More hospitals move toward bedside systems

Computer documentation of patient records finds increasing acceptance in hospitals, but bedside systems have been installed in only 5% of hospitals. Handheld portable systems are used by some hospitals, such as Kimball Medical Center, Lakewood, NJ, which experienced a noticeable reduction in nursing overtime after paying about $1,100 per bed to install its system. The American Hospital Association's Div of Clinical Services and Technology provides a list of items to consider before purchasing a bedside computer system.
Like many other administrative innovations in health care, bedside computers have drawn fans as well as skeptics. Hospitals pioneering the use of point-of-care computer systems say they expect to improve [...]