What’s inside:
IDENTI Medical has partnered up with local AORN chapters again to:
- Listen to the feedback of circulating nurses who are tasked with the recording of usage during surgery
- Spread the word about the importance of full and accurate surgical documentation.
- Demonstrate the power of image recognition, AI and ML technologies – which powers the next generation of surgical data capture solution
IDENTI Medical is on a mission to empower nurses through innovative technology – so last week we went on the road, visiting local chapters of the Association of PeriOerative Registered Nurses (AORN).
Joining local nurse networks is always a good way to gain a better understanding of the challenges that nurses face when documenting products used in surgery. We’re grateful to all those dedicated nurses who attended our sessions and took the time to speak about their daily frustrations.
Addressing the challenges faced by nurses when charting usage during surgery
During our evening educational events we discussed the difficulties that nurses encounter due to inadequate data-capture tools at the point of care.
- Many nurses described the burden of manually keying surgical data into multiple systems, which is not just a time consuming and mundane task, but often leads to errors or omissions.
- Barcode scanning technology is widely used but this method also has its limitations, with numerous items failing to record all details or not finding a match on the system. This means that nurses have to revert back to basics and carry out manual entry to ensure all essential details are captured.
Nurses are busy, they need to focus on patients not products, so all this laborious healthcare supply chain administration is taking them away from their core tasks, distracting them from patient safety and adding to their stress levels.
Why getting full and accurate surgical data capture matters
In our meetings we look at the 2019 Allergan breast implant recall and the lessons we can learn from the procedural failings of this incident.
We reinforce the need for the timely, full, accurate and digital recording of all medical devices and implants used in surgery.
Inefficient systems, such as putting stickers in books and relying on manual records, are inefficient when it comes to handing a product recall and risk delays in contacting patients, In addition, patients can easily be missed while vetting manual records during a recall, plus organizations can fail to record every single medical device or implant used in surgery, which risks catastrophic repercussions.
The FDA UDI regulations now require digital documentation to take place, but the systems being used on the ground are unwieldly and inefficient. In addition, many healthcare organizations, still rely on predominantly manual systems.
There is so much pressure on nurses to get this task right, but organizations acknowledge that there are limitations with their point of use data capture technology and that they can fail to achieve full records of the medical device inventory used in surgery. Many organizations compensate for inadequate point of use tools by organizing post documentation audits where cases are checked, and mistakes are rectified. This is an expensive and time-consuming task.
At IDENTI we think it’s a shame for everyone to have to run around checking the accuracy of the surgical data captured – surely it would be far better to get the job done properly during surgery by using technology that’s fit-for-purpose.
Snap & Go demo
At end of our discussion with nurses, we give a quick demo of Snap & Go, which uses image recognition AI and Machine learning technologies to add speed and efficiency to the task of surgical documentation.
Snap & Go is designed with nurses in mind.
The aim is to simplify the task of item documentation during surgery.
The system reduces the role of the nurse to simply scanning an item. Everything else is automated.
Once a product is scanned the system will tap into a global SKU database for automated item identification – and all relevant item data is then shared with core hospital systems such as the EHR, ERP and MMIS.
See for yourself how quick it is to ‘snap’ an item:
Three benefits of Snap & Go
Quick and Easy Usage:
Snap & Go offers nurses a quick and simple way to record all reportable items in surgery. With just three seconds to “snap” each item, it significantly reduces the time and effort required for documentation. This efficiency enables nurses to focus more on patient care, minimizing administrative burdens.
Some surgeries, such as orthopedic, require the recording of sterilized nuts, bolts and screws which are generally manually entered on an implant sheet and then keyed-into the system line by line. We were so pleased to show nurses how Snap & Go can ‘read’ manually-completed implant sheets too!
Taking the pressure off nurses by supporting patient safety
In the operating room and procedure room settings, nurses are the last line of defense for patient safety. In the heat of the moment, an expired or recalled item that has been accidentally left in stock has the potential to be used on a patient.
IDENI’s Snap & Go solution adds a vital layer of protection by providing pre-consumption recall and expiry alerts. This means that nurses can focus on delivering optimal care without the added pressure of meticulously checking the expiration date of every product and can feel secure that no recalled items are about to be used.
Comprehensive reports and alerts:
The capture, identification and documentation of every reportable item used in surgery is not just a clinical task, this crucial data is used across the organization.
One of the standout features of Snap & Go is its ability to compile and share comprehensive usage data and meaningful analytics via it’s managing system, the IDENTI Platform. As the system seamlessly integrates with core hospital systems, it’s easy to achieve full patient charting, accurate medical billing and better procurement.
Transforming surgical documentation
IDENTI Medical’s Snap & Go is transforming the way nurses document medical devices and implants at the point of care. By giving nurses a quick and easy way to record usage during procedures, automating the task of item identification and providing real-time safety alerts, Snap & Go eases the burden on nurses while significantly enhancing data integrity.
IDENTI Medical’s commitment to understanding the challenges faced by nurses and providing innovative solutions is driving positive change in healthcare settings.
Contact us if you are interested in an inhouse educational session or want to find out more about Snap&Go.
