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THESE TECHNOLOGIES HOLD THE POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE, GENERATE REVENUE STREAMS AND FACILITATE ACHIEVEMENT OF MEANINGFUL USE. Dräger Lighting Concepts Concerns about hospital lighting date back to at least 1962, when the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare released results of a hospital study recog- nizing the role of lighting in both patient comfort and practitioners' ability to perform tasks. Those concerns have not disappeared. For instance, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists lists poor lighting as a risk factor for medication errors. In May, medical technology developer Dräger unveiled a new suite of hospital workplace designs, which includes lighting innovations geared toward improving patient experience and healing. One of Dräger's new lighting options mimics natural changes in daylight throughout a 12-hour period to help sustain patients' circadian rhythms. A 2006 report by The Center for Health Design stated that appropriate hospital lighting can not only enhance sleep and circadian rhythm but also reduce depression, ease pain and decrease length of stay. Dräger's lighting designs also include lights strategically placed around the patient bed and in self-closing drawers, providing illumination for clinicians to perform tasks at night without disturbing the patient. ■ CareConnex Hosped ia , a pro- vider of point-of-care systems, and technol- og y company Barco h a v e i n t r o d u c e d C a r e C o n n e x , a n integrated electronic health record (EHR) platform and patient infotainment system. Through Barco's Smart Terminal — a sleek, user-friendly, hanging touch-screen monitor installed at the bedside — clinicians can share interactive videos and other educational materials with patients regarding specific health topics. Care providers may also use the monitor to access EHR and other internal information systems and digitally share test results with patients. Additionally, CareConnex serves as an entertainment station and commu- nication hub for patients. Patients and their families can watch movies, play games, order food and communicate with providers on the Smart Terminal. The system also helps hospitals achieve meaningful use and may enhance rev- enue through the sale of advertising and the upselling of patient entertainment packages, according to Barco. ■ PodPractice EHR Historically, podiatrists have been ahead of the curve in terms of EHR implementation. An analysis by The Center for Public Integrity's iWatch News found that 12 percent of practices awarded the first round of meaningful use incentives in May 2011 were podiatry practices — though podiatrists account for only 1.5 percent of all Medicare practitioners. For podiatrists who have not achieved meaningful use, however, 20/20 Imaging offers PodPractice, a comprehensive, digitally integrated, meaningful use-certified EHR platform created for podiatry practices. PodPractice is ICD-10-compliant and is stocked with a customizable template reporting system that helps eliminate redundancies in recordkeeping and speed data entry for patient chart conversion. Made available in June 2013, PodPractice offers both server- and cloud-based storage. ■ Practice-Enhancing Products IMAGE COURTESY OF DRÄGER IMAGE COURTESY OF HOSPEDIA IMAGE COURTESY OF 20/20 IMAGING By Colin Stayton 2 2 | Central Pennsylvania MD NEWS ■ M D N E W S . CO M