UCLA Medical Center docs trial real-time access to patient data on mobiles

- Gary Thayer, Editor

Oct. 25, 2005 -- (MobileVillage) -- UCLA Medical Center is piloting a mobile, wireless patient information retrieval system that gives physicians instant access from throughout the hospital and around the world to real-time patient data via wireless PDAs and cellular smart phones.

The Global Care Quest system, or GCQ, integrates with digital medical records, bedside charting and laboratory results. This software offers access to real-time data from bedside ICU monitors, as well as X-ray and CT/MRI scan imaging studies, on Palm OS and Pocket PC (Windows Mobile) PDAs, smart phones, tablet PCs, and Windows-based desktops.

Physicians can access medical data throughout the medical center via the hospital's wireless network (Wi-Fi or 802.11b), and remotely, outside the hospital, through high-speed cellular network connections (1xRTT, EV-DO, EDGE).

Patient privacy is protected through use of authentication codes and data encryption that meets standards set by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, according to UCLA.

Researchers in the UCLA Division of Neurosurgery's Brain Monitoring and Modeling Lab developed the GCQ system under the direction of Dr. Neil Martin, professor and chief of neurosurgery, Valeriy Nenov, professor of neurosurgery, and Farzad Buxey, senior software developer.

UCLA Medical Center Computing Services and Health Information Technology Services developed the digital medical record storage system. CliniComp International's bedside charting system and the GE Medical Systems PACS picture archiving system help complete the data package. An order entry system developed at UCLA is expected to be operational later this year.

"I see this technology as evolving into a seamless integration of information technology and increasing volumes of patient data," says Dr. Albin Gritsch, associate professor of urology and surgical director of the kidney transplant program at UCLA. "Some day patients themselves will be able to access their own records and share them with their different healthcare providers."

Physicians in the UCLA Departments of Anesthesiology, Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery and Urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine are currently using Global Care Quest. In addition, several major hospitals in the United States and Australia are considering installations, according to GCQ.

Global Care Quest Inc. is a privately held medical software company based in Los Angeles that has recently been funded by Lexington Ventures. As inventors and developers of this technology, Martin, Nenov and Buxey are founders and equity holders in the firm. The company has plans to commercialize the technology through a license agreement with UCLA. More information is available at www.globalcarequest.com.

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