In 2025, inpatient and emergency units will start using dedicated iPhones for different clinical tasks. Phones will be assigned to units, and team members in specific job roles will use a badge-tap system to sign the devices in and out for their shifts.
You can get find videos showing how these devices work, along with tip sheets and quick-reference guides, by visiting the unified clinical communications intranet page.
Why are we making this change?
Our clinical teams use lots of devices to do their work—and that can be confusing and a burden to carry around. Once fully implemented, these iPhones will reduce the number of devices needed. They’ll also improve efficiency. Using a smart device, such as these iPhones, will make it easier for team members to complete tasks—like communication or charting—on the go.
This is part of a larger initiative called unified clinical communications. Put simply: We’re condensing technologies to make it easier for our staff to talk with each other, because that can lead to better collaboration and patient care. By the end of this multi-year project, we’re aiming to reduce communication channels by more than 80%.
What will the iPhones do?
The phones will be equipped with the Epic mobile app (Rover), so to start, teams can use these new iPhones for:
- Placing and receiving calls
- Image capture
- Barcode scanning
- Basic flowsheet documentation
More functions, including a connection to on-call schedules, will come later this year.
When is this happening?
Devices will be delivered to hospital campuses starting in mid-January through June. More precise timelines are being determined for each location and will be communicated with campus leaders in advance. The new technology will go live at campuses in the order below:
- Kettering Health Main Campus
- Kettering Health Dayton
- Kettering Health Hamilton
- Kettering Health Miamisburg
- Kettering Health Washington Township
- Kettering Health Troy
- Soin Medical Center
Post-anesthesia care units, outpatient locations, freestanding emergency centers, as well as Kettering Health Behavioral Medical Center will also receive iPhones, currently estimated to start in September.
Which team members will be using the phones?
Phones will be used by the following team members on inpatient and emergency units:
- Bedside nurses
- Nursing assistants
- Respiratory therapy
- Emergency department technicians
- Clinical nurse managers
- Assistant nurse managers
- Clinical nurse leaders
- House supervisors
Will there be training?
Yes, Clinical Informatics team members will be on site the week before a campus goes live, holding open training lab time for teams to stop by and test out the devices. Times and locations for these training labs will be shared with campus leaders closer to their go-live date.
They’ll also be training “superusers” on each unit to help share knowledge with other team members.
Where can I find more information?
As campus-specific go-live dates are set, expect more information to come from your leader.
You can get a preview of how these devices work by watching the Rover videos on this intranet page.