Improving Staff & Patient Safety

The primary purpose of the SyncTimes Beacon, a real-time locating system, is to improve clinical efficiency. The system allows care teams to effectively communicate and locate patients and staff members from mobile devices and TV displays. However, the system is also utilized to improve staff and patient safety through:

• Automated alert system
• Infection control and contact tracing
• Sanitization tracking

Automated Alerts

In addition to real-time locating, SyncTimes is also a communication system. Touch screen tablets inside of the exam room give the care team the ability to interact with icons to communicate what is needed for the patient. Icons are customized for each department and can include emergency icons (code blue, security, etc.).

When an emergency icon is selected, an automated alert system notifies the appropriate personnel through visual, auditory, and text message alerts.

Infection Control and Contact Tracing

Through the SyncTimes system, patients are assigned to an exam room and care team members are tracked by wearing the SyncTimes Beacon. This means you can retroactively observe the individuals that came in contact with an infectious patient, their movements after being exposed, and how long they were in each location.

Icons can also be used to alert clinical staff of rooms and patients that have been identified as high risk for infection-related hazards. Automated text messages can also be configured to inform staff of areas under quarantine.

Sanitization Tracking

One of the leading efforts to eliminate healthcare-associated infections (HAI) is in improving hand hygiene compliance. Not only does proper hand hygiene reduce HAI, but it is also a subject of regulatory bodies, such as the Joint Commission.

SyncTimes uses its real-time locating technology to provide tracking and reporting on hand hygiene compliance. There are many factors that can lead to poor hand hygiene, including the location of dispensers, time of day, and individual staff members. SyncTimes reporting provides immediate updates on the progress of your hand hygiene processes.

An article by Beckers Healthcare discusses the value of using a technology-based solution for tracking hand sanitization compliance. Using an automated system to track compliance provides the greatest level of accuracy without bias created by direct observation.

Staff and Patient Safety

Maintaining staff and patient safety should be one of your highest concerns. Safety threats are not uncommon in healthcare facilities and can be physical or medical. Having the right systems and processes in place to protect everyone in the facility will do a great deal to prevent incidents in the first place, and give you the tools to address them when they arise.