FOH Spotlight: Leveraging HoloLens Technology to Mitigate Staffing Shortages and Enhance Patient Care at the Jewish General Hospital
During the COVID-19 pandemic, as staffing shortages heightened, the Jewish General Hospital, a leading medical institution in Canada, grappled with the task of expanding its intensive care capacity while maintaining quality patient care, particularly in remote areas.
In a remarkable turn of events, a local engineering firm specializing in augmented reality technology, particularly Microsoft’s HoloLens, presented an unexpected opportunity to the hospital.
They challenged the institution to find a medical application for the cutting-edge capabilities of their technology. Seizing the opportunity, the hospital integrated HoloLens technology into its intensive care units and long-term care facilities.
This innovative collaboration offered a solution to the hospital’s challenges by facilitating virtual expert consultations. It allowed remote guidance of nursing staff by intensivists and wound care specialists, empowering the hospital to bolster its capacity, protect its staff, and improve patient outcomes.
Training hospital staff
The implementation of HoloLens technology proved remarkably user-friendly.
Despite the staff’s varying levels of comfort with technology, the majority mastered its use within just one hour of training, with 93% reporting that it enhanced patient safety. Additionally, 85% noted improved access to professional support. Satisfaction rates remained consistently high, with ongoing usage further enhancing staff’s confidence and effectiveness in utilizing the technology.
The hospital conducted training sessions to familiarize staff with HoloLens technology, which proved to be intuitive and easy to use. Nursing staff received guidance and support from intensivists and wound care specialists remotely, allowing them to provide more comprehensive care to patients.
The implementation process encountered minimal resistance from staff, who welcomed the technology for its simplicity and efficiency.
Results
The integration of HoloLens significantly enhanced hospital efficiency in various aspects:
- Increased Intensive Care Capacity: With the support of HoloLens technology, the hospital doubled its intensive care capacity allowing them to accommodate a higher volume of patients on ventilators during the peak of the pandemic, successfully upholding its standards of patient care.
- Enhanced Wound Care: The use of HoloLens technology in wound care resulted in a 16% saving in time for wound care nurses, allowing them to see more patients and provide more comprehensive assessments and treatments.
- Improved Patient Experience: Patients in both intensive care wards and long-term care facilities reported positive experiences with the use of HoloLens technology, as it enabled them to receive timely and specialized care without the need for unnecessary transfers or visits to urban centers.
Scaling up
The adoption of HoloLens technology has expanded to include rehab programs and care at home. Its success led to a collaboration with the Ministry of Health on a pilot project for patients in remote areas where patient travel for specialist and follow up appointments incur logistical challenges and significant costs which could amount to over $20,000 per trip.
Following the successful pilot, both the provincial Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Province of Newfoundland have decided to adopt it and scale it across their provinces.
Conclusion: A home run for cross industry collaboration
The successful implementation of HoloLens technology in the hospital setting demonstrates the effectiveness of cross-industry collaboration in addressing healthcare challenges. The intuitive nature of the technology, coupled with positive outcomes for patients and staff, highlights its potential to enhance healthcare delivery and improve patient outcomes while cutting costs.
