‘Ok Glass, Help Save a Life’ Google Glass™ Arrives at Hartford Hospital’s Simulation Center
August 06, 2013
HARTFORD - Hartford Hospital is one of the first hospitals to utilize Google Glass in its Center for Education, Simulation, and Innovation (CESI) in the ability to offer high-tech training to the world’s next generation of clinicians.
Hartford Hospital received Glass after submitting an application for a contest sponsored by Google®. The application provided to google centered on studying the possibilities of Glass saving lives. Hartford Hospital received one of a few select pair not yet available on the market.
“By using Google Glass in our simulation lab, we can study its effects in a staged work environment, one that creates an atmosphere of realism without compromising HIPAA laws in place to protect patient privacy,” said Thomas Nowicki, Director of Cognitive Simulation, CESI, Emergency Physician. “Right now, we are in the development phase, building applications to be incorporated into Glass to determine whether it can enhance critical care in the emergency department.
Hartford Hospital doctors and researchers are testing and wearing Glass in mock emergency scenarios. They are looking at how Glass can deliver time sensitive and potentially life-saving information instantly. So far, researchers at CESI have created an app that pushes 'alert' notifications to Glass. Updates are displayed on the lens of Glass providing timely information such as vital sign changes, lab results and medication requests to keep doctors better informed of any new developments with their patients in the Emergency Department.
“Having this application will help to revolutionize medicine,” said Jeffrey Flaks, president and CEO of Hartford Hospital. “Google Glass will allow us to continue to set the pace as a News Release 80 Seymour Street Hartford, CT 06702 860 545 5000 tel 860 545 2127 fax www.hartfordhospital.org premier training hub for thousands of medical experts across an international spectrum and offer them the latest in technologically advanced medicine.”
Glass may also be utilized to facilitate video conferencing for physicians to stream lectures and real-time demonstrations to students across the globe.
Researchers at Hartford Hospital will also study Glass as a potential tool in the field for paramedics and EMT’s. Glass may prove to be a valuable resource by allowing for direct communication to a physician at the hospital providing them up-to-the-minute status reports of a patient’s condition.
Glass will be an ongoing study at Hartford Hospital’s CESI lab. Results of the study will be reported back to Google, whether glass will be the right fit for implementation in a healthcare setting.
About Hartford Hospital
Hartford Hospital, founded in 1854, is one of the largest teaching hospitals and tertiary care centers in New England with one of the region's busiest surgery practices. It is annually ranked among America's Best Hospitals by US News & World Report and has been recognized nationally for the quality of many of its programs, including cardiology, cancer, stroke and joint and spine care. The 867-bed regional referral center provides high-quality care in all clinical disciplines. Among its divisions is The Institute of Living, a 114-bed mental health facility with a national and international reputation of excellence. Jefferson House, a 104- bed long-term care facility, is also a special division of Hartford Hospital. The hospital’s major centers of clinical excellence include cardiology, oncology, emergency services and trauma, mental health, women’s health, orthopedics, bloodless surgery and advanced organ transplantation. Hartford Hospital owns and operates the state’s only air ambulance system, LIFE STAR.