Patientricity and the Triangle of Care:
The Partnership“Patientricity

Th e B es t I nter es t o f the Patie n t

is notThink about the last time that you visited the doctor, whether for a cough, a cut finger or a more
involved diagnosis. Chances are that you were not sitting there analyzing whether or not yourcaregivers were keeping you, the patient, at the center of care administrations. Most likely you weregreeted with new technology that allowed quick and easy access of patient information throughone of the new applications designed to bring you and your healthcare providers closer together.
With innovative web-based systems like MyChart,® you may have viewed detailed medical history,
reviewed your lab test results, or even watched as your prescription was sent to the pharmacy of
your choice—all from the same computer in the room where you were being examined. And nodoubt, whatever ails you aside: the experience was actually surprising, efficient and pleasing onsome level.

a new approachto healthcare,
it isa fresh
perspective

This is the ideal vision for healthcare, patient-centered care at its best, ensuring the transitions
between settings that caregivers and patients move through during the course of a visit arecoordinated, healthy and focused. Add to this mix sophisticated advancements in healthcaretechnology, and both patient and caregiver experience an agreeable side benefit—increased
efficiency and an improved patient experience. When technological advancements are carefullyplanned and implemented in the healthcare facility, both the patient and caregiver experiencesignificant gains in overall experience, treatment facilitation, improved safety, reduced medical
errors and more.
In Crossing the Quality Chasm, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) named “patient-centered care” as oneof the six fundamental aims of the US healthcare system. The IOM defines patient-centered careas: “Healthcare that establishes a partnership among practitioners, patients, and their families (whenappropriate) to ensure that decisions respect patients’ wants, needs, and preferences and that patients
have the education and support they need to make decisions and participate in their own care.”1© 2008 Ergotron, Inc. www.ergotron.com”

In an attempt to define the key attributes of patient-centered care, the Picker Institute, an
independent non-profit organization who sponsors research and education for patient-centered care,
identified the following as six core elements for defining patient-centered care:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Education and shared knowledge
Involvement of family and friends
Collaboration and team management
Sensitivity to non-medical and spiritual dimensions of care
Respect for patient needs and preferences
Free flow and accessibility of information

Devising an effective patient-centered plan of bringing technology into all aspects of the healthcare
environment to address these key attributes may be daunting at first. The challenges facingadministrators, IT directors, physicians, and nurses are diverse. Stakeholders are grappling withissues pertaining to EMR, eMAR, PACS and CPOE, issues like how to:
Create a paperless and filmless office with better organization using fewer staff
Cut costs inherent in the US healthcare system today	Provide immediate access to complete, consolidated information by anyone in the clinicaland caregiving team	Facilitate better communication of medical information between healthcare facilities, dueto common clinical terminology and codes, for instance, the SNOMED-CT system owned bythe College of American Pathologists	Stay compliant with a growing number of state and federal regulatory agencies andinitiatives, such as HIPAA, JCAHO, DHHS and the FDA

For this reason, it is vital that from inception, adoption committees quantify stakeholder requests inorder to ensure that rudimentary requirements are not sacrificed. Whatever the solution, creating apatient-centered environment must be done with sensitivity to the needs of the patient and medical
staff alike, whether documenting at the bedside or reviewing radiology reports in the lab. Creating
an environment where both parties’ needs are met and satisfied is something Ergotron calls
Patientricity.™

Patie n tr icity in t he Tr ian g l e o f Care
As we know, patient-centered guiding principles have been foundational tohealthcare from the beginning.

Computer display
CaregiverPatientricity, built from the words “patient” and “centric,” is defined as
moving the patient, the caregiver and technology together into a Triangle ofCare. This fresh perspective extends the principles of patient-centered careto address this balance of technology and the critical players.

Patient

The central component of the Triangle of Care is the technological means
to bring patient and caregiver together, to promote increased interaction,satisfaction, safety and efficiency.
In the Triangle of Care, a sophisticated healthcare IT system must be
integrated into the design. When technological advancements are carefullyplanned and implemented in the healthcare facility, both the patient and caregiver experiencesignificant gains in access to data, treatment facilitation, improved safety, reduced medical errors
and more.
2© 2008 Ergotron, Inc. www.ergotron.com

The Triangle of Care infrastructure should be transparent to the patient. The nuts and bolts activitiesof the healthcare facility can contribute to the overall sense of well-being a patient experiences
during their stay at the medical institution when Patientricity is factored into the strategy. In thisinfrastructure, data must always be at hand and never in the way. This involves a combination ofcomputer technology and display mounting and mobility solutions that allow caregivers to easilyinteract with the patient and electronic data.
For instance, implementing an ergonomically designed wall mount, desk mountor mobility cart enhances the caregiver experience, allowing them to work moreproductively and comfortably. Providing an environment where each user has theability to personalize the location of the display, keyboard, laptop or tablet PC createsroom for increased visibility and comfort, which studies show increase accuracy andproductivity. Furthermore, point-of-care carts offer mobility of data access to thebedside or the nurses’ station. All important to the Triangle of Care.
Adding to the discussion of ergonomics is the importance of evaluating spaceconstraints to determine whether fixed, permanent and dedicated equipment isrequired, or whether a mobile solution best serves the care-giving requirements ofthat space. Also, careful evaluation of the various types of rooms (critical care,3pre-op, post-op, emergency, long-term, children’s ward, maternity, etc.) and thevarious levels of care given in each room must be considered. Evaluating andunderstanding the human interaction that needs to take place in the area is the first prerequisite tothis decision. By placing these Patientricity considerations at the forefront of the deployment team’sdecision-making process, the healthcare facility has a better chance to meet its patient-centeredobjectives.
There is no doubt that Patientricity is a sustainable activity when accompanied by soundbusiness practices. Healthcare in the US, like any leading corporation today, must consider
how their practices address “customer” needs in addition to how well they offer a sustainable
competitive advantage. The technology, allowed to play its proper role, becomes much lessdisruptive and more supportive of the patient and caregiver’s overall needs and objectives.

“The story does not end here.

The health ofK eepi n g C a r egi vers He alt hycaretakers should

Patientricity also takes into consideration the fact that healthcare professionals are people, too. The
health of caretakers should not be compromised in the course of their care for others. Keeping
healthcare workers comfortable, content and free from untoward risks benefits us all. With that inmind, the following section puts forward some of the common ergonomic issues faced by medical
workers at every level of patient care.

not be compromisedin the course of theircare for others

The challenge of moving inert patients has gained the attention of the medical field, insurancecompanies and the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The
increasing percentage of obese patients in the US and UK means this issue will continue to put
healthcare workers at risk of on-the-job injury.

3© 2008 Ergotron, Inc. www.ergotron.com”

In the course of their work healthcare stakeholders encounter a wide range of user forces—frommicroscopic surgical instruments to back-wrenching mechanical floor cleaners which could lead to
injury and disability claims.

photo courtesy CNC Prague

Hospitals, clinics and laboratories that give their staff an option to sit or standwhile charting are much preferable to facilities that provide either one or theother. Current ergonomic research on computer use supports either choice—depending on the health needs of the user and contingent upon a well-designed
work space. Carts or mounts that give caregivers the choice of sitting or standing
while accessing or inputting data may be ideal, offering a new level of work
flexibility. By enhancing caregiver comfort, the result is greater efficiency
and accuracy.
Ergonomic considerations should be discussed in terms of sitting and standing
eye levels, sitting and standing data entry heights, and ease of manipulating
the equipment in and out or up and down. Interactive online tools such
as “Ergonomic Workspace Planners” can be extremely helpful in achieving
these goals. Is the equipment human-centered and does it meet the personalrequirements of the individual user? Is it capable of delivering the most ergonomic computing
functions on tablets, notebooks, or full CPU computers with monitors and keyboards?
Stakeholders come in all shapes, sizes and temperaments. The equipment they use must
accommodate them all. Minimally, equipment should be designed to be used intuitively and shouldbe easy to adjust. Stakeholders should be trained to understand the full potential of the equipmentin the accomplishment of their job, and beyond that they should be taught the mechanics of theirown bodies so that they know what to expect of themselves. The goal is to encourage optimum
performance of both machine and person.
3Co n c l u si o n
Making equipment easily accessible is of primary importance. The integration team may determinethat a combination of equipment types is appropriate: whether fixed in one location and dedicatedto the patient inhabiting that location, or mobile, supporting many patients and moving with thestakeholders as they cross the hospital unit, floor or entire facility.
Better interaction with the patient while gathering critical information is the goal of using theequipment. Just as important, equipment must not compromise the human interaction between
patient and caregiver. Experientially, this process must be as “noninvasive” as possible; alternatively,
the experience should be respectful of the patient’s illness, recovery and pain levels, respectful of
their ability to respond and participate, and respectful of their privacy in what is arguably one of theleast private of human experiences: being ill and confined through a hospital stay.
The concern at the heart of the Triangle of Care extends beyond the welfare of the patient. Attention
must also be directed toward the health of medical stakeholders. With the introduction of computersin healthcare settings, along with the wide variety of often large mechanical medical devices,caregivers are sometimes risking their own health in the care of their patients.

4© 2008 Ergotron, Inc. www.ergotron.com

Equipment used during this process must be flexible enough for the caregiver to respond to patient
preferences during interaction: caregivers might sit next to patients, side by side or face to face
while in discussion and fact gathering; or it might be acceptable to stand next to or over the bedsideduring this process. In some circumstances, equipment should be flexible enough so that thecaregiver can share electronic information and images with the patient. Allowing the patient to view
without exertion and physical strain is not a nice-to-have option, it is a must.
Hippocrates and Dr. Mayo knew that it is a basic human need to be cared for. As physicians, both
men were concerned with the health of the patient, but at the same time, they placed a premiumon the inherent value of humans in general. No matter which part of the Triangle of Care a person
may experience, at any given point they must be assured that the system exists for their benefit.
Ultimately, this is how good healthcare and good business practices coalesce into an environment
where Patientricity is possible.
© 2008 Ergotron, Inc. www.ergotron.com

5The roots of thepatient-centered ethic
The recommendations attributed
to Hippocrates and directed tohis colleagues in the 4th century
B.C. are no less meaningful today.
They are echoed in the mission
statement of a modern American
healthcare institution—the MayoClinic—whose founder, Dr. WilliamMayo, famously said, “A sick person
is not like a wagon, to be taken apartand repaired in pieces, but should beexamined and treated as a whole …
The best interest of the patient is
the only interest to be considered.”© 2008 Ergotron, Inc. www.ergotron.com

r e fe r en ce s
Holland, Marc, “Mobile Computing: A Critical Component of Clinical IT Effectiveness,” IDC, Feb. 2007
“Medical Record Database Efficient but Troubling,” Psychiatric News, Aug. 1, 2003, Vol. 38, No.15“Can Electronic Medical Records Transform Healthcare?,” Health Affairs, 2005, Vol. 24, No. 5
American Journal of Nursing, Feb. 2004, as reported by Medical News Today, Feb. 2004
MayoClinic.com, © 1998-2008 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research“Should our Medical Records be Centralized in Electronic Databases?,” The Costco Connection,March 2008; Contributors: Paul Ryan, Congressman, First District, Wisconsin; Jane M. Orient M.D.;
Executive Director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons
Blick, K. E., “The Essential Role of Information Management in Point-of-Care/Critical Care Testing”“The Decade of Health Information Technology: Delivering Consumer-centric and Information
Rich Healthcare,” US Health & Human Services Fact Sheet, July 2004
“Health Information Technology Leadership Panel, Final Report,” The Lewin Group, Inc., March 2005
American Psychological Association (APA): Patient Rights. (n.d.) The Gale Encyclopedia of Surgery:
A Guide For Patients And Caregivers. Retrieved Feb. 20, 2008, from Reference.com website:
http://www.reference.com/browse/tges/3406200348
Lohr, Steve, “Road Map to a Digital System of Health Records,” The New York Times, Jan. 2005
Johnston, Doug, MA; Pan, Eric, MD; Middleton, Blackford, MD, MPH, MSc. “Finding the Value in
Healthcare Information Technologies,” Center for Information Technology Leadership, 2002
“Provider to Provider Telehealth Technologies will Save $4.28 Billion Annually,” Center for Information
Technology Leadership, Nov. 2007
“Patient-Centered Care: What Does It Take?,” Picker Institute and The Commonwealth Fund, April 2007
“Patient-Centered Care 2015: Scenarios, Vision, Goals & Next Steps,” The Picker Institute, 2004

© 2008 Ergotron, Inc. rev. 04/23/2008 Content is subject to change without notification
Americas Sales andCorporate Headquarters
St. Paul, MN USA(800) 888-8458+1-651-681-7600
www.ergotron.com
sales@ergotron.com

EMEA Sales

APAC Sales

Worldwide OEM Sales

Amersfoort, The Netherlands+31 33 45 45 600
www.ergotron.com
info.eu@ergotron.com

Singaporewww.ergotron.com
info.apac@ergotron.com

www.ergotron.com
info.oem@ergotron.com