MEDI+SIGN Digital Whiteboards Streamline Patient Care in Spencer Hospital's New Emergency Department

SMITHSBURG, Md., June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Spencer Hospital, located in Spencer, Iowa, is an accredited and award-winning hospital that serves quality care to the people of northwestern Iowa and southern Minnesota. The National Rural Health Association has named Spencer Hospital a Top 20 Rural & Community Hospital in the United States, and Chartis Center for Rural Health has recognized it as one of the Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals for ten consecutive years. Spencer Hospital's mission of promoting optimal health and striving for innovation is evident in its new Emergency Department project.

"We are constantly seeking to enhance our patient experience through exceptional service and care, using evidence-based practices and technology, and by providing continuing education and training to our healthcare team," says Brenda Tiefenthaler, President of Spencer Hospital. "The new Emergency Department project facilitates a better care experience for our patients and an enhanced work environment for our team."

With a total cost of $22 million, the new Emergency Department features patient-centered improvements to include additional and larger treatment rooms, two trauma bays, and two rooms specifically designed for the care of behavioral health patients.

Private treatment rooms are outfitted with MEDI+SIGN digital exam room whiteboards. The display automatically pulls important patient care information directly from MEDITECH Expanse, the hospital's Electronic Health Record (EHR), and communicates it to patients and their families.

"The MEDI+SIGN Emergency Department solution is strategically designed and engineered to fit in the tight space of the ED examination room," says David Linetsky, Founder/CEO of MEDI+SIGN. "The display provides a critical palette of information to the patients, including their care team with pictures, role and name, diet, patient location, discharge status, average test time, radiology tests ordered, average lab time, and lab status. Special messages also appear when staff are paged to respond to an alert, notifying the patient that the staff are busy with another patient."

"Having MEDI+SIGN in the exam rooms is invaluable," says Ed Meyer, Vice President of Information, Technology & Security of Spencer Hospital. "It's always up-to-date and saves the staff so much time while putting the patient at ease. We love that the displays can automatically adjust for patients who require dim lighting in the exam room. The Behavioral Health model sits flush to the wall with a protective face that adheres to best practices for psychiatric patient safety. Providing equitable care, communication, and experience to ALL patients is a top priority at Spencer Hospital. We are thrilled to partner with MEDI+SIGN to achieve our goals."

An alliance between the value-added partner Ideacom Mid America and MEDI+SIGN made the implementation of MEDI+SIGN at Spencer Hospital possible. With 70 years of experience in technology solutions, Ideacom Mid America brings deep knowledge of the value of communications in the healthcare setting.

About Spencer Hospital
Spencer Hospital offers quality health care services to people of northwest Iowa and southern Minnesota. In addition to providing a full-service hospital, Spencer Hospital operates a comprehensive cancer treatment center, an inpatient behavioral health center, a multi-specialty surgical center, four primary care clinics, and two satellite dialysis centers, one in Spencer and the other in Spirit Lake.
https://www.spencerhospital.org/

About Ideacom Mid America
Located in St. Paul, MN, Ideacom has specialized in offering reliable technology solutions for healthcare, senior care, and businesses of all sizes for 70 years.
http://www.idea-ma.com/

About MEDI+SIGN
MEDI+SIGN is a game-changing communication tool used by hospitals that are pursuing the creation, improvement, and sustainability of their quality and safety goals. Driven and perfected by evidence-based outcomes, MEDI+SIGN deploys strategies tailored to the hospital's specific needs and existing workflows. This unique approach allows hospitals to experience quality and safety transformations without negatively impacting the day-to-day workflow of staff. MEDI+SIGN is the first and only patient-facing technology in its class that requires zero effort from clinical staff while reinvesting time back to the bedside. With patient experience and complex psychology at the epicenter of this technology, patients are kept informed, satisfied, and safe. Beyond patient experience, MEDI+SIGN focuses on improving HCAHPS and increasing patient safety by preventing falls as well as other sentinel events related to HAC, among other CMS programs. To experience these results for yourself, visit https://medisigndisplays.com.

MEDITECH Expanse is a registered trademark of Medical Information Technology, Inc.

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