Press Releases

The Dialysis Center of Lincoln Improves Patient-Doctor Connections Using Flo Healthcare Mobile Clinical Workstations

(ATLANTA – May 22, 2007) The Dialysis Center of Lincoln (DCL) announced that it will improve connections with patients in rural areas of Nebraska using three mobile clinical workstations from Flo Healthcare.

DCL includes four outpatient dialysis units in Nebraska: two in Lincoln, one in Columbus, and one in Beatrice.

"Because of our remote locations in Beatrice and Columbus, we wanted to use real-time video and audio to connect patients more closely with our physicians and nurse practitioners, whether it is for telehealth, conferencing, or educational purposes," said Larry Emerson, DCL CEO. "Many healthcare facilities are moving toward this type of technology, and anything that can enhance our patients’ care is a top priority for us."

Emerson said DCL has deployed two Flo 1750 mobile clinical workstations with telehealth capabilities, one at its Lincoln headquarters and the other in Columbus, about 80 miles away. It will deploy the third workstation next month at its Beatrice location, which is a 45-minute drive from Lincoln.

The Flo 1750 is a sleek, lightweight, general-purpose workstation used by clinicians to bring them closer to the patient by enabling them to access the hospital information systems while at the point of care. Each of the DCL workstations includes a Polycom VSX7000 video camera, which enables the center to transmit high-quality images, as well as a 19-inch monitor for viewing them.

Earlier this year, DCL began using the Flo workstations for patient rounding. For example, a nurse practitioner located in Columbus takes the Flo 1750 with her on rounds, using the camera to zoom in on the patient while she conducts the exam. A physician located on the other side in Lincoln can study the images to assess any problems, such as the dialysis access or skin discoloration. In a dialysis center, these physical indications are important to achieving good dialysis care, so it’s imperative that a physician can view these areas in high resolution.

"The Flo workstations have reduced the frequency of trips into Lincoln for our patients by providing an alternative contact with the physician,” Emerson said. “Because we are removing the traveling aspect of that equation, it frees time for the doctor to visit with the patient more often, and the patient benefits with more one-on-one care."

DCL also has used the workstations to connect the two facilities for educational purposes. Recently, a nurse in Lincoln who handles infection control was able to make a presentation to a group of nurses in Columbus.

"In addition to facilitating education, these workstations add a big convenience factor because a group of people that would have had to travel three hours round-trip now can greatly reduce or even eliminate travel time," Emerson said. "The time saved allows staff to spend more time in patient care."

Dale Gleaves, DCL Info Tech Specialist, noted that the facility evaluated a number of companies during its selection process, but Flo Healthcare stood out because of its experience with creating custom solutions.

"We didn’t feel that other companies necessarily would be able to design the creative, unique carts we now have," he said. "Flo went above and beyond the call of duty to provide a customized solution that allows us to have voice, video and computer access, all on a mobile cart."

He added that Flo was especially helpful in integrating the Polycom cameras by installing a power inverter, which allows the camera to draw power from the workstation battery.

The three mobile workstations are just the beginning. Emerson anticipates purchasing at least seven additional mobile workstations for general clinical use, as they have made life much easier for the staff.

About The Dialysis Center of Lincoln
The Dialysis Center of Lincoln, Inc., has been recognized for innovations since its founding in 1987. DCL is a freestanding not-for–profit dialysis organization created by two independent hospitals located in Lincoln, Nebraska: the BryanLGH Medical Center and Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center. Satellite units are located throughout Nebraska in Columbus, Beatrice and Northwest Lincoln. DCL’s mission is to provide high quality dialysis in a rehabilitative environment with an emphasis on education and support to patients and their families.

About Flo Healthcare
Headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, Flo Healthcare designs comprehensive wireless and mobile clinical workstation solutions specifically for the healthcare industry. Flo Healthcare is part of Emerson Storage Solutions’ InterMetro (Metro) division. Like Emerson, which is focused on making people’s lives better through its products, systems and solutions, Flo Healthcare’s top priority is improving patient care and safety. By delivering a better connection to information, clinicians stay better connected with patients. Flo Healthcare works with clinical software, OEM business partners and value added resellers to deliver patented, integrated solutions—infrastructure, devices and services—to medical facilities. With 50,000 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. For more information on Flo Healthcare, visit www.flohealthcare.com or call 877-FLO-4040. For more information about our parent company, Emerson, visit www.GoToEmerson.com.