SAN DIEGO, Oct. 12, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Skylight Healthcare Systems convened its highly anticipated annual client conference, Enhancing the Patient Care Continuum 2010, on September 22-24 at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, CA. The conference theme for 2010—Improving the Patient Experience Throughout the Journey of Care—provided the foundation for twenty-seven speakers from leading U.S. hospitals over the 3-day event.
As one of the leading advocates for placing patients at the center of care, Skylight was honored to present Bridget Duffy, MD as the keynote speaker. Dr. Duffy inspired the attendees with her passion for defining and creating optimal healing environments for patients which has been the focus of her work throughout her 20 year career. She offered insights to help attendees truly understand what matters most to patients and how effective communication, healing environment, and emotional support and connection can help improve the experience of the patient's journey of care.
The 2010 Client Conference featured a comprehensive agenda where Skylight clients offered their stories demonstrating the results they have achieved as they have utilized the Skylight system in support of both core clinical and administrative processes plus the overall patient experience. The presentations were focused around three primary areas:
- Utilization and engagement
- Optimization of the Skylight system
- Maximizing Skylight through the journey of care
As Skylight's growing number of new clients get their interactive patient care programs off the ground, they have learned how to increase patient utilization and engage nurses. These sessions presented innovative ways hospitals have greatly increased the utilization of the Skylight system while promoting staff and patient engagement.
- Improved Patient Satisfaction and ROI—Centegra Health System, Chicago, IL
- Raising Standards and Supporting Hospital's Strategic Initiatives through Trials—Aurora Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI
- Measurable Success in Engaging Nursing Teams from Launch through Deployment—Luther Midelfort, Mayo Health System, Eau Claire, WI
- Integrating Skylight with Patient and Family Centered Care Initiatives—Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, Palo Alto, CA
- Positive Impact of Nintendo Wii on Patient and Family Experience plus Improved Staff Satisfaction—Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at St. Vincent, Indianapolis, IN
Skylight clients presented additional ways they have optimized their efforts to further establish a link between Skylight ACCESS and core hospital metrics. These sessions identified how ACCESS has been optimized to meet operational goals including improved HCAHPS scores, national patient safety goals, accreditation requirements, etc. through more extensive integration of the system.
- Patient Safety; Documented Improvements in Outcomes, and Communication with Nurses—Health 1st, Melbourne, FL
- Improving Bed Turnover and Inpatient Bed Availability—St. Vincent Carmel, Carmel, IN
- Leveraging Knowledge, Best Practices, and Institutional Leadership to Drive Staff Engagement, HCAHPS Scores, and Success Metrics—Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, Gilbert, AZ
- Impacting an Essential HCAHPS issue – Noise at Night, Banner Health, Phoenix, AZ
- Enhancing the Patient Experience and Improving Patient Satisfaction Scores with Online Meal Ordering—Sky Ridge Medical Center, Denver, CO
Integrating a broad range of healthcare technologies ranging from EMR's and sophisticated dietary programs to the latest video communications and internet technologies, clients presented compelling sessions showing new ways they have created ongoing communication of knowledge, care, and support from long before patients arrive to far beyond the hospital stay.
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iCarePassport—Communication, Support, and Connection along the Journey of Care
-- Orthopedics and Joint Replacement: Impact on Outcomes, Patient Satisfaction, and Physician Relations—Hoag Orthopedics, Newport Beach, CA
-- Bariatric Center of Excellence: Supporting Patients with a Lifetime of Education—Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Shawnee Mission, KS
-- Heart Failure: Personalized Education and Services to Reduce Unnecessary Readmissions—Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Newport Beach, CA -
iCareRounds—Enhancing Family and Physician Relationships around the Globe
-- Connecting Parents and Newborn from the NICU to the Hospital Bed—Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Shawnee Mission, KS
-- Building Connection with New Parents and Babies to Loved Ones Around the World—Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, Gilbert, AZ
"This event is truly extraordinary in that it convenes a broad spectrum of healthcare professionals who are all focused on discovering and implementing new and innovative ways to improve the patient experience from pre-admission through post-discharge," commented Kevin Meek, RN, BA, MHI, director of Orthopedics and Neurosciences at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center in Gilbert, Arizona. "Highly unique in this industry, Skylight has created an environment supporting knowledge transfer, best practices, and a vision for the future from many of the leading thinkers in the field of Interactive Patient Care."
"Improved metrics, meeting operational goals, better clinical outcomes, and enhanced physician relations are some of the primary drivers that hospitals will focus on as they rise to meet the challenges of a reformed healthcare market. Each and every one of the speakers at our Client Conference provided insights and a roadmap as to how to meet those respective goals," stated David Schofield, President and CEO of Skylight. "We are especially gratified at the phenomenal growth we have had over the past four years and that our Client Conference has become the launching point for strategic initiatives in interactive care that can best support patients, families, and the people who care for them."
About Skylight Healthcare Systems
Founded in 1999, and headquartered in San Diego, CA, Skylight® Healthcare Systems is the industry pioneer in interactive patient care technology. With patient communication and connection as the cornerstone of a safe, comfortable and clinically optimal hospital experience, the Skylight ACCESS® Interactive Patient Care System encourages patients and family to actively participate in their health care, improves communication between staff and patient/family members, and can provide a smoother and faster recovery and discharge plan. With their new products—iCarePassport™ and iCareRounds™—Skylight is delivering on its strategic vision of providing hospitals with a robust product set which will allow them to greatly enhance connection and communication throughout the journey of care from pre-admission through post-discharge. Hospitals implement Skylight to support their ongoing endeavors in improving HCAHPS scores, patient satisfaction, clinical outcomes, enhancing operational & service excellence, meeting evolving clinical demands, and delivering on commitments to making a positive difference in the lives of the people they serve. For more information about Skylight Healthcare Systems, please visit: www.Skylight.com.
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