TeleTracking Focuses on Transformation! Evolution! Revolution!

Transformation! Evolution! Revolution!

TeleTracking hosted a capacity crowd of healthcare leaders from across the country and the globe at the 11th Annual Client Conference last month in San Diego, CA.

Transformation | Evolution | Revolution formed the theme – representing the past, present and future of healthcare operational management from the perspective of the company that invented the category.

TeleTracking’s bed management and transport solutions, introduced over 2 decades ago, represented the Transformation in how hospitals optimized environmental services (housekeeping) and transport services to automate the operational side of the hospital.

The two decades that followed were truly theEvolution of Patient Flow, to include the operational management of the underlying systems that govern care delivery, not only the functional aspects of bed management and patient transportation, but also breakthroughs such as:

• The release of TeleTracking’s PatientTracking Portal™ view, developed specifically for nurses and unit staff to quickly and comprehensively access patient information and easily perform patient flow tasks;
• The addition of Transfer Center technology to coordinate all admission requests from other hospitals and local physicians;
• The development and integration of Real-Time Locating System (RTLS) infrastructure to find and manage mobile equipment assets and locate people – in real-time;
• The launch of a procedural patient throughput solution, Orchestrate™, architected to consolidate, coordinate, proactively manage, and optimize patient flow through all inpatient and outpatient services.

The third, and perhaps most important phase, the Revolution, was the focus of this year’s conference – as TeleTracking is redefining virtually the entire operational side of healthcare.

By intensely focusing on the hospital mission, TeleTracking has grown to address virtually every point identified along the care delivery continuum – from patient throughput, surgical and outpatient utilization, asset management / optimization, patient and staff tracking and inter-hospital patient transfers to process planning and operational management redesign through our consulting, business analytics, reporting and dashboard offerings.  Emerging themes such as population health and forecasting, workflow management solution integration, in-room patient engagement and workflow, and coordination of care before and beyond the inpatient stay are either in process or on the horizon.

Attendees heard success stories from their peers regarding how automated operational management is saving money and resources, generating revenue and improving patient outcomes.  Some even tweeted about it:

Hearing a @TeleTracking exec share data that a big hospital added 5,000 surgical cases in a year without adding staff or space – better flow

 —  Mark Graban

Took part in the high performing hospital panel 400 delegates @TeleTracking San Diego. Great day

— ClareNash20

Another highlight of the conference was the ‘Enterprise Solution Lab’. The lab incorporated all aspects of TeleTracking’s solutions.  Attendees experienced a live scenario imitating a patient entering the hospital through the Transfer Center, receiving a quick bed assignment, being transported to the operating room, being tracked and monitored through the procedure and into the PACU, transported again to an inpatient unit, and ultimately discharged.

The entire stay, including each and every status and appropriate milestone visible via a floor plan available in our portal application. The demonstration also included transport requests, visibility through procedural areas for nurses and family members, patient tracking via a Real-Time Locating System (RTLS) patient tag, the asset tracking benefits of TeleTracking RTLS, hand hygiene monitoring capabilities and the associated workflow and discharge to make the room available for the next incoming patient.

Also popular was a panel discussion moderated by Kevin Capatch, Director of Supply Chain, Geisinger Health System, along with representatives from six other TeleTracking clients – Regional Health, The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Health First, Royal Wolverhampton, Unity Point, and Scripps Health.  Each site talked about health system successes, challenges, solutions, analytics, improved processes, etc.

There was a stellar line up of keynote speakers including Fred Bayon, (managing director and the national spokesperson for the Advisory Board Company), who discussed some of the criteria for hospital success under provisions of the Affordable Care Act, which gets fully underway Jan.1, 2014.  Ricardo Martinez, MD, FACEP, (Chief Medical Officer, North Highland Company) discussed the global challenges facing healthcare, and Robert Rudin, Ph.D., (Associate Policy Researcher, The RAND Corporation) presented findings from a recent study at Methodist Healthcare System.

Most notably, entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Strickland, author of the inspirational business book, “Make the Impossible Possible” made an appearance.  Nationally recognized for his educational and cultural initiatives benefiting students and adults, Strickland is president and CEO of Pittsburgh-based Manchester Bidwell Corp., a non-profit company which works with disadvantaged and at-risk youth through involvement with the arts and provides job training for adults.  Mr. Strickland literally had our audience in tears, and post-conference comments like  “outstanding”, “heartfelt”, “wonderful” and ”love” are a testament to his noble work and impact on keeping people motivated,  giving them hope, skills and a future, and developing healthy and productive members of society – off the streets and out of emergency rooms and trauma units.

The week included several client presentations, highlights of our latest product releases, plus several sessions on reporting and analytics.

If you missed this year’s conference, mark your calendar for next year’s conference.  You won’t want to miss it!

To register, click on the 2014 TeleTracking Client Conference link.