Press Releases

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Implements Wireless Mobile Workstations From Flo Healthcare

(ATLANTA – May 22, 2006) The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), western Pennsylvania’s premier health system, today announced that it has purchased more than 700 mobile workstations from Flo Healthcare, the leading maker of wireless mobile workstations based in Norcross, Ga.

When UPMC decided to move from paper charting to computerized physician order entry (CPOE), barcode medication administration (BCMA), and electronic nursing documentation, it faced a significant challenge: a uniform method to bring these new applications to the point of care, explained Mark Hopkins, CIO for UPMC academic and community hospitals. He added that because the 15-year-old UPMC hospital system was created through a series of mergers, each separate campus was using different applications and hardware. The hospital system spent the last several years searching for ways to centralize its infrastructure, hardware and applications throughout its campuses.

According to Hopkins, before deploying the Flo 1750 with a Wyse thin client at seven of its 13 campuses, team members visited hospitals around the country to see their mobile workstations in action and to speak candidly with nurses, physicians and IT departments about their carts. UPMC then held cart fairs so that its own clinical and IT staff could compare products from several market-leading cart manufacturers. Once the hospital’s staff members tried the Flo carts, the choice was easy. Both the nursing and IT staff members agreed that the Flo 1750 mobile workstation was the best option.

"Flo carts offer the right balance of ergonomics, reliability, technology and flexibility," Hopkins said. "Our nurses enjoy the carts’ functionality and aesthetics, while our IT department likes their durability and the fact that they met our technical specifications better than any competing carts."

Hopkins added that UPMC’s ability to customize the Flo carts has been an added bonus. For instance, UPMC added wireless barcode scanners from HHP, and it purchased different-sized monitors for its various departments. As UPMC deploys carts in more and more departments throughout its hospitals, Hopkins expects to take full advantage of Flo’s customizable options. Some hospital departments may need different sized work surfaces, while others will want to mount different hardware on the carts, as well as choose their own cabinets, chart holders and other convenience features.

"We are thrilled that UPMC has chosen Flo Healthcare as its partner to link and integrate electronic medical records across its multiple hospitals," said Keith Washington, Flo Healthcare General Manager. "The Flo 1750’s sleek, lightweight design enables UPMC clinicians to do more where it matters most – at the point of care. Access to real-time patient information allows UPMC’s clinicians to interact more with patients and significantly reduce the opportunity for error."

About UPMC
UPMC is the premier health system in western Pennsylvania and one of the most renowned academic medical centers in the United States. During the past decade, UPMC has reshaped the health care landscape in western Pennsylvania. As a $5 billion organization and the region’s largest employer, it has transformed the economic landscape as well. Today, with 40,000 employees, UPMC comprises 19 hospitals and a network of other care sites across a 29-county service area: doctors’ offices, cancer centers, outpatient treatment centers, specialized imaging and surgery facilities, in-home care, rehabilitation sites, behavioral health care, and nursing homes. For more information on UPMC, visit www.upmc.com.

About Flo Healthcare
Headquartered in Norcross, Ga., and recently acquired by Emerson Storage Solutions’ InterMetro Division, Flo Healthcare provides comprehensive wireless and mobile clinical workstation solutions designed specifically for the healthcare industry. Improving patient care and safety is our top priority as we work with clinical software and OEM business partners to deliver patented, integrated solutions – infrastructure, devices and services – to medical facilities. With 45,000 mobile devices and wireless infrastructure systems installed within approximately 800 hospitals, Flo Healthcare is the acknowledged leader in total hospital and system-wide wireless and mobile clinical workstation installations across the U.S. and Canada. By delivering a better connection to information, clinicians stay better connected with patients. For more information on Flo Healthcare, visit www.flohealthcare.com or call 877-FLO-4040.

About Emerson Storage Solutions
Emerson Storage Solutions is a business of Emerson (www.gotoemerson.com) providing answers to storage challenges for the consumer, commercial, healthcare, food service, and industrial markets. For information visit www.emersonstoragesolutions.com.

About Emerson
Emerson (NYSE: EMR), based in St. Louis, is a global leader in bringing technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions to customers through its network power, process management, industrial automation, climate technologies, and appliance and tools businesses. Sales in fiscal 2005 were $17.3 billion. For more information, visit www.GoToEmerson.com.