Palms West Hospital
ER Department Uses Technology To Enhance Patient Experience In an ever-changing healthcare industry, what sets a hospital apart from the rest? How it deals with an emergency. Unless you have an expected surgery, delivering a baby or a scheduled procedure, the hospital’s front door is usually through the emergency room. But how do emergency rooms continue to evolve in this age of medical advances? The key is exceptional service with an emphasis on technology and patient convenience. Today’s world is an “on-the-go” era. People are working, managing busy daily lives, running a family and just trying to maintain it all while keeping their sanity intact. Palms West Hospital, owned and operated by the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), consistently strives to meet patients’ health needs while also being on the cutting-edge of technology for a more patient-friendly environment. Seeing hundreds of patients a day through its emergency department, Palms West Hospital has provided healthcare excellence since 1986. “We cannot just order the typical standard of care these days,” CEO Eric S. Goldman said. “That isn’t acceptable anymore. Our patients expect more — more in patient safety, more convenience, more communication and more quality care for their entire family.” With 24 ER beds — 10 solely dedicated to pediatrics — Palms West Hospital does not just treat children, it caters to them. Dr. Ernest Bertha, medical director of the Pediatric Emergency Department, has seen the effect that it has on families.
“When families visit our ER, they know we don’t treat their kids like little adults, because they’re not. They are young patients who need specialized attention in a kidfriendly atmosphere,” Bertha said. “Hospitals can be a scary place, and we want to make an uncomfortable situation a bit more comfortable for our littlest patients.” The entire pediatric area is decorated with bright colors and fun themes throughout. And with a mini movie theatre staged to entertain, the children can feel at ease. Working toward “ouchless” pain management and sedation, Palms West Hospital is making every effort to help children be as comfortable as possible while being treated. Technology can take the compassion out of healthcare, but Palms West Hospital has found a way to combine innovations to offer the compassionate care that patients and families deserve while continuing to advance everyday systems. InformER is a new and revolutionary HCA text service, providing status updates to patients, family members and friends regarding the medical milestones of a patient’s ER visit.
“Our patients expect more — more in patient safety, more convenience, more communication and more quality care for their entire family.” PALMS WEST HOSPITAL CEO ERIC S. GOLDMAN 34
July 2014 |wellington the magazine| 10th Anniversary