by Jessica Pasley
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt recently launched a new digital patient engagement system to interact with patients and families during their stay in the hospital as well as provide staff easy-to-use tools to advance the patient experience.
Get Well is a digital technology connecting patients with personalized information and education they need to navigate their health care journey as well as serve as an entertainment outlet.
“We chose this program because it has so many functionalities,” said Janet Cross, MEd, CCLS, CPXP, senior director, Patient and Family-Centered Care at Monroe Carell. “We will be able to provide patient education elements as well as entertainment options for TV and movies. The system has the ability to expand as our needs grow, which will allow us to add additional functions as the need arises.
“The system is being rolled out in stages. So far, we have had incredible feedback from both patients, families and staff. It’s always exciting when we can introduce another tool that will increase our patient and family engagement.”
The Emergency Department was the first area to pilot the new system, followed by the 10th and 11th floors and will subsequently be available to floors 5, 6, 7, and 8 with plans to bring the platform to rooms without TVs (4th floor NICU).
Cross hopes the installation will be complete for the entire hospital by this fall.
In addition to providing information, education and teaching tailored to each patient’s health condition, users will be able to access a daily plan and routine page, medications list and review discharge planning and instructions.
A calendar of daily events and relaxation videos will also be available through the platform, which will also have more than 100 TV stations, internet access, music, games and a wide variety of age-appropriate movies.
“The concierge style of this system really places a lot of control in the hands of the patients and families,” added Cross. “They will be more integrated into their care through the interactive programming, which will provide a better patient experience.”
Upon admission to the hospital, patients and families will go through an orientation to familiarize them with both the hospital and the new digital system. A Get Well welcome video will help walk each user through the system’s features, prompting access with the entire network.
Available in English, Spanish and Arabic, the online tool will be specific to each individual patient.
Each room will be outfitted with equipment to use the digital system.
