and patient care errors.
"Hospitals need to do everything possible to reduce the potential for mistakes and to provide the maximum service to patients," said Jeppe Hansen, Consultant MD, Frederiksberg Hospital. "Symbol's solution helps us accomplish this, while also streamlining our everyday hospital procedures to allow nurses to spend more time with patients rather than on paperwork."
With Symbol's MSP, Frederiksberg Hospital can also remotely manage, deploy and install new applications on Symbol mobile computers and EDAs, saving time and operational costs. MSP provides Frederiksberg Hospital with a scalable platform and a single point of control, allowing for easy management of the entire enterprise mobility solution.
"Medication administration applications have been shown to reduce errors by more than 80 percent," said Ken Kleinberg, senior director of healthcare industry solutions at Symbol Technologies. "By combining Symbol's innovative technologies with a medication administration application, doctors and nurses at Frederiksberg Hospital can ensure that the right patients get the right medication in the right dose at the right time via the right route of delivery."
Axcess, an authorized reseller specializing in delivering network solutions to Danish enterprises, ensured that Frederiksberg Hospital's solution was scaleable and included a highly secure wireless infrastructure that would conform to existing and future standards.
"The gains in productivity at Frederiksberg Hospital are significant, demonstrating an increasing trend in the healthcare sector to invest in enterprise mobility solutions that maximize patient care and offer operational efficiencies," said Stig Abildso, CEO, Axcess.
About Symbol Technologies
Symbol Technologies, Inc., The Enterprise Mobility Company, is a recognized worldwide leader in enterprise mobility, delivering products and solutions that capture, move and manage information in real time to and from the point of business activity. Symbol enterprise mobility solutions integrate advanced data capture products, radio frequency identification technology, mobile computing platforms, wireless infrastructure, mobility software and world-class services programs under the Symbol Enterprise Mobility Services brand. Symbol enterprise mobility products and solutions are proven to increase workforce productivity, reduce operating costs, drive operational efficiencies and realize competitive advantages for the world's leading companies.
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