About

Digital Health: Innovation Center

Tools and ResourcesDigital Applications

Why Choose Us?

Harnessing Technology to Advance Patient Care

NewYork-Presbyterian's Digital Health Innovation Center has created and implemented solutions to increase patient engagement and improve provider communication. The goal of this effort is to simplify processes and deliver information to our patients faster and through easy-to-use methods.

Autotexting

Autotexting is a communication platform that provides real-time notifications for patients and families through text messages. Messages are sent when Operating Room and Emergency Department information is documented in the Electronic Medical Record, triggering automatic texts after each event. Family members are aware of their loved one’s progress throughout their stay in the Operating Room, and patients in the Emergency Department know of any upcoming steps in their care process.

The Digital Health Innovation Center collaborated with the NewYork-Presbyterian Information Technology department to drive adaption of this service. As a result, the hospital leverages an existing technology process to deliver information that is specific, yet also incremental, and therefore not overwhelming. Patients and their family members receive current information and can refer back to what they need to know whenever they wish. Waiting rooms are less crowded and stressful. Recipients are empowered to update other family members, expanding their support system. By setting and delivering upon expectations, Autotexting has relieved some of the uncertainty surrounding a hospital visit.

Features:

  • Immediate updates for patients, family members, caregivers, and providers
  • Seamlessly integrates into existing workflows: no extra work for the provider
  • Text messages are specific to cases, locations, and workflows
  • Over 100,000 text messages have been successfully sent since the program's launch

NYPBeReady

NYPBeReady is an emergency communication and preparation tool that securely alerts NewYork-Presbyterian staff through their mobile devices. Created by Security and Emergency Services and the NewYork-Presbyterian Digital Health Innovation Center, NYPBeReady educates staff about what to do in case of an emergency, provides immediate access to important numbers and procedures, and notifies them in real time of emergency incidents.

Features:

  • NYP Alerts
  • NYP Command Center Emergency Numbers
  • Access to Code References
  • Emergency Checklists
  • Personal Emergency Preparedness

NYPCare+

NYPCare+ gives providers the ability to see real-time patient information from the palms of their hands. Using their mobile devices, they no longer need to go back and forth to the desktop to check patients' vital signs, lab results, and other pieces of pertinent information, saving a significant amount of time. Providers are also able to show their patients their information in real time at the bedside.

Features:

  • Mobile medical record and collaboration tool
  • Integrated with the Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
  • Providers can document and manage patient care right from their mobile devices with:
    • Streamlined clinical image capture and ability to upload to the EMR
    • Vital signs review and capture
    • Managing patient lists

NYPConnect

NYPConnect focuses on strengthening communication between providers at NewYork-Presbyterian. Before the application, staff members weren’t always aware of who they would be working with on a patient case at any given point, as care teams are consistently evolving depending on needs. Providers expended precious time contacting the call center and consulting staff lists.

In response, the Digital Health Innovation Center collaborated with NewYork-Presbyterian’s Information Technology Department to create NYPConnect, a comprehensive directory for one of the largest healthcare systems in the nation. As a secure mobile application, NYPConnect makes staff information available throughout the hospital. NYPConnect also shows patient care teams in real time, eliminating confusion resulting from delayed coordination. Finally, NYPConnect provides multiple ways for the providers to contact each other. By updating communication with a mobile platform, NYPConnect aims to retire costly and outdated paging systems within the hospital.

Features:

  • Accurate patient care teams
  • Secure, fast, and asynchronous collaboration through individual or group messaging
  • Contact information for all staff members

NYPNotify

Providers frequently expend time relaying information to each other, which can delay patient care. NYPNotify was created to address this issue. The NYPNotify mobile application delivers real-time notifications to clinicians' smartphones. In the Post-Anesthesia Care Units (PACUs), the application is used to alert a clinician that a patient is in pain. Anesthesiologists receive a notification when their patient’s pain score has been entered as 7 or higher in the Electronic Medical Record, so they can provide quick treatment. Traditionally, this process took about two hours; with NYPNotify, it now takes just seven minutes.

Features:

  • Alerts the anesthesiologist of a patient's pain score of 7 or higher on a scale of 0-10
  • Alerts the attending physician once the patient's pain has been addressed

Patient Electronic Boards

In a healthcare system with more than 2,500 beds, it could be easy for patients to feel like a number. The NewYork-Presbyterian Digital Health Innovation Center looks for opportunities to provide each patient with information specific to their care, presented as simply and accessibly as possible. The Center collaborated with NewYork-Presbyterian’s Information Technology department to create a pilot program that would re-design the whiteboard. Prominently placed in the patient’s room, the whiteboards are a suitable platform for displaying tailored information.
NewYork-Presbyterian’s patient electronic boards digitize and improve upon traditional whiteboards. Instead of requiring providers to erase and re-write any new information, the boards integrate with the patient’s Electronic Medical Record (EMR) data to display updates as they happen. Patients and providers can immediately see accurate pain scores, fall risks, and scheduled tests, and family members can access important phone numbers. The boards display data visually wherever possible, including pictures of a patient’s entire care team in real time.

Features:

  • Real-time information on 40” Samsung DM-D LED Displays
  • Informs patient of their care team (attending physician, resident, nurse, nursing assistant, care coordinator, and social worker)
  • Displays the unit phone number and patient's room phone number
  • Displays the patient's pain score, fall risk, and scheduled tests

Patient Tablets

Happier patients are healthier patients. Not surprisingly, studies have linked patient engagement with better outcomes: a calm, revitalized, patient will be more able to focus on their recovery than one who is isolated and stressed. NewYork-Presbyterian’s Patient Tablets entertain and inform our patients, right at the bedside. Patients can stay connected with friends and family, keep up to date on their care within the hospital and the news outside, and find ways to laugh and relax.

After the initial launch and user feedback, the Patient Tablet program has expanded to include more hospital units and more tablet features. The Digital Health Innovation Center has helped to support the distribution and adoption of the tablets. Clinical and IT staff continue to evaluate opportunities to make the tablets even more customized to users and their needs. There are now about 800 patient tablets in 47 units across NewYork-Presbyterian.

Features for the patient:

  • Access the internet: check your email, Skype with loved ones, and browse the web
  • View your health records
  • Read NewYork-Presbyterian’s guides for patients and visitors
  • Use relaxation apps and play games

Features for the caregiver:

  • Discuss medications and medical history visually
  • Educate patients and their families

Patient Voice

Patient Voice is a versatile tool that allows patients to use tablets to fill out user-friendly questionnaires and to engage in their own education about their condition and health. In addition, hospital staff can use Patient Voice to assist with workflow and data collection. By streamlining processes, Patient Voice enables providers to spend even more time with their patients. Originally started as a pilot program, Patient Voice now serves a variety of purposes throughout NewYork-Presbyterian. The Digital Health Innovation Center has helped to support the IT and clinical staff who have identified exciting opportunities to leverage this technology in their work.

Features:

  • PCD Rounding: Daily survey for PCDs, who report on specific aspects of the patient experience, along with updates on their staff and the unit.
  • Living Donor Questionnaire: Online questionnaire for living organ donor candidates.
  • Medication Regimen Education (MRxEd): Digital video modules are used to teach and evaluate a patient’s knowledge about safe medication use.
  • Patient Satisfaction: Collection of patient satisfaction scores for International Services.
  • Outfield Data Collection: Reporting tool for providers caring for a patient outside of their unit.
  • Clinical Depression and Anxiety Screening: Survey for patients administered by mental health care providers.

NYP TechStop

NYP TechStop brings friendly, knowledgeable highly skilled technicians to designated locations around NewYork-Presbyterian to provide real-time tech support to NewYork-Presbyterian staff and patients. Available through walk-in and scheduled appointments, the NYP TechStop team can help resolve IT issues on the spot. Services available to NewYork-Presbyterian staff include:

  • Mobile device support
  • NYP mobile applications
  • Password reset/access issues
  • Application and remote access issues and FAQs

Patients and visitors can connect with NYP TechStop for:

  • Guest wireless internet access
  • NYP Patient Portal questions
  • Access to NYP mobile apps designed for patients
  • Patient Tablet support

After being successfully piloted in the iUnit and several “Meet and Greet” TechStop sessions on our campuses, NewYork-Presbyterian opened its first permanent NYP TechStop at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Patients, providers, and loved ones can visit the Starr Pavilion Lobby at the 70th Street entrance to access this service.