“A patient’s hospital bed can be looked at as a place for a patient to rest or it can be a device that actually helps in the patient’s treatment,” said Joanie White-Wagoner, vice president and administrator for Baptist Health Medical Center-Conway. “Every patient room at our Conway hospital has a smart bed. These beds are integrated with our clinical documentation system making it a high tech tool for care givers. By collecting data independently, the beds also increase convenience for the patient.”
The smart beds have many practical features that will make it easier for caregivers to monitor conditions and accomplish tasks like weighing patients without
moving them to a scale. Recording and monitoring weight, for example, is critical for patients with conditions such as congestive heart failure who must have their weight constantly monitored to determine if fluid is building up in the body.
What makes smart beds so smart is that all the medical data monitored by the bed is automatically uploaded into Epic the electronic medical records system. This helps nurses to see trends in a patient’s weight, blood pressure and temperature, which may mean adjusting medications.
The patient can also control the room’s thermostat, lighting and TV as well as order room service or call the nurse all from his or her bed. Charging stations for personal electronic devices are a convenient amenity too.
In addition to the high tech beds, each patient room will have an electronic message board on the exterior to identify who is in the room as well as indicate for the care givers important information such as if the patient is a fall risk.
Finally, patients who would like to have information about their health condition and hospital stay can do so through a program called MyChart Bedside accessed on an electronic tablet that will be provided to them. MyChart offers secure, free access to key aspects of a patient’s medical information, such as lists of medications ordered and tests and treatments schedule for each day. In addition, patients can get to know their care team better by reviewing photos and bios of each person. Not only that, but patients will also be able to make non-emergent requests from the staff through the tablet. Those requests could be anything from wanting some ice to needing a blanket. Of course, patients can play games or listen to music on the tablets as well to help pass the time or relax.