SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 3, 2020 – Vocera Communications, Inc. (NYSE:VCRA), a recognized leader in clinical communication and workflow solutions, today announced that Lake of the Woods District Hospital (LWDH) in Kenora, Ontario is deploying intelligent communication solutions from Vocera to help protect and connect care teams now and beyond COVID-19. LWDH is in the midst of redevelopment (the All Nations Hospital Project) with planning partner Kenora Chiefs Advisory, which will serve residents of Kenora and a large surrounding area that includes several First Nations communities. This new hospital will be built on a strong digital foundation.

Strategic planning for the new facility includes hardwiring best practices and proven technologies in the existing hospital to ensure the planned smart hospital has the best services and solutions when the doors open in a few years. Among those solutions are the wearable, voice-controlled Vocera Smartbadge and the Vocera Vina smartphone application. Powered by the Vocera Platform, these mobile solutions enable healthcare workers to connect and communicate with simple voice commands, send and receive secure messages, and manage patient-centric alert notifications.

"As we look forward to building a new hospital, we want to make sure we already have a reliable and secure communication system embedded into our clinical workflows and ecosystem. We are installing the Vocera Platform in our current operations so when we move to the new building, we are ready to go from day one," said Cheryl O'Flaherty, Chief Financial Officer at LWDH, which has been caring for people for more than 120 years. "We need a smart, future-proof communication system that can improve operational efficiencies, elevate patient care and safety, and help protect clinician and staff well-being."
With the Vocera communication and collaboration platform, care team members can choose the right device for their role or task. When it comes to caring for patients with COVID-19, hands-free communication is essential. The Smartbadge can be worn and used under personal protective equipment (PPE), empowering clinicians to connect quickly and safely. Additionally, the dedicated panic button on the device makes it easy to get help fast and discreetly.

"Without the Smartbadge, a nurse working in an isolation room needing supplies or assistance would have to leave the patient, go to an ante room, remove PPE, wash her hands, get the needed help or resources, return to the ante room, and don more PPE," said Chantal Tycholiz, Manager of the Emergency Department at LWDH. "The Vocera solution saves valuable time and resources, enables clinicians to stay close to the bedside, and helps reduce their risk of self-contamination."

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