CASELET

Intel Corporation and Motion Computing, Inc., are demonstrating the result of a joint effort to increase the productivity of nurses?the Motion C5 Mobile Clinical Assistant?a tablet-style personal computer designed for use in hospitals and clinics.

The idea for the product emerged from ethnographic studies that Intel conducted in the healthcare setting. Here researchers observed the round-the-clock flow of activities in a hospital and meticulously recorded the key tasks performed by the nurses and professional staff, tracing their every movement. The C5 benefited from the rich insights uncovered by Intel's study as well as from similar research that Motion Computing had completed in prior years. The companies believe that the device will help nurses handle chores such as remotely calling up medical records and doctors' orders, charting vital signs, and exchanging information with other professionals.

The Motion C5, which is priced at $2199, provides a sure-grip handle, a sealed case for easy cleaning and disinfecting, a lightweight design for portability, a 10-inch screen for easy viewing clinical information, rugged construction, and a pen and stylus input so clinicians can enter text and navigate the software without being tied to a keyboard. The innovative device also incorporates such features as integrated bar code and radio frequency identification (RFID) readers for patient identification and/ or electronic medication administration, an integrated camera, and built-in wireless connectivity. When the Motion C5 was released in 2007, about 16 percent of U.S. hospitals were using tablet PCs, and 24 percent had smaller handheld computers. Some hospitals prefer what they call COWs?computers on wheels?that can be rolled into

patients' rooms.

One of the first U.S. adopters of the Motion C5 was Island Hospital, located in Anacortes, Washington. Rick Kiser, assistant director of information systems for Island Hospital, was centrally involved in the buying decision. Though Island's buying team had initially recommended adding COWs for every patient room, the nursing staff had concerns about COWs' limitations. Kiser noted: "The single biggest issue was the COWs are impossible to clean. The sanitary aspect was a nightmare." Holly Hoskinson, RN, and clinical informatics specialist, also noted the COWs were difficult to maneuver from room to room. "We tried a variety of cart styles but they are all still big and heavy." Another Island RN, Chris Storm, agreed: "We wanted a device in each room, and based on our budget we would have to move COWs from room to room. That option was not acceptable."

While other brands of PC tablets were evaluated, the buying team determined that the Motion C5 best met Island's needs. Concerning the decision, Rick Kiser observed: "The thing that clinched it was that this tablet was designed for the medical environment. They are drop resistant and easy to clean and other tablets didn't offer anything near what we needed.

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