High-tech sensors aim to reduce doctor wait times
BOTHELL, Wash. -- A Bothell clinic is adopting a high-tech approach to reducing wait times during doctor appointments.
The Pacific Medical Center at Canyon Park is now handing out electronic trackers to patients as soon as they check in for their doctor’s visit.
The badge is about two inches long and can be clipped on to any clothing. Inside each badge is an infrared transmitter and an radio frequency identification antenna also known as an RFID tag.
A computerized display that’s available to nearly every staff member shows the progress and location of everyone in the clinic, including doctors, administrators and patients.
The electronic map updates every few seconds automatically showing how far along each patient is in his or her appointment. As soon as a doctor enters the exam room, the system will know exactly to the second how long the doctor has been with the patient.
The system also alerts staff when patients have been waiting longer than 15 minutes. It can also be used in emergency situations to let know key people know that a patient is having a medical emergency.
The realtime location tracking system is product sold by Versus Technologies of Traverse City Michigan.
The average total appointment time from check-in to check-out is an hour and most of that time is spent waiting says Dr. Brett Daniel, Medical Director for PacMed Canyon Park. Daniel hopes the new tracking system will reduce the patient’s average total time in the office to 46 minutes.
The Pacific Medical Center at Canyon Park is now handing out electronic trackers to patients as soon as they check in for their doctor’s visit.
The badge is about two inches long and can be clipped on to any clothing. Inside each badge is an infrared transmitter and an radio frequency identification antenna also known as an RFID tag.
A computerized display that’s available to nearly every staff member shows the progress and location of everyone in the clinic, including doctors, administrators and patients.
The electronic map updates every few seconds automatically showing how far along each patient is in his or her appointment. As soon as a doctor enters the exam room, the system will know exactly to the second how long the doctor has been with the patient.
The system also alerts staff when patients have been waiting longer than 15 minutes. It can also be used in emergency situations to let know key people know that a patient is having a medical emergency.
The realtime location tracking system is product sold by Versus Technologies of Traverse City Michigan.
The average total appointment time from check-in to check-out is an hour and most of that time is spent waiting says Dr. Brett Daniel, Medical Director for PacMed Canyon Park. Daniel hopes the new tracking system will reduce the patient’s average total time in the office to 46 minutes.