Surgical Information Systems Blog

SIS Announces Launch of ASC Patient Tracking Solution

Written by SIS Corporate | October 18, 2018

SIS Charts Tracker electronic display boards provide a simple way for surgery center staff and family to remain apprised of a patient's progress throughout a surgical event.

Alpharetta, GA – October 18, 2018 – Surgical Information Systems (SIS), an industry leader focused exclusively on delivering surgical information technology (IT) to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and hospitals, has announced the launch of SIS Charts™ Tracker. This optional module for SIS Charts, a web-based clinical documentation solution for ASCs, includes patient tracking boards for PreOp and PACU, the OR, and the waiting area.

SIS Charts Tracker is designed to replace the labor-intensive, manual updating of dry-erase boards with digital visualizations of what is happening with patients in an ASC. Tracking boards update in near-real time based on the documentation entered into SIS Charts.

The PreOp and PACU tracking board is typically placed at the nursing station near the PreOp and PACU bays. It displays which patients are in PreOp and PACU and which patients are in the queue. Essential information is shown for each patient, including the following:

  • demographics (e.g., patient name, gender age);
  • which bay the patient is in;
  • what the procedure is;
  • who is performing the procedure;
  • what type of anesthesia will be used;
  • allergies, color-coded for severity; and
  • major milestones and completion percentage, prominently displayed with a green progress bar.

The OR tracking board is typically placed in a common area outside of ORs so clinical staff can conveniently check the status of ORs throughout the day. Set up like the PreOp and PACU board, it displays patient- and case-specific information for each procedure underway and those in the queue who are ready for the OR, in PreOp, or have arrived. If a case is running late, a red box and the word "LATE" displays with the case so staff can take corrective action to start the case.

The patient tracking board for the waiting area keeps family and friends informed about a patient's progress throughout the surgical event. This HIPAA-compliant display shows a unique identifier for each patient along with a progress bar that indicates where the patient is in the procedure. ASCs can configure the board to display only the areas of care their center provides.

"From the moment we implemented the patient tracking board in our waiting area, we saw immediate benefits," said Jon Van Valkenburg, CASC, Executive Director of Upstate Orthopedics Ambulatory Surgery Center in East Syracuse, NY, a user of the new solution. "It has significantly reduced the frequency of family members and friends asking our front desk staff for updates on patient status because they can visually see their loved one's progress through the surgical event. Patient satisfaction has increased since family members experience less stress and uncertainty."

Van Valkenburg continues, "We especially like that the boards are updated automatically as a byproduct of the clinical documentation already taking place. This is both a satisfier for patients and families and a time saver for staff. With fewer distractions, staff productivity has increased as well."

SIS will showcase SIS Charts Tracker at the Becker's ASC 25th Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs in Chicago on October 18-20.

"The intuitive design of SIS Charts Tracker makes it easy for an ASC to leverage the numerous advantages that come with near-real-time patient status updates," said Doug Rempfer, SIS Chief Operations Officer. "It’s designed to help ASCs make improvements throughout the facility in communications, patient flow, and patient and family satisfaction to support the delivery of safe, patient-centered care."

About Surgical Information Systems

Since 1996, Surgical Information Systems ("SIS") has been dedicated to providing surgical care providers with the solutions and services they need to deliver improved operational, financial, and clinical outcomes. Focused exclusively on perioperative IT, SIS serves over 2900 facilities across the United States and Canada.

Since 1996, Surgical Information Systems ("SIS") has been dedicated to providing surgical care providers with the solutions and services they need to deliver improved operational, financial, and clinical outcomes.

Focused exclusively on perioperative IT, SIS serves over 2900 facilities across the United States and Canada. SIS products and services include hospital and ASC-focused solutions for electronic medical records (EMRs), anesthesia documentation, business management, analytics, and revenue cycle management.

For more information, visit SISFirst.com.

Media Contact:
Emmy Weber
Surgical Information Systems
Email: eweber@sisfirst.com
Phone: 678-507-1706