Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, the Netherlands is a recently opened teaching hospital with a 203,000 m2 floor area, 22 operating rooms and 586 single-patient rooms.
The hospital is distinguished by its focus on patient-centric care. Every aspect of the hospital, from furniture to clinical information systems to color schemes, is designed to nurture patient privacy, patient autonomy, and a calm healing and recovery environment.
Chief Financial Officer, Erasmus MC
The principal challenge was: How to realize Erasmus MC’s vision of patient-centric care in the context of 586 single-patient rooms, each generating its own stream of clinical information, patient alerts, alarm notifications, workflows, etc.
Erasmus MC selected Ascom as a strategic partner to lead the implementation of MICIS, the hospital’s Medical Integrated Communications and Information System, with the aim of integrating Erasmus MC’s digital information systems into a single platform. Ascom was also responsible for project-managing numerous sub-contractors and vendors.
Chief Information Officer, Erasmus MC
To devise a customized solution for Erasmus MC, Ascom combined various components of the Ascom Healthcare Platform: consulting, software, smartphones, integration with Electronic Health Records (EHR) and third-party applications, commissioning, training and support.
The result was an end-to-end solution, with Ascom Unite and Digistat software integrating siloed healthcare IT systems and fragmented data with the hospital’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) system in order to bridge digital information gaps. The software also orchestrates clinical information; filtering and prioritizing it, and managing its speedy and uniform delivery to assigned caregivers. Finally, Ascom Myco 2 smartphones enable informed actions and decisions. Caregivers receive context-rich alerts, complete with patient names and locations, direct to their Ascom Myco 2 smartphones.
The new Erasmus MC in Rotterdam is the result of 20 years preparation and eight years construction work. The Erasmus MC MICIs project was successfully implemented within deadline. The MICIS implemented by Ascom is described by Erasmus MC CIO Simon Vermeer as “a visible and essential contribution to achieving the hospital’s goals of quicker recovery, enhanced efficiency in an integrated care process, and increased patient satisfaction.”
Commenting on Ascom leadership of the MICIS project, Erasmus MC CFO David Voetelink says: “The realization of the new state-of-the-art Erasmus MC is a team achievement of the highest order. The architects, contractors, sub-contractors and many staff members of Erasmus MC all played their part in this accomplishment. Ascom has delivered an outstanding achievement and made a great contribution to creating the hospital of the 21st century.”