Wireless application at hospital

Wireless application at hospital

Using a wireless laptop with a touchscreen, nurses can access medication data to ensure they are administering the right dose of the correct drug. Nurse scans a barcode on the patient's wristband, which brings up the patient's medication record on a wireless laptop. The system issues an electronic alert for several situations: if the time of drug administration isn't within the dosage due-time window; if there are any drugs that sound like or look like the one being administered; and when medication orders have been discontinued.

Since the system was implemented in 2001, helped prevent more than 1,000 medical errors. Errors such as omitted doses have fallen 22% and late doses have dropped 20%. The system also has reduced medication errors involving the wrong dose, wrong drug and discontinued drug orders.