FORT WORTH, TEXAS -
"She is so precious," Coos new mother Shannell Chapman as she gazes at her daughter, born just an hour before. Their hospital room is loaded with devices that track everything from pulse to contractions; they're also among the first to have their doctor be able to use their cell phone to check their vital signs.
"I can go back in and look at all of her vital signs, her blood pressure, her oxygen's." Says Doctor Cynthia Robbins as she fingers through her Smartphone. The application is called OB Airstrip. Dr. Robbins just logs into the secure site and then scans her patients' vital signs, from anywhere. She says it's like having around the clock bedside access.
"It's actually more efficient for the nurse also, so I don't have to place a call to the desk and have the secretary find the nurse and then the nurse comes to the phone. I'm able to go directly to the information."
Which is in real time. Dr. Robbins says the technology allows doctors to be more connected, nurses to be more efficient, and patients more safe.
"It gives two sets of eyes; a nurse looks at things and interprets something I do and so both of us are able to see things more often. It adds more safety, I think, to the labor process."
Shannell was in labor for 14 hours, with all of the vitals accessible via cell phone. She marvels at technology that allows her doctor to be in a meeting, or at home, and still be connected.
"It made me feel more secure and at ease -- and that I didn't have to worry so much and I knew that she was watching, even though she wasn't there."
"So I can go back and review from the beginning on." Dr. Robbins still spends as much time bedside as she always has, but now, when she's not there, well, she's still there. Just like like the Chapman family likes it.
The application is being used at both Texas Health Fort Worth and Texas Health Dallas.
"I can go back in and look at all of her vital signs, her blood pressure, her oxygen's." Says Doctor Cynthia Robbins as she fingers through her Smartphone. The application is called OB Airstrip. Dr. Robbins just logs into the secure site and then scans her patients' vital signs, from anywhere. She says it's like having around the clock bedside access.
"It's actually more efficient for the nurse also, so I don't have to place a call to the desk and have the secretary find the nurse and then the nurse comes to the phone. I'm able to go directly to the information."
Which is in real time. Dr. Robbins says the technology allows doctors to be more connected, nurses to be more efficient, and patients more safe.
"It gives two sets of eyes; a nurse looks at things and interprets something I do and so both of us are able to see things more often. It adds more safety, I think, to the labor process."
Shannell was in labor for 14 hours, with all of the vitals accessible via cell phone. She marvels at technology that allows her doctor to be in a meeting, or at home, and still be connected.
"It made me feel more secure and at ease -- and that I didn't have to worry so much and I knew that she was watching, even though she wasn't there."
"So I can go back and review from the beginning on." Dr. Robbins still spends as much time bedside as she always has, but now, when she's not there, well, she's still there. Just like like the Chapman family likes it.
The application is being used at both Texas Health Fort Worth and Texas Health Dallas.
