Charlotte Area Hospice Uses Technology to Improve Patient Care

NEWTON, N.C., Nov. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Catawba Regional Hospice's 200 employees are committed to providing top-notch care to the seriously ill in need of palliative care. With a 34-year history serving patients in the communities of Newton and Hickory, N.C., the facility has turned to technology to improve operations.

Catawba Regional Hospice recently began using Android-based CellTrak devices and mobile-Internet enabling air cards to automate workflow and reduce costs. Daily rounds for nurses are comprised of visiting patients at their homes, and CellTrak has simplified each nurse's routine.

CellTrak automatically records mileage and provides a comprehensive report complete with driving directions sent to the nurse's smartphone. The device also relays patient status and records back to headquarters over Verizon's 4G LTE wireless network.

"With new technology, our clinical staff now spend more time with patients and their families instead of filling out paper reports," said Tammy Jensen, finance director for Catawba Regional Hospice. "The result has been improved operational efficiencies that translate into reduced costs. We've already seen a $70,000 per year savings since adopting CellTrak and other Verizon Wireless devices."

The hospice's nursing team is now able to visit 90 additional patients each week.

Jensen says, "Since our high-tech makeover, our patients and their families report being more satisfied with the level of care they receive. Verizon helped craft a way for our company to become better at what we do, and we're grateful for that."

Catawba Regional Hospice recently was named a winner of the 2013 Wireless Technology Innovation Awards – a competition for small and mid-sized businesses – and awarded a $10,000 grand prize for using technology in an innovative way.

View a video profile of Catawba Regional Hospice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avFG3i0vOlc

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's largest and most reliable 4G LTE and 3G networks. The company serves 101.2 million retail customers, including 95.2 million retail postpaid customers.  Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with nearly 72,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD).  For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com.  For the latest news and updates about Verizon Wireless, visit our News Center at http://news.verizonwireless.com or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/VZWNews. 

SOURCE Verizon Wireless

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