Press Release
Versus Advantages RTLS is Live (Again) at
(Traverse City, Michigan, June 08, 2010) – The Versus Advantages Real-time Locating System (RTLS) is back
in place at Columbus Regional Hospital following severe flooding in June 2008. Once relied upon
for automation and communication, the system, from Versus Technology, Inc. (Versus)
(PINKSHEETS: VSTI), was missed after servers and data collection points became
damaged.
“The flood was devastating,” says Dave Lenart, P.E., Director of Facilities and Materials
Management. Columbus Regional’s entire basement, containing much of the
hospital's medical and lab equipment was filled floor to ceiling with
contaminated water, mud and silt. The first floor also sustained heavy damage
from standing contaminated water and mud. Veronica Kagley, Technology
Coordinator adds, “Every system critical to the support and operation of the
hospital that was in the basement was destroyed.”
Initially, everyone believed it would be a
year to two years before the hospital was back up and running—that’s what it
had been for other hospitals that have sustained similar damage. “We’re one of
only two hospitals within an hour’s drive from here,” Lenart explains. “A long recovery simply wasn’t an option. Our entire staff pulled
together. We worked long hours and engineered what fixes we could. We re-opened
our doors five months after the flood.” Columbus Regional’s outstanding
achievements have been recognized by many, including Today’s Facility
Manager, which honored Dave Lenart as the 2010 Facility Executive of the Year for his dedication, forethought and
ingenuity during the cleanup and restoration process.
What may be surprising to some people is
that insurance and FEMA only covered three quarters of the costs related to
infrastructure and systems. “We were very blessed, though,” says Kagley. “We
had many vendors, Versus included, offer to cut costs and do what they could to
help bring our systems and services back online.” Today, the Versus solution is
back, helping Columbus Regional’s staff automate patient flow throughout the
facility.
Versus opted to provide the latest software
viewing and reporting capabilities, with room and patient status, alerts and
notifications (such as wait time alerts or notification that a patient has
returned from radiology). “It was the right thing to do—provide Columbus
Regional with the most current software version,” stated HT Snowday, CTO
Versus. “They are now better prepared for enterprise expansion—something they
were interested in before and this will make them more flexible as they
continue to add other RTLS solution applications.” The Versus Advantages solution currently provides enterprise asset tracking
and is integrated to Rauland-Borg’s Responder IV
nurse call system.
“The value of the Versus system is not only
inherent, but also perceived,” says Kagley. “It helps with patient
satisfaction, and it was one of those systems that was missed that the staff
really wanted back.” Columbus Regional had tremendous successes with the Versus
solution when it was first implemented in 2005. For example, they reduced ED
patient wait times by 63% and ensured equipment was available when and where it
was needed. Columbus Regional also helped housekeepers and other staff members feel
safer in their behavioral health units by giving them Versus badges, with the ability to call for assistance at any time. Staff receiving
the alert knew who needed help and where that person was.
“There was never any doubt that we would
bring the Versus Advantages solution back,” says Lenart.
“Our staff relies on Versus for hands-free communication and location
information. Versus eliminates the realm of uncertainty, so there’s no void in
terms of location—no questioning.”
About
Columbus Regional Hospital is a not-for-profit, regional
hospital that serves a 10-county region in southeastern Indiana with 1,725
employees, 225 physicians on medical staff, and 250 volunteers. Columbus Regional
is nationally recognized for its high quality care as noted as the winner of
the American Hospital Association’s Quest for Quality Prize in 2007, the
highest quality honor awarded by the hospital industry; and is a Thomson
Reuters 100 Top Hospitals, Modern Healthcare’s 100 Best Places to Work in
Healthcare, and is Indiana’s first Magnet designated hospital for outstanding
nursing care. www.crh.org
About
Versus Technology, Inc.
Established in 1988, Versus
Technology, Inc. specializes in real-time location systems (RTLS) for healthcare. Used for
enterprise patient
tracking, bed
management, asset tracking, and nurse call automation, Versus Advantages™ improves patient
flow and
documentation of caregiver and patient interactions, while enhancing
communication and efficiency. Exclusively endorsed by the American Hospital
Association, the Versus Advantages infrared (IR) and Active RFID solution is responsible for
clinical-grade location and automation at a number of hospitals, clinics and
long-term care facilities worldwide. To learn more about Versus Technology,
Inc. (Pink Sheets: VSTI.PK), our technology and client successes, visit www.versustech.com and take the Advantages
Tour.
Safe
Harbor Provision
This
release may include forward-looking statements which “bespeak caution,” and
which are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from the forward-looking statements. The statements are
made only as of the date of this release, and the Company undertakes no obligation
to update them to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
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Media Contact: Versus Technology, Inc. 877.983.7787 |
Investor/Analyst
Contact:
Joseph Winowiecki, Chief Financial Officer 231.946.5868 joew@versustech.com |
