University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) asked itemedical to reduce the number of alarms in various departments. The healthcare staff was overstimulated by the abundance of alarms on their care telephones, which increased the risk of errors. In addition, the Neonatology ICU moved to a new location with its own rooms for the patients. When the doors are closed, alarms from the medical equipment are no longer audible in the hallway.
The solution
Thanks to the medical alarm coach and with the help of MediScore Analytics, the UMCG project team gained more insight into all existing alarms. In a period of 6 months this amounted to 437,076 alarms. The Medical Device Data Gateway (MDDG) forwards 14.4% of this number of alarms safely and reliably to the mobile phone. 39.3% do not forward the MDDG because they have been resolved within the waiting time and the rest filter the MDDG as not relevant. This smart alarm filtering and delay quickly reduced the number of unnecessary alarms from the patient monitoring monitors in the D3VA Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis department, an immediate success for the healthcare staff. The medical alarm management system works in the Neonatology ICU and Emergency Room (ED). The entry into the Cardio Care Unit (CCU) and the Intensive Care will follow soon.
What changed
- Immediately after implementation of the software, the number of alarms decreased.
- Thanks to this smart medical alarm solution, healthcare staff only receive clinically relevant alarms.
This is 14.4% of the measured number of alarms. - Clear insight into the operation of the alarms for all employees.
- Peace in the daily care of patients.
- Medical Alarm System (MAS) provides safe and reliable support for daily care processes.
At itemedical we have been well informed about the possibilities and changes surrounding the delay on the alarms. The contact with itemedical was accessible and pleasant.
Janneke Holthuis, Head Nurse D3VA Pulmonology and TB, Rheumatology Department D3VA Pulmonology and TB, UMC Groningen