72-year-old uses an iPad to check in at a hospital (saving check-in times) #HIMSS11

You're never too old to learn something new. I'm attending the annual HIMSS conference and I wanted to share this interesting press release about NIIT Healthcare Technologies:

NEW HEALTHCARE IT PILOT PROGRAM CUTTING PATIENT CHECK-IN TIMES BY 80 PERCENT

-- iPad-enabled program links patients, physicians and hospitals on a common technology platform –

ORLANDO, Fla. @HIMSS 2011 (February 20, 2011) – Patients too old for technology? Tell that to the 72-year-old who recently used an iPad to check in for his procedure at South Lake Hospital.

“He was delighted with the process, partly because it was a new experience for him but primarily because his check-in time was under two minutes,” said Pranam Ben, COO and head of NIIT Healthcare Technologies. “We’ve found that regardless of the patient’s age or experience with technology, their overall satisfaction with the program has been exceptional.”



NIIT Healthcare Technologies partnered with the hospital last month to launch a pilot program that tests an all-new IT product called “MASH,” so named as it enables healthcare providers to Manage, Analyze, Sustain and Harness information. MASH allows patients to use a customized iPad to check in, verify and update information and sign electronic consents, rather than complete traditional paperwork. The technology also allows hospital staff to track wait and service times by modality.



“We are very encouraged from the results so far,” said Lalit Dhingra, president of NIIT Technologies. “This new platform is elevating patient service and we are looking forward to promoting it nationwide.”



“We couldn’t be happier with the initial results,” said Lance Sewell, CFO of South Lake Hospital, a 122-bed suburban hospital outside Orlando. The hospital has initially launched the program to check in scheduled radiology procedures but plans to soon expand the scope to potentially include its women’s center and emergency department.

Sewell estimates that with MASH, patient check-in times have been reduced by 80 percent.

“The efficiencies were immediately apparent, especially during mornings, when volume is typically higher for diagnostic procedures,” Sewell said. “Patients are getting through check-in much faster and are ready to be seen for their procedures within minutes of arriving for their appointments. All indications are that MASH will allow us to deliver even higher levels of patient care and convenience, which is a top priority for us.”

While the pilot program at South Lake Hospital is testing patient check-in and registration, the platform is fully compatible with HIS, EMR, EHR, ADT and scheduling systems, and integrates and automates online bill paying, health records management, online pre-registration and scheduling, and secure messaging among care providers both inside and outside the hospital. The platform also allows for targeted communications with patients on the iPad based on various criteria such as location, age and service requested.

To learn more about MASH and other NIIT Healthcare Technologies products, please visit HIMSS Booth #5985.


About NIIT Healthcare Technologies

Based in Orlando, Florida, NIIT Healthcare Technologies creates IT solutions that enable healthcare providers to achieve better clinical outcomes, increase patient satisfaction, and improve patient and physician loyalty. The company has two proprietary platforms that “bridge the care gap”: Preferr, a SaaS-based electronic health records and referral management platform that accelerates meaningful use compliance; and MASH (Manage, Analyze, Sustain, Harness) that connects the patient, physician and provider on a common technology platform. For more information, visit www.niithealthcare.com.


NIIT Healthcare Technologies is a division of NIIT Technologies, a global IT solutions organization that services customers in travel, insurance, financial services and manufacturing sectors in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.


HIMSS11 coverage is sponsored by HP and Practice Fusion. HP’s extensive portfolio of products, solutions, services and relationships can help your healthcare organization achieve quality business practices and provide quality patient care. Practice Fusion's free EHR is the fastest growing Electronic Health Records (EHR) system in the US.