Fujitsu and Health Care Expert Systems Bring Pen Nursing Solutions to Healthcare Providers
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — October 18, 1993 — Fujitsu Personal Systems Inc., a leading provider of highly integrated systems for mobile computing applications, and Health Care Expert Systems (HCES), Monday announced a technology partnership to offer the most advanced mobile hardware and software solutions to healthcare providers.
Fujitsu's 325Point pen-based tablet handheld computer will integrate with Health Care Expert Systems' Patient Care Expert (PACE) System resource and nursing software.
The Fujitsu/HCES system is also part of the Hospital of the Future exhibit located at INFOMART, a high-tech market center in Dallas. Anderson Consulting is the developer and sponsor for the Hospital of the Future, a healthcare technology center showcasing state-of-the-art healthcare technology and systems integrated computing solutions that offer the best of hospital maintenance and patient care.
The exhibit enables hospitals to evaluate real solutions being demonstrated to help them improve productivity. profitability and the quality of care through the use of technology.
The Fujitsu 325Point is designed for mobile workers involved in decision support activities in various vertical industries, including the healthcare market. Many hospitals have found they can enhance physician and nurse performance by using intelligent mobile computers for such tasks as patient assessment and classification, patient care activity reports, clinical documentation, therapy charting and messaging.
Weighing three pounds, the Fujitsu tablet-sized, pen-system is lightweight and easy-to use, and incorporates Health Care Expert System's PACE software. This integration provides one of the most complete solutions to healthcare providers.
Health Care Expert Systems offers the PACE system a comprehensive bed-side software solution that improves the quality of patient care. The PACE system provides immediate access to the most comprehensive nursing knowledge base available, and supports such applications as standards of care development, on-line patient planning, and bedside charting.
The software is simple, easy to use and flexible in design. The PACE system can be used in a method consistent with a hospital's immediate needs, and supports system expansion to meet future information requirements.
"By working with Health Care Expert Systems, we are enabling healthcare providers to offer easier integration solutions which will allow nurses to decrease the amount of time they spend on paperwork, and increase their attention to patient needs," said Lou Panetta, executive vice president of Fujitsu Personal Systems. "Fujitsu has made a firm commitment to helping healthcare workers improve patient care and this is a strong step in that direction."
The Fujitsu 325Point pen tablet will also allow nurses to have bedside automation without the costs and problems associated with providing terminals at each bed. The system can be carried by caregivers from patient to patient, where they can then update and view charts at the bedside. In rural and smaller hospitals where using hardwired terminals is expensive and economics is an issue, this feature is especially important.
"With the increased need for quality of care and outcomes-based data, hospital administrators increasingly see the need to make use of computer technology at the point-of-patient care," said Michael Vasquez, president of Health Care Expert Systems Inc.
"The excellent price/performance and feature/functionality of Fujitsu's 325Point mobile systems will allow caregivers to continue working as they always have, yet will give them access to patient information simply by touching the computer screen with the end of a pen."
The Fujitsu 325Point combines 386 power, multiple operating systems, and long battery life in a lightweight tablet. Using advanced power management techniques, the device operates with either rechargeable NiCad or NiMH batteries.
The 325Point is powered by a 25-MHz AMD 386SXLV CPU. Its RAM is expandable to 12 MB and has two type I/II/III PCMCIA version 2.0 slots. The computer has a 9.4 inch (diagonal) transflective LCD display with VGA support at 640 x 480 resolution. It is designed to be easily adapted for use with various peripherals such as printers, wireless communication devices, and cradles for customized mounting.
Fujitsu Personal Systems Inc. headquartered in Santa Clara, is a leader in providing solutions for data collection and decision support applications through the development of super-portable palmtop, pen-based and communicating computers. Its solutions are designed to meet the needs of applications where lightweight, small form factor, and long battery life are essentials.
The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Ltd. Fujitsu Personal Systems has North American offices in Santa Clara, Irvine, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Toronto and international offices in England, France, Spain, Germany, Italy and Sweden.
Health Care Expert Systems Inc., headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, is committed to providing the most comprehensive and flexible clinical information systems in the industry. Using off-the-shelf hardware that incorporates the latest technology, HCES provides hospitals with a point-of-patient care system that is both complete and cost effective.
Note to Editors: Products and company names used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
CONTACT:
Fujitsu Personal Systems
Bill Wittmann, 408/764-9484
or
Health Care Expert Systems Inc.
Michael Vasquez, 515/222-1717
or
Walt & Sommerhauser Communications
Erin Curtis, 408/496-0900