What You Should Know:
– Cone Health transforms its maternity campus into North Carolina’s first designated COVID-19 hospital in 28 days.
Cone Health transformed its former women’s health campus into a designated COVID-19 hospital in 28 days. Using teamwork and technology, the Cone Health Green Valley campus in Greensboro, North Carolina became the area’s first specialized COVID-19 hospital, boasting the latest development in coronavirus care, negative pressure ventilation, and hands-free communication throughout the facility.
Transformation Journey
More than 80 leaders from multi-disciplinary teams across the health system were involved in redesigning the former Women’s Hospital and opening it as a COVID-19 only facility in April of 2020. By year-end, more than 1,500 patients had received care at the 116-bed COVID-19 hospital. A place once dedicated to bringing new life into the world is now dedicated to keeping life from ending too soon.
Innovative Solutions to Address COVID-19
The health system’s Lean team and infectious disease team joined forces to ensure that clinical workflows, operational processes, and technology solutions were safe and efficient. Among the approved innovations used to protect and connect care teams in the COVID-19 hospital is the wearable Vocera Smartbadge.
The voice-controlled Smartbadge enables team members to communicate hands-frees and can be worn under personal protective equipment (PPE). A nurse, doctor, or other team members can initiate communication by simply saying, “OK, Vocera” followed by voice commands like “call respiratory therapist” or “call Code Blue team.” The Smartbadge, along with the Vocera Vina smartphone app, is also being used in the new Women’s & Children’s Center at Moses Cone Hospital to help care teams provide exceptional and personal care.
“Many patients need hands-on care, whether they are a sick baby or an elderly man with COVID-19, which is why hands-free communication is ideal for many clinicians; but there also are times when clinicians need to exchange more context about the patient situation, and a secure mobile app is preferred,” said Kenneth Rempher PhD, RN, executive vice president of acute care services and chief nurse executive at Cone Health.
