Healthcare Technology Featured Article

September 10, 2012

Polycom Telemedicine Carts Can Reduce, Eliminate Hospital Stays


Polycom Inc., a provider of open standards-based unified communications, announced today the Polycom RealPresence Practitioner Cart 8000, a new telemedicine cart which connects live with patients and on-site caregivers via secure high-definition (HD) video and audio to allow medical professionals to have remote consultations with patients, even if those patients are located far away from a major medical center.

The new cart also satisfies the latest FDA Class I Medical Device Data Systems (MDDS) requirements, and includes viewing content via a PC connection.

“Healthcare reform and cost-cutting initiatives are accelerating the adoption of telemedicine as providers seek to deliver quality care to underserved populations but without the expense of transporting patients to large medical centers or sending specialists into the field,” said Ron Emerson, global director of healthcare, Polycom.

The new Polycom RealPresence Practitioner Cart 8000 is built upon Rubbermaid Healthcare’s small and lightweight mobile cart platform, according to a statement, protecting internal electronics from spills, providing an easy way to clean, and maneuverability and flexibility.

The system uses a Polycom HDX 8000 telepresence unit and Polycom EagleEye camera, with HD video technology for sharp, clear images and Polycom StereoSurround technology for natural and crisp conversations – important when gathering vital health information via videoconference.

The South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH) uses Polycom’s carts in patients’ rooms in 21 of its participating hospitals, and to implement a telepsychiatry program that has saved South Carolina taxpayers $21.7 million and allows patients far from medical centers to consult with providers as though they were in the same office.

The carts can be moved nearly anywhere where a patient is waiting. Using Polycom’s products, SCDMH has been able to reduce psychiatric patients’ stays from five to six days in the hospital to same-day discharge. 

Clinicians can connect through laptops or digital in-band stethoscopes and video scopes through an integrated plug-and-play side connection panel, and the new cart protects patient data with AES encryption to comply with HIPAA requirements.

In addition, it secures contents with a keyless entry drawer and lockable storage bin.




Edited by Braden Becker
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