The annual HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition was in Q1, and “smart hospital” was the buzzy term on everyone’s lips.
According to Anna Schoenbaum, VP of Applications and Digital Health at Penn Medicine, a smart hospital is one that’s “connected, intelligent and adaptive.”
We’re inclined to agree.
Smart clinical tech – like smart people – isn’t rigid. It’s flexible. Like a catheter. Done right, it’s almost unnoticeable. But unlike a catheter: good technology is so comfy you won’t ever want to be rid of it.
From Technical to Clinical: The Evolution of Implementation
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Making the Rounds - Clinical News Worth Knowing
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What’s Next in Connected Care
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The Check Up
From Technical to Clinical Transforming Implementation Approaches
A hospital is a living organism. A complex, adaptive system with interconnected parts all working together to maintain and improve the lives it supports. It’s an ecosystem unto itself.
Jan Capps, MSN, RN, PMP, (Director of Clinical Services and Outcomes at Connexall) and the team of advanced practice nurses that work with her on the Connexall Clinical Elevate program, know you can’t dump software on a clinical staff and cross your fingers it will take root.
For successful implementation, you need a program that promotes active listening, a robust time commitment (12 months and 85+ hours for Clinical Elevate), and a clinical-first/human-first ethos.
Here’s how Jan and her team use deep listening and direct observation to implement tech that suits the needs and protocols of hospital staff, rather than forcing adoption for adoption’s sake.
Phase 1 - Asking the big questions
It’s the nurses and team members—the staff on the front lines—who know where the communication gaps are in any given hospital. So in phase one, the Clinical Elevate team:
Partners with clinical leadership to uncover acute pain points
Assesses whether nurses are self-triaging or ignoring non-critical notifications.
Evaluates whether a cycle of “wait and see” is impacting patient safety.
Reviews current policies and alarm response protocols.
Phase 2 - Observing, listening, partnering
Experienced clinical specialists observe on-site workflows, and evaluate any physical/environmental factors that might impact communication.
Things like:
Communication gaps that occur during handoff transitions
Muddied cross-departmental interactions
Lack of oversight during equipment setup and deployment
This phase is all about close partnership: “It's our clinical solution specialist with their informatics team working directly with their bedside clinicians,” says Jan.
Phase 3 - Running the numbers
Your data analysis is only as good as your underlying data.
In the final phase, the Clinical Elevate team ingests and analyzes all insights to deliver a bespoke action plan and measurable improvements, based on the specific pain points of each client.
One they’re particularly proud of: Since their initial rollout, Novant has pushed the Clinical Elevate system out across 12 of their facilities, and has seen a 43% reduction in alarms across sites.
A Moment with Jan Capps
The Clinical Elevate Difference
After the success of Novant and with nine engagements already underway this year, Jan is clear about what sets Clinical Elevate apart.
“The technology we deploy is one very, very small piece.” Jan says. Operational readiness, clinical adoption, and training come first—and make the biggest impact.
The Seeds of Silence
If you want to learn more about how the Clinical Elevate team partners with hospitals to reduce alarm fatigue and revolutionize workflows, you can read the full playbook here.
We want to hear from you (we told you we care about connection), so each issue we’ll provide a clinical fill-in-the-blank. Reply with your answer. We’ll share the best responses in our next issue of Clinical Pulse.
Fill in the blank:
“In our hospital, the most challenging aspect of alarm management is _______.”
Reply to this email with your responses (and a chance to be featured!).
Thanks for reading Clinical Pulse.
Remember, a connected hospital is a thriving hospital.
Until next time,
The Connexall Team
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