Technology within Hospitals

Juana Castro, Nathan Rike & Paige Murphy

Sandi Hubnik | ENGL 2311| Technical & Business Writing
23 April 2018

Communication Technology within

Hubnik Medical Consolidated
 Table of Contents

List of Table and Figure ............................................................................................................... ii

Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... iii
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1
Purpose........................................................................................................................................... 1
Problem .......................................................................................................................................... 1
Description ..................................................................................................................................... 2
Benefits ........................................................................................................................................... 2
Convenience.................................................................................................................................... 3
Cost ................................................................................................................................................. 3
Concerns ........................................................................................................................................ 5
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 5
Glossary ......................................................................................................................................... 5
Works Cited ................................................................................................................................... 7

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 List of Table and Figure
Figure 1………………………………………………………………………………………………….2
Table 1…………………………………………………………………………………………………..4

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 Abstract
Hubnik Medical Consolidated is a leader in utilizing the latest in medical technology to improve
efficiency in many areas. It has come to this team’s attention that HMC has not kept up with the
latest in medical communication technology. Communication technology in HMC hospitals is
over fifteen years old and in need of an overhaul to bring it up to modern standards. In order for
HMC to remain competitive in medical technologies, it is the team’s recommendation that HMC
adopt the Vocera communications platform in its hospitals. This trusted company has proven to
be a reliable innovator within the field of medical communication technology. This partnership
will bring HMC’s communication technology into the modern day.

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 Introduction

Purpose
This report will show that Hubnik Medical Consolidated can become a leader in medical
communication technology by partnering with Vocera Communications Inc. There will be
detailed discussion and dissection of the products that can help with the communication and
technology problems HMC’s hospitals are having today. Vocera offers solutions to those
problems. The team will show the benefits of the products along with the security and
convenience of having these devices at the workplace. The team will discuss the cost, efficiency,
features, and potential concerns hospitals and associates may have with the devices. Lastly, this
report will summarize why HMC will benefit from adding Vocera B300 devices to their
hospitals.

Problem
In the majority of hospitals, including the ones Hubnik Medical Consolidated administers,
communication is a major issue. For nurses, doctors, and other staff, messages aren't always
communicated clearly; sometimes they are not even received at all. This error can cause many
liability issues related to patients’ protected health information. If there were an instance, for
example, where a patient had a certain reaction to a medication, clear communication within and
between shifts is important to ensure the patient’s health and safety. Poor communication
technology can lead to errors that can result is patient injury or even death, which damages
HMC’s reputation and leaves it vulnerable to potential legal action. In order to prevent these
problems, Hubnik Medical Consolidated needs to implement modern communication
technologies throughout its hospitals to increase the speed and accuracy of communication. The
team proposes that HMC partner with Vocera Communications to implement the latest
communication technology within HMC hospitals. This partnership will enable HMC to
maintain its position as a leader in all fields of medical technology, including communication.

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 Description
Vocera Communications Inc. has a line of hands-free devices that could solve communication
issues at Hubnik Medical Consolidated: the Vocera Badge B3000 series, as shown below. This
badge allows interpersonal communication between nurses and doctors about patients’ progress
and other communication needs. The Vocera badge increases efficiency in the workplace. This
system allows integration across all scopes of communication and allows versatility depending
on who the user is around and how the user decides to use the badge. If one user is helping a
patient, there is a way to use a lanyard around the neck, making the badge hands-free or if the
user needs to contact someone privately, there is a way to use the badge as a handset. (Vocera) In
order to communicate with anyone in particular, all a user needs to do is simply tap the center of
the badge; this function makes call routing incredibly simplistic. (Vocera)

Figure 1: A typical Vocera device.

“Clinical Communications Sof“Clinical Communications Software.” Clinical Communications Software, Vocera,

www.vocera.com/products/secure-texting-collaboration.tware.” Clinical Communications Software, Vocera,

Benefits
www.vocera.com/products/secure-texting-collaboration.
● Portability and Mobility
The Vocera B3000 is very light, weighing less than 2 oz. It has only one button and is voice
controlled. It uses dual band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz wireless technology, which can be easily
integrated into the already established wireless communication system at Hubnik Medical
Consolidated. The Vocera Badge can be worn on clothing with a small clip or a lanyard around
the neck. These two accessories allow for a hands-free usage of the device and allow for greater
mobility for the user. (Vocera)
● Security
The Vocera B3000 can be turned on via voice recognition, ensuring the security of users.
(Vocera) This secure function allows for multiple users to handle the same Vocera Badge as it is
passed down from one shift to the next. This allows the new user to log into the Vocera system
from the Vocera Badge and immediately begin using it. (Vocera)

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 ● Durability
The Vocera B3000 uses a structured design that is rigid through the spine of the device that
allows durability regardless of the environment a potential user could be in. (Vocera)
● Antibacterial
Vocera B3000 uses BioCote technology to provide antimicrobial protection of its devices.
BioCote uses antimicrobial additives to inhibit the growth of microorganisms through cell
disruption, DNA interference, oxidative damage, and protein damage. (Admin)

Convenience
Vocera badges offer team collaboration without having to set time aside and have a meeting; this
feature is convenient for busy hospitals who don’t necessarily have time to sit down and discuss
something, it can occur immediately while improving staff productivity. Anyone in the
healthcare field who relies heavily on technology inside and outside of work is able to use the
convenience of voice-activated technology. This innovation allows ease of use and doesn’t
interfere with the security and critical data that anyone is discussing on the badges. Lastly, the
B3000 is able to integrate with clinical alert and alarm systems, allowing easy access hospital
emergency communication systems. The Vocera badge has been proven to increase patient
safety and overall care experience throughout many hospital settings. (Kearns)

Cost
The initial cost of acquiring the Vocera Badges will be assumed by Hubnik Medical
Consolidated. By assuming the cost of the badges, HMC will be empowered to negotiate bulk
pricing during contract negotiations with Vocera. This policy also benefits the employees as they
will not have to pay out-of-pocket for the device or assume any activation costs for wireless
services. However, a policy of charging employees the cost to replace lost or damaged devices
has been found to be the most effective method to ensure that devices are treated with care and
respect.

For the 2,000 employees for HMC’s largest hospital, an estimated list of items used in a Vocera
communications system is outlined below based upon two contracts found in the public records
of Santa Clara County and the state of Ohio respectively. (Approve, Ohio) This list is meant as a
general guideline for estimating approximate costs; Vocera operates on a contract-based service
and specific pricing will be negotiated with Vocera when HMC adopts this system.

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 Item Quantity Unit Cost Total Cost

B3000n Black Badge 1,000 $410 $410,000

B3000 charger, 8-bay 125 $320 $40,000

B3000, Universal Clip, 25-Pack 40 $85 $3,400

B3000, Double-Breakaway Lanyard, 25-Pack 40 $140 $5,600

Vocera End User Training Kit 1,000 $10 $10,000

Vocera Standard License, 450 Users 2 $115,000 $230,000

Vocera Standard License, 150 Users 1 $45,000 $45,000

Vocera Premier Support Services for 750-

1 $4,200 $4,200
User VMI Module License

Vocera Premier Support Services for 300-

1 $2,500 $2,500
User VMI Module License

Table 1: Example Costs

Features
● Badge
As previously discussed in this research report, the base model badge that many hospitals use is
the B3000 series. This badge is a great hands-free option of the Vocera platform, to ensure easy-
to-use ability from any user. It also contains dual-band wifi radio, providing instant connectivity
to deliver high-quality voice recognition. Lastly, the Vocera badge is able to integrate with more
than 100 clinical systems, including calling staff and reporting readings on medical equipment
throughout the hospitals. (Vocera)
● Smartphones
Vocera also offers a pair of smartphones which integrate into the Vocera communication
platform: the Zebra TC51-HC and the Zebra MC40-HC. The first model smartphone is the
MC40-HC. The MC40 provides Wi-Fi connectivity as well as high-definition sound
performance, which allows for high quality voice recognition with the Vocera B3000 Badge. The
newer mobile phone, the TC51-HC, adds a larger display screen, improved barcode capture for
prescriptions, faster intel processing, front-facing camera for telemedicine, and the ability to run
other healthcare applications simultaneously.(Zebra) This smartphone is able to add the security,
conformance, wireless connection, and data capture that healthcare needs to excel.(Zebra)

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 ● Applications
The Vocera app for Apple Watch allows yet another hands-free way to access all the user’s
information. The user is able to answer alerts and messages in real-time. This app also allows a
way to create a safer environment by initiating panic calls in emergency situations. (App)

Concerns
There have been a few concerns about the Vocera communication platform devices, but such
issues can be fixed quickly. It is reported that there is no order of priority for the urgent messages
given on the badges. This situation means that there is the same urgency in a message to a patient
needing water versus a patient entering cardiac arrest. This issue could cause a few problems that
Vocera has proposed an update to solve. Some devices have reported no synchronization, which
causes messages to not be received at the same time by all parties. In an emergency, this lack of
synchronicity could be an issue. Fortunately, this issue is rare. Lastly, some hospitals have
reported that there is interference with other medical devices when using smartphones. The
message could interfere with a heart monitor, which could throw off the readings perhaps, but
this problem has been reported only in hospitals with high electrical frequencies. (Richardson)
These issues can be corrected with a periodic update in software. Vocera works constantly to
maintain itself at the forefront of medical communication technology while constantly
innovating and improving its products.

Conclusion
Hubnik Medical Consolidated has always worked to achieve excellence in hospital performance
through adoption of the latest medical technologies. HMC has been frequently recognized as a
leader in the medical field. This team has found an area where HMC is able to improve itself
through communication technology. By partnering with Vocera, a leading communication
technology company that specializes in medical solutions, HMC can bring its communication
technologies back to the cutting edge of the field and maintain it for decades to come.

Glossary
Antimicrobial: an agent that inhibits the growth of microorganisms.
HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; this act restricts access to
individuals' private medical information and requires certain security measures be implemented
by those with access to protected medical information.
Hubnik Medical Consolidated: The administrative group in the DFW area that oversees four
previously independent hospitals to ensure proper funding and administration of these hospitals.
Microorganisms: a living creature too small to be seen with the naked eye; microorganisms are
responsible for the spread of many communicable diseases in the hospital setting
Vocera Communications, Inc.: a communications technology company that provides mobile
communication solutions for hospital staff and mobile workers across diverse organizations

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Vocera B3000 series: the line of Vocera badges that is recommended for implementation.

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 Works Cited
Admin. “How Antimicrobial Technology Works | BioCote Ltd.” BioCote, BioCote, 24 Nov.
2017, www.biocote.com/how-antimicrobial-technology-works/.
“App for Apple Watch.” Vocera, 12 Apr. 2018, www.vocera.com/watch.
“Approve Fourth Amendment to Agreement with Vocera Communications, Inc., Relating to
Providing Maintenance, Software Support and Equipment for the Vocera Voice
Communications System, with No Change to the Maximum Contract Amount of
$3,575,000, and No Change to the Term of the Agreement, That Has Been Reviewed and
Approved by County Counsel as to Form and Legality.” Approve Fourth Amendment to
Agreement with Vocera Communications, Inc., 25 Apr. 2017,
sccgov.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?ID=85813&highlightTerms=vocera.
“Improve Care Team Communication.” Vocera, 12 Apr. 2018,
www.vocera.com/industry-solution/improve-care-team-communication.
Kearns, Madelyn. “Medical Practice Insider.” Vocera Collaboration Suite: Convenience via
Voice and Text | Medical Practice Insider, 14 July 2013,
www.medicalpracticeinsider.com/news/vocera-collaboration-suite-convenience-voice-
and-text.
Ohio Department of Administrative Services. “Current Contract Detail.” State of Ohio
Procurement, procure.ohio.gov/proc/viewContractsAwards.asp?contractID=34183.
Richardson, Joshua E, and Joan S Ash. “The Effects of Hands-Free Communication Device
Systems: Communication Changes in Hospital Organizations.” Journal of the American
Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA, BMJ Group, 2014,
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995638/.
“Vocera Communications.” Crunchbase, 28 Mar. 2016,
www.crunchbase.com/organization/vocera-communications.
“Zebra MC40-HC Smartphone.” Vocera, 12 Apr. 2018, www.vocera.com/product/zebra-mc40-
hc-smartphone.