Press Releases: Hawaii

July 6, 2009

Kaiser Permanente First in State to Introduce ‘Do Not Disturb’ Signs for Nurses and New Methods to Quiet Hospital Halls

KP MedRite Program Allows Nurses to Focus on One Patient; Yacker Tracker? Monitors Hospital Sound Levels to Ensure Restful, Healing Environment

HONOLULU — Kaiser Permanente Hawaii announces the introduction of its KP MedRite program and the installation of the “Yacker Tracker” to improve its patients’ hospital stay experience. KP MedRite is a nationwide initiative by Kaiser Permanente to minimize distractions and interruptions while nurses are administering medications. The installation of the “Yacker Tracker” sound monitoring equipment is intended to minimize the amount of noise in patient areas creating a more restful, healing environment. KPH is proud to be the first in the state to offer these innovative programs to its members.

KP MedRite is a new program that reduces distractions for nurses while they’re administering medications. A nursing study funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation found that KP MedRite has been found to reduce staff interruptions by 50 percent.

An innovation resulting from KP MedRite is “non-interruption wear.” Kaiser Permanente nurses requested the equivalent of a “do not disturb” sign, which resulted in an inch-wide reflective sash, created at Kaiser Permanente’s Sidney R. Garfield Health Care Innovation Center in Northern California, to be worn during the entire process of dispensing medications. The reflective gear signals to everyone that the nurse is to be left alone, barring an emergency, until the gear comes off after the patient has been attended to.

To further strengthen the patient experience, KPH has installed the “Yacker Tracker,” a self-monitoring noise meter, in the form of a traffic signal, that lights up when sounds reach levels disruptive to the patient. Patient surveys conducted during nurse rounds and post-discharge have confirmed the success of the “Yacker Tracker.” A total of 15 units, covering all nursing stations, were recently installed at KPH’s Moanalua Medical Center. The computerized noise light stays green until the room’s noise goes above a certain level. At this point, a yellow warning light begins flashing. When the sound reaches the next set level, a red light illuminates indicating to staff that noise levels need to be reduced.

In addition to staff lowering their voices, KPH initiated the following actions to keep noise at a minimal level:

1. The ring tone on pagers and telephones were lowered.
2. Very loud, outdated printers at nursing stations were replaced with a new, quieter product.
3. The wheels on all carts used in patient areas were replaced, cleaned or lubricated to minimize noise.

About Kaiser Permanente Hawaii
Kaiser Permanente Hawaii has provided total health to the people of Hawaii for more than 50 years. Today it has the largest medical group, with over 410 physicians supported by 4,400 nurses and staff. Care for members is focused on their total health guided by our personal physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert care and medical teams are supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. Visit kp.org for additional information.