A First in Quebec: French Version of Vocera Mobile Communication Technology Deployed

MONTREAL -- (Marketwire) -- 10/02/08 -- Sainte-Justine Hospital has provided its physicians and care providers in the Hematology/Oncology department with an advanced mobile communications technology in collaboration with IBM (NYSE: IBM).

Sainte-Justine Hospital will become the first French speaking hospital in Quebec and the first French-language hospital in Canada to use the wireless, hand-free devices from Vocera Communications Technology. The French-language version of this technology was introduced in 2007.

It can be difficult for healthcare providers to quickly contact a colleague, who may be anywhere on the floor or in the hospital. The new communications system will allow for instant communication through lightweight, wearable, voice-activated badges. The devices can also relay text messages and alerts.

The communicator, developed by Vocera Communications Inc. and implemented by IBM, can increase staff productivity, save time and improve patient care response times. The Sainte-Justine medical technologies evaluation unit is currently studying the communicator to determine the gains resulting from the introduction of such technology. Since the communicators were rolled out, physicians and other health care professionals have been able to quickly and easily connect, through voice commands, without stopping what they are doing to look for colleagues or place a phone call.

"Patient care for our young patients is our priority and our organization is continually looking for ways to increase the time spent at the patient's bedside," said Dr. Michel Duval, Chief of the Hematology/Oncology department at Sainte-Justine. "The results of the initial deployment phase for this technology are promising and may allow us to roll it out to other Sainte-Justine departments. In the future, this technology will be linked to vital sign and alert monitoring systems, so that medical staff will be able to monitor patients at their bedsides or remotely. Vocera was implemented at Sainte-Justine Hospital thanks to the generous donation of Marc and Tracey Bibeau, who raised the funds during the 'Golf Legends for Children' event, which featured internationally-renowned golf players Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player."

IBM Canada is the exclusive distributor-integrator of the French-language version of the Vocera communication devices.

About Sainte-Justine Hospital

Sainte-Justine Hospital is the largest mother-child centre in Canada and one of the four major pediatric centers in North America. The hospital has 450 beds, 19,000 admissions and receives 260,000 patients at the outpatient clinic every year. The workforce is made up of more than 4,000 employees. Sainte-Justine Hospital is associated with Université de Montréal and is the largest pediatric training center in Quebec and a leader in Canada. Each year, the hospital receives some 4,000 students. Saint-Justine Hospital and its research center have a considerable international reach. The hospital celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2007 and last December, it received accreditation as a Health Promoting Hospital from the World Health Organization (WHO).

To learn more about IBM, visit www.ibm.com/healthcare.

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