Spectrum Health Selects Skytron, Powered by Awarepoint, and Intelligent InSites for Their RTLS Asset Tracking Solution

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Aug. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Skytron, a division of the KMW Group, Inc., today announced that Spectrum Health has successfully implemented the company's Real-time Location (RTLS) collaborative solution, powered by Awarepoint and Intelligent InSites, to automatically track and manage over 5,300 hospital assets throughout its downtown and cross town campuses, inclusive of 1.8 million square feet for Butterworth Hospital, Fred and Lenna Meijer Heart Center,  Helen DeVos Women's and Children's Center and Blodgett Memorial Hospital.

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"Tracking medical equipment that requires preventative maintenance to ensure patient safety was priority #1," said Robert Rinck, Director of Clinical Engineering for Spectrum Health System.  "In addition, optimizing the utilization of our mobile assets, including our infusion pumps, wheelchairs, computers on wheels has provided early and immediate benefits for deploying the RTLS solution.  We can use the assets more efficiently, reducing rentals and capital purchases, while improving workflows."  

"Skytron has worked together with Spectrum Health for over 35 years delivering progressive, quality medical equipment innovations here in West Michigan. We are pleased to provide Spectrum Health with RTLS solutions that will further enhance patient care, clinical workflows and efficiency," said David M. Mehney, President and CEO of Skytron.

"Initial installation and simply locating assets is just the beginning step of a successful RTLS partnership.  Achieving ongoing clinical and financial benefits for Spectrum Health is of paramount importance to Awarepoint, Skytron and Intelligent InSites.  Through the continuous support by the client success management team, we assure best practices are implemented to achieve the hospital's goals.  We are excited to be part of Spectrum Health's cost saving and efficiency initiatives and look forward to a long-term and mutually beneficial partnership," said Awarepoint Senior VP of Marketing, Valerie Fritz.

Skytron asset tags, powered by Awarepoint, broadcast low power radio messages which allow Spectrum Health to quickly locate specific assets and provide real time, automatic location data capture via the Intelligent InSites' Enterprise Visibility Platform™.  The information is then leveraged to visualize the location and status of assets, track equipment utilization rates, and generate rule-based notifications and alerts, resulting in increased productivity and efficient deployment of resources.  

"In addition to using InSites' suite of applications that leverage the location information generated by Awarepoint's ZigBee mesh network, Spectrum Health is able to utilize InSite's open and interoperable architecture to integrate with their existing equipment management software,  allowing Spectrum Health to enhance  their current systems and processes," said Mark Rheault, President and CEO of Intelligent InSites."

About Spectrum Health

Spectrum Health was recently named one of the nation's top 10 health systems by Thomson Reuters.  Spectrum is also the recipient of the 2010 HealthGrades Patient Safety Excellence Award.  Spectrum Health Blodgett, Butterworth and Helen DeVos Children's hospitals also earned Magnet Recognition status by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) - one of only 5% of U.S. hospitals to receive this prestigious designation. Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit, integrated health system based in West Michigan, and provides world-class care that includes diagnostic, outpatient, inpatient, women and children's and emergency services to patients across the region.  The healthcare system is also the largest provider of post acute services, including rehabilitative, long-term acute, home and residential care in West Michigan.

About Skytron

Skytron  medical equipment is designed to optimize healthcare delivery with innovative and flexible solutions that advance patient care and safety, improve workflows and efficiency, including RTLS awareness management, hybrid rooms, LED surgical lighting, surgical tables, booms, digital OR integration and more.  Skytron has partnered with Awarepoint as the exclusive sales distribution and support for RTLS awareness in the U.S. hospital market.  For information, visit us at www.skytron.us

About Awarepoint

Awarepoint provides real-time location solutions (RTLS) to hospitals nationwide.  Analogous to indoor GPS, RTLS is used to track location of assets and people in indoor environments and is particularly effective for tracking mobile equipment assets in hospitals.  Awarepoint solutions include its real-time awareness platform, firmware, active RFID tags, sensors, and bridges.  Requiring no hardwiring, Awarepoint's "plug and track" ZigBee-based wireless sensor network is a fully managed service, including hardware, software, remote monitoring and maintenance. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California and serves its hospital customers across the United States through a distribution agreement with Skytron. Track us down at www.awarepoint.com.

About Intelligent InSites

Intelligent InSites provides real-time enterprise visibility and automation solutions that transform the healthcare industry by dramatically driving down costs while improving the level of care and patient safety.  By providing a single software platform capable of streamlining dozens of systems and processes using real-time location and sensory data continuously collected throughout the enterprise, Intelligent InSites helps healthcare organizations gain visibility into their operations and make profound improvements in the areas of patient safety, workflow optimization, asset and inventory management and regulatory compliance.  For more information, visit www.IntelligentInSites.com.

SOURCE Skytron; Awarepoint Corporation and Intelligent InSites