Siemens 2005 Annual Report Download - page 51

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IT integration and outstanding patient care
Improved patient care begins with the optimization
and coordination of healthcare workflow. Lakeside
Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, which opened its doors
in the summer of 2004, is proof that digitally driven
“smart” hospitals can support the delivery of patient-
centric care. One of the most technologically integrat-
ed hospitals in the world, Lakeside was designed and
built from the ground up to incorporate the latest
Siemens healthcare IT, networking and imaging sys-
tems.
Ten-year alliance with Siemens
In 2002, Alegent Health and Siemens entered a ten-
year alliance with the aim of standardizing the techno-
logical infrastructure at all nine Alegent hospitals and
all 100 Alegent service centers. The agreement covers
diagnostic, lighting, building control, fire safety, secu-
rity and IT systems – resulting in unparalleled syner-
gies.
One of the first facilities to benefit from the alliance
between Alegent Health and Siemens was the new
Lakeside Hospital. From admission to discharge, all
patient information – diagnostic images, treatment
and medication, lab results, and billing and insurance
information – is entered in an electronic health record
(EHR). This central database can be accessed from
anywhere in the hospital. Physicians can take tablet
PCs with them on their rounds to pull up test results
and review them with their patients – one reason why
patient satisfaction at Lakeside has reached unprece-
dented levels. In addition, a growing number of Lake-
side physicians now review patients’ charts and, if nec-
essary, check their real-time vital signs before heading
for the hospital in order to determine which patients
require immediate attention.
Two leading-edge systems from Siemens are at the
heart of this comprehensive approach to healthcare
information management: the new-generation
Soarian® healthcare IT solution, and the Picture
Archiving and Communications System (PACS).
Soarian supports patient-centric care by integrating
clinical, financial, diagnostic and administrative
processes. It boasts three innovative features. First,
it manages processes across the entire enterprise
through workflow management tools. Second, its
smart user interface simplifies use and accelerates
training. And third, its integrated decision manage-
ment tool uses embedded analytics to measure a
healthcare organization’s productivity. In addition,
Soarian seamlessly integrates images and data to facil-
itate informed decision-making, thereby improving
care delivery, increasing staff satisfaction and stream-
lining processes.
Health portals for patients
Access to Lakeside’s facilities and medical records is
managed by means of electronic ID badges, pass-
words, and/or biometric key pads. Soarian software
ensures that the hospital’s handling of access to
patient information complies with the strict regula-
tions established by the U.S. Health Insurance Portabil-
ity and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Given the precision
with which access to electronic health records can be
controlled, plans are evolving to give patients them-
selves and – with patient authorization – specified
doctors secure access to a patient’s electronic health-
care data. This development will lead to electronic
patient portals and make health information truly
accessible anytime and from anywhere. It will also
mark the beginning of a new trend in which patients
are active members of the healthcare team.
Group Presidents Megatrends
Digital Healthcare
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