800-bed Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, Atrium Health’s flagship hospital and largest facility, has implemented a clinical communication platform.

WHY IT MATTERS

The platform is from healthcare communications technology vendor Halo.

The vendor said the platform was developed by clinicians for clinicians. Halo, the vendor described, provides real-time communication and integration with clinical applications on one unified platform for smartphones.

"Our nurses feel they are more efficient and that this has been a real game-changer for them."

Becky Fox, RN, Atrium Health

More effective clinical communication leads to reduced length of stay, reduced readmission rates and faster delivery of critical care to patients, Halo contended.

The cloud-based clinical communications platform is deployed through personal and shared smartphones and unifies secure messaging, on-call scheduling, VoIP and mobilization of critical alerts on a single platform. Halo is designed to enable Carolinas Medical Center caregivers to communicate with one another across roles, departments, multiple facilities and the community.

THE LARGER TREND

In addition to Atrium Health’s Carolinas Medical Center, Halo also has recently implemented the platform at Levine Children’s Hospital and Carolinas Medical Center Mercy, bringing the total number of Halo users at Atrium Health to more than 28,000.

The provider has deployed the clinical communications platform across 10 of Atrium Health’s hospitals along with the supporting ambulatory locations.

ON THE RECORD

“I’m excited because this is just the beginning in how we will use technology to improve the way we deliver patient care,” said Becky Fox, RN, chief nursing informatics officer at Atrium Health. “Our goal is to partner with organizations that improve the communication process for our clinicians – allowing them to connect quicker to the right clinician, at the right time. Halo is helping us do that. Our nurses feel they are more efficient and that this has been a real game-changer for them.”

"By investing in advanced clinical communication technologies, Atrium Health continues to show its commitment to enhancing the care patients receive and improving teammate satisfaction."

Dr. Jose Barreau, Halo

“Halo was created to reduce clinician burnout and delays to patient care,” explained Dr. Jose Barreau, founder and CEO of Halo. “By investing in advanced clinical communication technologies, Atrium Health continues to show its commitment to enhancing the care patients receive and improving teammate satisfaction.”

Atrium Health, previously Carolinas HealthCare System, provides a full spectrum of healthcare and wellness programs throughout the Southeast region. Its diverse network of care locations includes academic medical centers, hospitals, freestanding emergency departments, physician practices, surgical and rehabilitation centers, home health agencies, nursing homes and behavioral health centers, as well as hospice and palliative care services.

Twitter: @SiwickiHealthIT
Email the writer: bill.siwicki@himssmedia.com
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