Like many other hospitals, Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Wash., is committed to keeping patients safe from preventable medical errors. What sets the 623-bed Providence Services Eastern Washington (PSEW) hospital apart is its willingness to explore new patient safety technology and share lessons learned with other hospitals.

Since 1999, Sacred Heart has been testing a patient safety system from Bridge Medical called MedPoint. The barcode-enabled point-of-care (BPOC) software system uses expert databases and wireless communications to prevent medication errors. The latest release, MedPoint 3.0, also helps hospitals prevent potential errors involving blood transfusions or lab specimen collection.

Today, Sacred Heart announced a new contract to deploy the now thoroughly tested and proven software throughout Sacred Heart and four other PSEW facilities.

"Sacred Heart was Bridge's first development partner west of the Mississippi," notes Bridge VP Kris Wanamaker. "This new contract makes them our largest single hospital customer west of the Mississippi."

The contract will eventually impact the safety of a million-plus medication administrations annually, explains Sacred Heart CEO Ryland "Skip" Davis. "In light of our success with Bridge, our sister hospitals have elected to deploy MedPoint, too.

A number of Sacred Heart nursing units are currently "live" with MedPoint. "Once Sacred Heart is house-widemost likely by year-endwe will begin 'rolling out' MedPoint at the other PSEW hospitals," says Davis.

"Our pharmacists are pleased with the system," says Sacred Heart Director of Pharmacy Larry Bettesworth, PharmD, RPh, "because it will give nurses and pharmacists more time to devote to patients. MedPoint automatically generates an electronic Medication Administration Record (eMAR) as well as other reports that reduce paperwork. Even our risk managers now have a few less risks to worry about."

Adds Sacred Heart
'"/>

Contact: Carol Somer
csomer@bridgemedical.com
858-314-5538
Bridge Medical, Inc.
20-Jun-2002

Page: 1 2
Related medicine news :

1. University of Washington joins new Autism Treatment Network to provide better medical services
2. National Chemistry Week celebrates health and wellness in Washington, D.C., area
3. Highlights of Washington University Alzheimers Research at National Conference
4. Georgetown University receives $6.5 million grant to enhance emergency preparedness in Washington
5. The Gerontological Society of America confers 2003 Freeman Award to U. of Washingtons Abrass
6. OneWorld Health licenses compounds from Yale, U of Washington to treat major parasitic diseases
7. U of Washington establishes $9 million center to study hepatitis-induced liver disease
8. Assoc. of American Medical Colleges honors University of Washington medical school
9. Bridge Medical shares expertise at Washington Patient Safety Conference
10. FINAL ALERT: RPB Science Writers Seminar in Eye Research to be held in Washington, DC Sept. 22-25
11. University of Washington developing AI caretakers for Alzheimers sufferers