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Assigning patients just got a whole lot easier for charge nurses.
MedAptus (@MedAptus) has launched ASSIGN for Nurses, a new software program that matches the right patients with the right nurse by applying a proprietary protocol engine designed to handle the complexities of patient assignments.
More than a year in development, ASSIGN for Nurses replaces the cumbersome manual assignment process that most charge nurses or assistants use, which is slow, inefficient and often unfair because of imbalanced workloads.
“This is a sea change when it comes to patient assignments,” says Eugene C. Schneider, MedAptus president and chief executive officer. “Not only can ASSIGN for Nurses handle the complexity of balancing multiple protocols, but it does so quickly and easily.”
Using ASSIGN for Nurses is straight-forward.
First, ASSIGN automatically taps into a patient census from the EHR, along with data from the hospital’s nurse scheduling software. Then, it applies protocols – such as patient acuity, geography, continuity of care and others simultaneously – to intelligently match patients with nurses. Once the assignment process is completed, the final list is then automatically generated and distributed, either electronically or in print. The entire process takes minutes to complete.
“I really like how ASSIGN for Nurses accounts for the many variables that can affect care,” said Lisa Quinn, PhD, RN, OCN. “Too often, we just focus on one factor, such as patient acuity, when in fact patient-centered care involves a whole range of variables.”
Studies show heavy nurse workloads can have a significant impact on patient safety and satisfaction, length of stays and readmissions. Imbalanced workloads can also lead to feelings of unfairness, frustration and even burnout. That’s one reason why developing patient assignment software for nurses was so important to MedAptus.
ASSIGN for Nurses is designed to work in any unit and with any staff size. It also integrates seamlessly with all of the major EHR systems and nurse scheduling software programs, while requiring minimal IT staff involvement during implementation.
The software is the second patient assignment product MedAptus has launched in the past year. Previously, the company unveiled ASSIGN for Physicians, which applies similar rules-based algorithms to rounding assignments. The company is also developing a proprietary software for case managers and therapists as well, creating a full suite of care coordination products.
About MedAptus
MedAptus is a Boston-based healthcare technology company that helps care teams work better together by providing patient assignment, secure communications and charge capture software. The company’s solutions have boosted financial performance, improved operations, and enhanced team care coordination for hospitals and other healthcare organizations throughout the United States for the past 18 years. MedAptus has also been recognized as a leader in mobile charge capture software and services by KLAS seven out of the past eight years.
