CLEVELAND – University Hospitals Medical Practices (UHMP) is on the leading-edge of introducing a new technology to make time in the waiting room a lot less boring and a more entertaining, educational, and productive experience. At two UH locations, patients have a chance to try out the new InfoSlates, which are thin, handheld computer devices that let patients connect to the Web, check out their email, look up biographical information about their doctors, learn more about procedures, and complete medical histories and questionnaires.
Scott Zimmer, M.D., Medical Director of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery for UHMP, is an adviser for the company that has developed InfoSlate. He was introduced to InfoSlate’s president and developer, Kyle Piechucki, by a mutual friend.
Piechucki, now a father of two who lives in Oyster Bay, N.Y., had grown tired of the waits he had to endure when taking his kids to the doctor. He got the idea of InfoSlate to relieve the tedium.
UH’s Dr. Zimmer has heard many pitches about waiting room gadgets during his career, but this one got his attention. He liked the idea that the light and portable computer screen could be customized to each office and that it offered a wide-array of activities for patients, from Web surfing, to filling out forms, to watching video of procedures.
Dr. Zimmer, who is an investor in the company, said that patients are able to fill out patient forms and surveys which are printed out on paper and not stored on the devices. “There are no HIPPA issues around security with these devices because they do not store the personal information,” he said.
“In our experience, the response from patients has been very good,” Dr. Zimmer said. “It is an excellent way to serve our patients while they wait.” InfoSlates are currently found in UH orthopedics offices and the Ireland Cancer Center infusion center in the Monarch Building across from UH’s Landerbrook site in Mayfield Hts. Dr. Zimmer said it is ideal for a service like the infusion center where patients receive chemotherapy via IV over several hours.
Dr. Zimmer said that UH will initially see expanded use of InfoSlates in practice sites throughout the system, such as Geauga, Twinsburg, Mentor, Bainbridge, and orthopedics at the UH Case Medical Center.
“If we can make our patients’ waiting time a more productive and enjoyable experience, it will only complement the outstanding care they will receive from our physicians,” states Michael Nochomovitz, M.D., President and Chief Medical Officer of UHMP.