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59 Executive Briefing www.datalogic.com Refining Data Capture Techniques to Enhance Efficiency, Patient Safety H ealthcare organizations face a suite of evolving threats, many of which are invisible. From the shadowy move- ments of cybercriminals who grow increasingly better at being everywhere and nowhere at the same time, to the microscopic and deadly bugs that haunt the most unsuspect- ing surfaces and grow more resistant to drug eradication each year, the "bad guys" are hard to pin down. The good news is tools providers use to fend off trouble on various fronts are becoming more preemptive and preventive, not just reactive. Firms that create solutions to defend against a variety of hospital menaces understand the difficulty of op- erating an air-tight operation and how hospitals can best help protect patients. Datalogic designs nimble, multi-pronged solutions to meet the logistical concerns of clinical staff members, ease the care process for patients and mitigate network security and safety risks for provider organizations. With more than four decades of experience engineering innovative products to improve user experience in everything from airports to supermarkets, Datalogic views healthcare as the fastest growing vertical in IT worldwide and recognizes the unique challenges it faces keeping patients safe. Data security Patient data is being hacked, and even ransomed, at an alarm- ing rate. Some of these breaches result in HIPAA fines costing millions of dollars, an unsustainable penalty for most hospitals. But simply shutting device users out of hospital networks isn't an option. Patients, their families and caregivers now expect to access Wi-Fi and use their devices during their stay or visit. The same goes for healthcare workers. Incorporating wireless devices into hospital networks is critical for staff and an expectation from patients and their families. Therefore, greater security measures are needed to mitigate risks that could jeopardize patient care and facility operations by allowing unknown personal devices to connect to hospi- tal networks. Datalogic's STAR Cordless System, a wireless barcode scanning platform, is a secure alternative solution to running wireless devices on Bluetooth. Users on the STAR ra- dio platform operate on a narrow bandwidth, which limits who can exchange sensitive information within hospital walls, while improving workflow and without affecting other devices. Hospitals that don't consider network security and don't test their systems to identify vulnerabilities leave their data up for grabs. Some surveys suggest as many as two-thirds of hospitals have experienced breaches due to such vulnera- bilities. As medical devices increasingly rely on networks, it is feasible that cybercriminals who seek out wireless weak points might accidentally tamper with a device that a patient relies on for care — a nightmare for patients, families and providers. Although hospitals might save money by having clinical staff attach a scanner to their personal phones for bedside point of care applications, they are embracing the use of a device that hasn't been designed with clinical use in mind, and doesn't have the necessary built-in precautionary measures to be safe and reliable in a clinical setting, says Gina Wilde, Datalogic's Sales Manager for Healthcare North America. Smartphone sleds and are increasingly phased out of hospitals, traded up for tablets with companion scanners, a more secure and workflow-adaptable technology. Datalogic's scanners can be connected to any iOS or Android operating system tablet, which also provides a more advanced level of interface and engagement for patients and physicians. Whereas in the past a clinician might communicate important information about diagnosis, treatment and follow up care to patients verbally, off a chart, tablets have proven to better engage patients and offer an opportunity to review care plans together. "Tablets are increasingly part of the communication between the caregiver and the patient," says Matt Jordan, healthcare account executive for Datalogic. "They can be used to help to explain symptoms, diagnoses and treatment options. It's a safer way to provide patients with more accurate information." Beyond providing advantages in security and versatility, bar- code scanning narrows some of the information sharing gaps that pain the industry. A nurse or physician using a barcode scanner attached to a network-protected device is able to precisely identify the correct medication, or upload information remotely to a patient's EHR without disturbing them. Closing or eliminating these gaps means faster, better patient care. Streamlining data entry to speed patient care Recent studies and surveys have produced some disappoint- ing insights about the amount of time trained clinical staff spend at computer screens entering patient data into EHRs. The dynamic nature of care, in which a patient's treatment plan can change quickly, compounds this issue. Data entry tradi- tionally happens hours after an amendment is made, when the physician, scribe or nurse has time to pause and enter batches of data. This can lead to discrepancies, where an EHR doesn't reflect the most up-to-date information. Sponsored by: