Video Shows Practical Application Of Google Glass In Hospital Setting
SAP video offers look at how Google Glass can be used in healthcare to improve care
Not only is Google Glass a great provider of entertainment and hands-free features, it has also proven to be a useful tool in healthcare. As explained in an article by SAP Community Network, "These smart glasses work with face recognition and provide hospital personnel with patient data such as test results and medication information right in front of their eyes. So they no longer need to refer to paper-based medical records."
SAP links to a video which “shows one example of how smart glasses could be used in the healthcare environment.” The video follows a nurse as she “checks the route plan displayed on her smart glasses and then sets off with her medication tray. When she enters a patient's room, she scans the bar code on the patient's wristband and immediately receives information about which medication that particular patient needs to take. If she has any questions, she can contact and speak to the responsible physician immediately via the glasses. At the end of the working day, all the data stored on her smart glasses is transferred to the IT system.”
The video is a great example at how Glass can benefit the healthcare industry. Other benefits include:
- Provides real-time access to patient information
- Allows healthcare personnel to have both of their hands free for treating patients
- Provides the ability to make notes in image and speech form
- Data stored on Google Glass during the day is transferred to IT system
In December, it was reported by Health IT Outcomes that the University of California, San Francisco was the first institute in the nation to receive approval from the Institutional Review Board to use Google Glass during surgeries. Cardiothoracic surgeon at USCF Pierre Theodore explains that "Glass handles images during surgery better than the giant screen tucked away behind various medical equipment ever could. We did a series of dry lab experiments to demonstrate that hand-eye coordination and the distraction using Glass was minimal, and that the images could be readily brought up and removed from the vision of the surgeon."
A U.S. News report by Dr. John D. Halamka highlights the many uses of Glass in the healthcare industry, with the main benefits being:
- Clinical documentation
- Alerts and reminders
- Decision support
- Meaningful Use Stage 2 for Hospitals
- Emergency department dashboards
Dr. Halamka explains that with Glass, "clinician can successfully use Google Glass to improve quality, safety, and efficiency in a manner that is less bothersome to the patients than a clinician staring at a keyboard.
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