PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center has developed "smart" patient rooms that give both clinicians and patients critical information at the point of care. The idea, say UPMC officials, is to boost patient safety and quality of care.

Each smart room recognizes doctors and nurses as they enter and shows them on a bedside monitor information they need to know to care for the patient in the room - from vital signs and allergies to medications that need to be administered.

A second monitor in a smart room informs the patient who is entering the room and provides the role of each caregiver.

"Having the latest patient information right at the bedside, including lab results and medications recently given, helps to ensure the safest and most effective patient care possible," said Shuja Hassan, MD, a UPMC geriatrician. "In a typical hospital setting, this information is not as accessible. What's more, this system encourages more discussion between physicians and patients regarding important health issues."

Building upon the health system's extensive electronic medical records technology and using readily available hardware, the smart room is designed to fit seamlessly into the daily processes of caring for patients.