Science & Technology
Science and Technology
Science and Technology
Wed, January 26, 2011
Tue, January 25, 2011
Medworxx Utilization Management System Driving Efficiency Improvements at Hospitals
TORONTO, Jan. 25 /CNW/ - Medworxx Inc. ("Medworxx") (TSXV: MWX), provider of healthcare solutions for patient flow, compliance and education, announced today results that show improvements in patient flow achieved by Medworxx Customers.
The Medworxx Patient Flow Platform focuses on the improvement of patient flow and quality of care using proven methodologies and utilization management best practices. It is currently in use at 125 hospitals across Canada. Medworxx uniquely combines clinical assessments of the patient and operational best practices to manage and improve patient flow within the acute care and post-acute care hospital settings. The platform continually evolves based on best practice research and collaboration with physicians, nurses, and other users of the Medworxx suite. There are three products that comprise the Medworxx Patient Flow Platform: the Medworxx Utilization Management System, Bed Optimization System, and Independent Assessment.
The Medworxx Utilization Management System (UMS) focuses on appropriateness and quality care for reducing length of stay, improving patient flow in the hospital, and eliminating barriers and delays to patient care. The Bed Optimization System (BOS) provides a real time clinical status of patients, beds and resources across departments, hospitals, and regions. Independent Assessment is a platform for assessing patients against any number of standards for patient classification and reporting. One example is assessing Alternative Level of Care (ALC).
Benefits of the Medworxx Utilization Management System include improved patient flow, reduced length of stay, improved identification of and processes around alternate level of care, reduced emergency department wait times, reduced readmission rates, and greater transparency through improved knowledge of care delays. Some specific examples reported by Medworxx' customers are noted below.
At Southlake Regional Health Centre, in Newmarket, Ontario, they are achieving more timely discharges of patients. The percentage of in-patient cases associated with a "Readiness for Discharge" (RFD) has decreased from 39% to 30%, representing a 23% improvement. "More patients never having an RFD associated with their stay means more timely discharges and a better flow of patients," said Jane Casey, Director, Medicine Programs, Southlake Regional Health Centre.
Trillium Health Centre in Mississauga, Ontario had been struggling to flow admitted patients out of the emergency department as the number of inpatients ready for an alternate level of care (ALC) increased. A change management strategy called "Home First" was implemented; this included significant investment into the community. As part of this change management strategy, the Medworxx Utilization Management System was implemented to help track utilization and provide data to help improve process. "Medworxx has helped us identify process and communication issues to improve the planning and teamwork related to complex patient discharges", said Patti Cochrane, Vice President, Patient Services & Quality and CNO, Trillium Health Centre. "The most impressive is the recent impact of daily use of service delays and communication with DI/Cardiac Diagnostics; we are also making headway in physician/NP engagement."
Through Trillium's change management strategy, they have reduced their ALC cases from a peak of 131 in March 2009, representing about 18% of the hospital's total beds, to fewer than 55, representing 7% of beds.
"Hospitals and health regions across the country are realizing meaningful and sustainable improvements in clinical utilization management using the Medworxx UMS. Organizations typically experience decreased length of stays and conservable days, more appropriate use of beds and resources, and better recognition, management and reporting of ALC cases," said Wendy McLaughlin, VP Clinical Services, Medworxx. "All this, and the confidence of knowing that quality of care remains the focus".
About Southlake Regional Health Centre
Based in Newmarket, Southlake Regional Health Centre is a full-service hospital with a provincial mandate to deliver advanced diagnostic and treatment services in cancer care, cardiac care, pediatric and perinatal care, child and adolescent eating disorders, and child and adolescent mental health care. It also specializes in arthritis care and thoracic and cataract surgery. Serving more than one million residents of York Region and South Simcoe, Southlake is in the process of transforming to a teaching and research centre. For more information about Southlake Regional Health Centre, visit [ www.southlakeregional.org. ]
About Trillium Health Centre
Trillium Health Centre is one of Canada's largest academically-affiliated tertiary care hospitals with highly-specialized regional programs in advanced cardiac, vascular, stroke, neurosciences, orthopaedic, and sexual assault/domestic violence services. Housing a model ambulatory care centre and the largest free standing day surgery centre in North America, Trillium serves over one million residents in Peel and West Toronto and from other communities across Ontario. For more information about Trillium Health Centre, visit [ www.trilliumhealthcentre.org ].
About Medworxx
Medworxx provides healthcare solutions for patient flow, compliance and education. Founded in 2004, Medworxx products are now used by more than 500,000 people at over 300 hospitals across North America. Medworxx: our market is healthcare, our vertical is knowledge. For more information, visit [ www.medworxx.com ].
The statements made in this Press Release may contain forward-looking statements that may involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations and projections. The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed this press release and neither approved nor disapproved the information contained in this press release.
