Joint Implant Surgeons of Florida Deploys RTLS Patient Work-flow Management Solution to Improve Efficiency and Patient Experience

RESTON, Va., March 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Ekahau Inc., the high-performance leader in Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) using Wi-Fi (active RFID), announced today that Joint Implant Surgeons of Florida (JISF) in Fort Myers, deployed the Ekahau Wi-Fi-based real-time badge tracking solution that is utilized by Solstice Medical's real-time patient flow software platform.

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With thousands of patients seen annually, JISF combines patient and staff location intelligence with work-flow events to improve patient throughput and patient outcomes. JISF uses Ekahau Wi-Fi-based patient and staff badges, which offer an LED with two-way messaging, to track patient and staff locations throughout the 15,000 square foot clinic. Solstice Medical's real-time patient flow (RTPF) software analyzes caregiver-patient interaction time based on badge locations and other work-flow events, delivering essential reports and dashboards to the clinic's management team.

Ekahau wearable Wi-Fi badges are given to patients as they sign in, and badges are worn by staff as they treat patients throughout the day. Solstice's software then categorizes and queues patients in order to improve efficiency. For example, patients classified as new patients require longer initial appointment times, as compared to existing patients. Ekahau badges also capture real-time patient or staff interaction time in each zone within the facility, using the Wi-Fi network. By tracking caregivers and patients managers can compare this real-time data to average standard cycle times based on the type of patient.

Solstice Medical's RTPF software analyzes actual transaction times (e.g., wait time, exam time and total cycle time by patient type) against pre-programmed benchmarks. The solution's two-way messaging capabilities reduce patient wait times by alerting staff if patients exceed the standard acceptable wait time. Also, by automating patient queuing, patients are prioritized differently, thus improving wait times at the busy clinic.

"Having location-based, timed notifications means that we greatly reduce the chance of ever missing a patient, which is commonplace in many clinics. We can prioritize patient load and treat patients with emergencies, without increasing wait times for everyone. Best of all, we have dynamic, real-time intelligence to improve scheduling in the future," notes Renee Humbert, Practice Administrator at Joint Implant Surgeons of Florida.

Humbert adds, "Patients can choose to go to any Physician and facility they want. By adopting cutting-edge technology and using it to positively impact the patients' experience, we feel it also creates a competitive advantage for us, which is so critical in today's medical environment."

The joint Solstice Medical/Ekahau solution also offers predictive intelligence so that schedules can be optimized. As predictive models indicate a full schedule based on appointment types and average cycle times, the clinic administrator can determine if additional open hours are required to meet the patient load while maintaining quality of care. The solution also helps predict the volume of joint injectables that must be prepared each day, helping reduce waste and lower costs.

JISF uses this intelligence to implement clinic policies to ensure optimized performance. The real-time tracking software interface allows caregivers to see if a physician is in a patient room with a patient without an assistant, so that caregivers no longer have to check room-by-room. In addition, time spent with patients is carefully recorded, reports are generated and real-time dashboards are used to display statistics so that the clinic can correlate patient time to charting accuracy and patient satisfaction scores and identify and reward personnel who meet quality metrics.

"Ekahau is proud to partner with Solstice Medical and showcase cutting-edge location-based technology and software solutions that drive patient-flow intelligence at world-class clinics such as Joint Implant Surgeons of Florida," adds Mark Norris, President and CEO of Ekahau.

About Ekahau Inc.

Ekahau Inc. is the performance leader in providing Wi-Fi-based Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS). Ekahau RTLS includes Ekahau Vision™ and Ekahau RTLS Controller software as well as a broad selection of Wi-Fi-based smart tags which give staff and managers unprecedented visibility into the location, condition and status of assets, people and workflows. Thousands of Fortune 500 companies, hospitals, and other facilities rely on Ekahau's patented technology to reveal business intelligence that drives decision-making. Ekahau partners include leading wireless software developers, systems integrators, and WLAN providers. Learn more about Innovation Through Location at: www.ekahau.com or on the Ekahau Blog, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Solstice Medical LLC

Solstice Medical provides advanced healthcare information delivery systems for medical device manufacturers, distributors and hospitals. The company's core products include software applications that optimize surgical supply chain operations and surgical workflow productivity. Combined with its innovative use of bar code and RFID data acquisition devices, Solstice delivers value with customizable reports and dashboards that help our healthcare customers maximize profitability and improve quality of care.For more information regarding Solstice Medical's pioneering DOCK to DOC® system, MD3® autoclavable medical grade RFID tags and MEDIC® smart storage solutions, visit www.solsticemedical.com.

Contact: Paul C. DiPerna
Ph: +1-781-684-0770
[email protected]  

SOURCE Ekahau Inc.