PacMed Clinic Off & Running With Versus Advantages RTLS

TRAVERSE CITY, MI–(Marketwire – October 4, 2010) –  Versus Technology, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: VSTI) is pleased to announce that another phenomenal customer, Pacific Medical Center (PacMed), is now realizing the benefits of the Versus Advantages™ Real-time Locating System (RTLS). In April, Canyon Park Clinic, PacMed’s newest multi-specialty clinic in Bothell, WA, implemented the Versus Advantages™ Clinic solution to reduce patient visit times and improve the overall patient experience.

Taking time in September to share the Advantages of RTLS in Clinical Environments at Microsoft’s Health Users Group Exchange 2010, Brett Daniel, MD, Medical Director at Canyon Park Clinic announced that not only did the clinic achieve its primary goal to reduce overall average patient visit times from 70 to 46 minutes, it also reduced phone calls, demonstrated outstanding patient satisfaction scores, and is expected to promote material revenues. An impressive success, especially considering the RTLS was implemented only six months ago when the clinic opened.

“We were, and continue to be, focused on customer service, and the patient is our customer,” explains Linda Eremic, Director of Primary Care Services for PacMed. “Per our experience as both consumers and patients, we know that it makes sense to ensure that the customer is never left needlessly waiting–not in a waiting room, not in an exam room, not on the phone and not for a return call. Versus helps us manage our time and our patients to ensure that we can deliver the customer service our patients expect and deserve.” 

With up to 110 personnel on site and 300 patients currently moving in and about the Canyon Park Clinic‘s 30,000 sq. ft. each day, the Versus’ RTLS was sure to deliver benefit just in communicating the locations of patients, staff and equipment. However, for Versus, providing location information is just a necessary stepping stone to true clinical automation. PacMed is experiencing increased efficiencies as a result of:

1. Knowing patient status and room availability. (Communicated simultaneously to all care providers and updated automatically.)
2. No longer “rooming” patients. (Patients self-room, similar to checking in at a hotel.)
3. Reports to monitor Key Performance Indicators and measure results.
4. Alerts to ensure that providers and MAs see the patient at the right time, with the right information.

Dr. Daniel notes, “Every decision we made when designing the new clinic was centered on improving the patient experience. With Versus, what we didn’t expect is how great an impact it would also have on staff. Our staff is more productive, less stressed and patients have greater access to all of us. On the technology side, even our upcoming EMR implementation will be made easier by virtue of having the RTLS. As we anticipate greater distribution of the Versus system, our clinic has really become a model for how to do it well.”

“We really appreciate when our clients are willing to discuss the advantages of RTLS,” says HT Snowday, Versus’ CTO. “PacMed is unique in that they understood from the start that implementing RTLS wasn’t about simply tracking assets or choosing the technology that was easiest to install. It’s about delivering real, transformational change to patients and those who deliver patient care. To do so, facilities have to look beyond the locating technology to determine whether the solution offers clinical-quality data and whether the vendor understands the locating metrics as they relate to healthcare.”

Dr. Daniel will be presenting Canyon Park Clinic’s use case and outcomes with RTLS through an AHA Solutions, Inc. webinar on Wednesday, October 6, 2010. Those interested in learning more may register here: AHA Signature Learning Series – Patient Flow. 

About Pacific Medical Centers
Pacific Medical Centers is a private not-for-profit, multi-specialty health-care network of 10 locations with 140 primary and specialty care providers. Its 10 locations are in Puget Sound neighborhoods in Beacon Hill, Bothell, downtown Seattle, Northgate, Federal Way, First Hill, Lynnwood, Northgate, Renton and Totem Lake. Pacific Medical Centers serves patients with commercial insurance, retired military and their families, family members of active-duty personnel, as well as the underserved in our community.

About Versus Technology, Inc.
Established in 1988, Versus Technology, Inc. specializes in real-time location systems (RTLS) for healthcare. Used for enterprise patient tracking, bed management, asset tracking, and nurse call automation, Versus Advantages™ improves patient flow and documentation of caregiver and patient interactions, while enhancing communication and efficiency. Exclusively endorsed by the American Hospital Association, the Versus Advantages infrared (IR) and Active RFID solution is responsible for clinical-grade location and automation at a number of hospitals, clinics and long-term care facilities worldwide. To learn more about Versus Technology, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: VSTI), our technology and client successes, visit www.versustech.com and take the Advantages Tour.

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