BayCare Begins Mobile Wayfinding

All 14 Hospitals to be operational by 2019

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Oct 25, 2017, 14:04 ET

CLEARWATER, Fla., Oct. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Where do I park? Where's the cafeteria? How do I get back to my husband's room? These are just a few of the questions that BayCare Health System is hoping to answer for patients and visitors with BayCare Compass, a new free mobile wayfinding application.

Using a smart phone or tablet, BayCare Compass is a mobile wayfinding app that provides "turn by turn" directions to help patients and visitors locate their destination at a hospital.

"More and more, BayCare is utilizing apps and technology to deliver services and streamline access for patients and their families," said Tim Thompson, senior vice president, information services and chief information officer, BayCare. "BayCare Compass is another way that we can provide patients and visitors what they need and want – information in the palm of their hand that makes using the hospital easier."

Available for free download on the Apple App store or Google Play, BayCare Compass features:

Detailed maps of publicly available hospital floors
Directory of publicly available departments and clinics
Real-time location
Points of interest around the hospital
Driving and parking directions

As part of an enterprise-wide project across all BayCare hospitals, BayCare Compass first launched at St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla., in August. "Our patients and visitors are so excited about this tool," said Scott Smith, president of St. Anthony's Hospital.

BayCare is beginning the work to start installing BayCare Compass at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa and plans to move forward on a rolling schedule with the goal of having the app in use at all 14 BayCare hospitals by 2019.

St. Anthony's Hospital guest services staff are trained on BayCare Compass to assist patients or visitors and a desktop application gives users the opportunity to print out directions before leaving home. "You can even get driving directions and parking information," noted Thompson.

BayCare Compass is powered by Connexient, whose MediNav™ solution has been deployed at more than two dozen major health systems across the country.

BayCare Compass is just one of a series of technology-based solutions BayCare is using to enhance care and improve access. The solutions include:

HealthNav, a free mobile app that can help guide people with non-urgent conditions to convenient, quality medical services.
eCare, an electronic patient monitoring system that uses remote computer monitoring technology to enhance the care of critically ill patients in the hospital intensive care unit (ICU.)
BayCare Anywhere, a 24/7 non-emergency telemedicine service offering virtual doctor visits through a secure, interactive video and audio communications on a smart phone, tablet or computer.
Telemonitoring of patients in nursing homes or rehabilitation facilities.
Tablet-based, video-enhanced care for BayCare HomeCare patients in their homes.

BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 14 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and west central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit www.BayCare.org.

SOURCE BayCare Health System