Symbol Technologies, Aether Systems Partner To Provide Handheld Computer Bedside Medication Solution At Veterans Administration Hospitals

Symbol Wireless Devices Streamline Medication Delivery at Patient Bedside

Symbol Technologies, Inc. today announced at the HIMSS conference and exhibition the release of Mobile BCMA (Bar Code Medication Administration), which allows caregivers using Symbol's wireless palm-sized computers to minimize errors in medication administration. The application was developed in partnership with , a leading provider of wireless data products and services, and integrates seamlessly with the Vista BCMA application deployed nationwide in all 172 hospitals of The Veterans Administration Hospitals (VA).

The Mobile BCMA application runs on Symbol's device - a rugged, pocket-sized, handheld computer with integrated bar code scanning and integrated 802.11b wireless LAN connectivity - and provides nurses and doctors at the VA hospitals with a fast, safe and reliable method of administering medication. The new solution is intended to supplement the current system, which utilizes a laptop style computer on a rolling cart with a separate bar code scanner.

Using Aether's ScoutSync™ and ScoutIT&Trade; software, the Mobile BCMA solution allows nurses and clinicians to scan the patient's bar-coded wristband and their medication during administration at their bedside or wherever the point of care may be. By using this solution, the type and dosage of a patient's medication can be verified against active medication orders, which in turn will alert the nursing staff to possible medication errors. Variances such as inconsistencies in medications, dosages, administration times, and omissions may be identified quickly and avoided.

At the patient's bedside, Mobile BCMA improves the accuracy of medication administration, reduces medication errors, and provides for on-line patient medication records. In addition, the Symbol solution is an exciting step for the VA in the direction of a comprehensive electronic medical record.

"Computers are an essential information tool for caregivers, but it is no easy task to bring a desktop system to the patient's bedside or point of care," said Harry B. Lerner, Symbol's vice president of , and . "Our wireless palm-sized computers, on the other hand, enable caregivers to access vital information at the point of activity, anytime, no matter where the patient is in the hospital."

"The Mobile BCMA application is further proof that mobile computing devices can and do assist in improving the quality of care by reducing paperwork, increasing accuracy and allowing medical staff to focus more attention on patients," said Ken Whitehead, director of federal operations, Aether Systems. "This is a significant step for Aether and Symbol as we work closely to develop comprehensive, end-to-end mobile and wireless healthcare applications."

Aether Systems, Inc., is a leading provider of wireless and mobile data products and services allowing real-time communications and transactions across a full range of devices and networks. Using its engineering expertise, the ScoutWare family of products including the Aether Intelligent Messaging (AIM) software platform, and its network operations center and customer-care center, Aether seeks to provide comprehensive, technology-independent wireless and mobile computing solutions. Aether develops and delivers wireless data services across a variety of industries and market segments in the United States and internationally.