Intel, Motion Computing unveil mobile clinical assistant
Intel Corporation in partnership with Mobile Computing unveiled a mobile clinical assistant (MCA) built for nurses to wirelessly visit patients and manage the administration of medications. The product, Motion Computing’s C5, is based on Intel’s MCA platform, the company said. 
 
MCA is a platform built specifically for healthcare, and a move by Intel to provide better connectivity to clinicians towards providing real-time patient information. The device is tough but lightweight, spill-resistant, and designed to allow nurses to access up-to-the-minute patient records and to document a patient’s condition instantly.
 
Some of the Motion C5 features include: wireless connectivity to access up-to-date secure patient information and physician’s orders; radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for fast user logon; a digital camera for patient charting and progress notes in order to keep track of the progress of healing wounds; and bluetooth technology to help capture patient vital signs, the companies said.
 
Intel and Mobile Computing worked with EMR vendors and others to refine their applications for use on MCA. Innovative technology and clinical software leaders included Allscripts, Cardinal Health, Cerner Corporation, Eclipsys Corporation, Epic Systems Corporation, GE Healthcare, iSoft, McKesson, Nexus, Siemens Medical Solutions and Welch Allyn.
 
The system’s development included pilot studies in hospitals globally, including El Camino Hospital in Northern California, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust in the United Kingdom, and Changi General Hospital in Singapore.
 
Also, social scientists from Intel’s Digital Health Group conducted ethnographic studies of clinicians using the MCA at each hospital to understand the platform’s usage, usefulness and usability in the context of real clinical work practice. Across these hospital settings, nurses and physicians appreciated the integrated handle; immediate anytime, anywhere access to secure patient information and orders; and the docking station that allows them to easily swap batteries to achieve shift-long use.
 
“The announcement today represents a new kind of collaboration between hardware and software companies and end-users, such as UCSF, to bring a solution to the market that better meets the needs of nurses and doctors,” said Dr. Michael Blum, UCSF chief medical information officer.
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