MUHC Rolls Out Touch Screen Kiosks that Enable Patients to Locate Nearby Clinics and Pharmacies on an Interactive Map
Montreal, April 16, 2010 – From this week on, patients visiting emergency rooms at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) will have access to a new resource for locating follow-up care and services. Touch-screen activated kiosks have been installed at the Montreal General and Royal Victoria hospitals, which provide information on nearby pharmacies and clinics, as well as contact information, hours of operation and interactive maps with public transport routes.
The idea and initiative for this project came from MUHC Nursing Resource Manager Barbara Cooke. "In the past, patients would frequently ask nurses and admitting staff for information on the nearest pharmacy or the closest clinic to their home for follow-up care," said Ms. Cooke, who is also a former Emergency Room nurse at the MUHC. "It was impossible for our team to know about every resource in Montreal. The new interactive kiosks allow patients to find this important information in a matter of seconds simply by typing in their postal code, leaving emergency room staff to focus their efforts on providing excellent patient care."
Ms. Cooke submitted her idea for the information kiosks as part of a novel contest that encourages MUHC staff to submit innovative ideas that could improve all aspects of hospital life, from patient care to patient parking. Some of the ideas that are submitted receive grants that take them into development. Ms. Cooke worked with local firm Integration New Media, Inc. (INM), specialists in creating rich user experiences for web, DVD, kiosk and custom applications, to help turn her vision into a reality.
The kiosks are housed in a sturdy casing designed to withstand a high volume of users and were developed to run 24 hours a day, seven days a week without requiring regular maintenance – the perfect solution for a busy emergency room. INM works with the hospital to update the content on the kiosks every six months to ensure that the listings are up-to-date.
About the McGill University Health Centre
The McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) is a comprehensive academic health institution with an international reputation for excellence in clinical programs, research and teaching. Its partner hospitals are the Montreal Children's Hospital, the Montreal General Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Hospital, the Montreal Chest Institute and the Lachine Hospital. Our goal is to provide patient care based on the most advanced knowledge in the health care field, and to contribute to the development of new knowledge. For more information, visit: http://www.muhc.ca.
About Integration New Media
Integration New Media, Inc. (INM) helps companies create rich user experiences in both online and offline environments. Our team of skilled developers and project managers can bring your project to life on time, and on budget. With project expertise ranging from Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) through to interactive sales and marketing tools and searchable libraries, INM has 20 years experience in creating solutions for organizations large and small in a variety of different industries. INM also offers a successful line of products that includes INM Reach and some of the best-known plug-ins for Adobe Director, Flash and Authorware.
Press Contact
Andrea Simmons
Tel.: +1 514 871 1333 ext. 237
Andrea.Simmons@INM.com
Rebecca Burns
Tel.: +1 : 514 843 1560
Rebecca.Burns@muhc.mcgill.ca
Montreal, April 16, 2010 – From this week on, patients visiting emergency rooms at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) will have access to a new resource for locating follow-up care and services. Touch-screen activated kiosks have been installed at the Montreal General and Royal Victoria hospitals, which provide information on nearby pharmacies and clinics, as well as contact information, hours of operation and interactive maps with public transport routes.
The idea and initiative for this project came from MUHC Nursing Resource Manager Barbara Cooke. "In the past, patients would frequently ask nurses and admitting staff for information on the nearest pharmacy or the closest clinic to their home for follow-up care," said Ms. Cooke, who is also a former Emergency Room nurse at the MUHC. "It was impossible for our team to know about every resource in Montreal. The new interactive kiosks allow patients to find this important information in a matter of seconds simply by typing in their postal code, leaving emergency room staff to focus their efforts on providing excellent patient care."
Ms. Cooke submitted her idea for the information kiosks as part of a novel contest that encourages MUHC staff to submit innovative ideas that could improve all aspects of hospital life, from patient care to patient parking. Some of the ideas that are submitted receive grants that take them into development. Ms. Cooke worked with local firm Integration New Media, Inc. (INM), specialists in creating rich user experiences for web, DVD, kiosk and custom applications, to help turn her vision into a reality.
The kiosks are housed in a sturdy casing designed to withstand a high volume of users and were developed to run 24 hours a day, seven days a week without requiring regular maintenance – the perfect solution for a busy emergency room. INM works with the hospital to update the content on the kiosks every six months to ensure that the listings are up-to-date.
About the McGill University Health Centre
The McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) is a comprehensive academic health institution with an international reputation for excellence in clinical programs, research and teaching. Its partner hospitals are the Montreal Children's Hospital, the Montreal General Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Hospital, the Montreal Chest Institute and the Lachine Hospital. Our goal is to provide patient care based on the most advanced knowledge in the health care field, and to contribute to the development of new knowledge. For more information, visit: http://www.muhc.ca.
About Integration New Media
Integration New Media, Inc. (INM) helps companies create rich user experiences in both online and offline environments. Our team of skilled developers and project managers can bring your project to life on time, and on budget. With project expertise ranging from Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) through to interactive sales and marketing tools and searchable libraries, INM has 20 years experience in creating solutions for organizations large and small in a variety of different industries. INM also offers a successful line of products that includes INM Reach and some of the best-known plug-ins for Adobe Director, Flash and Authorware.
Press Contact
Andrea Simmons
Tel.: +1 514 871 1333 ext. 237
Andrea.Simmons@INM.com
Rebecca Burns
Tel.: +1 : 514 843 1560
Rebecca.Burns@muhc.mcgill.ca
Comments
Post a Comment