BAMC takes top honors in MEDCOM IT awards

By Maria Gallegos, BAMC Public AffairsJune 18, 2013

BAMC takes top honors in MEDCOM IT awards
Rafael Santiago (middle), BAMC Information Technology specialist instructs Army Cpt. Gregory Kelts, Otolaryngology resident, the new program on the Viosk system as Army Lt. Col. Peter O'Connor, Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgeon, Sleep Medicine Physi... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (June 18, 2013) -- Brooke Army Medical Center Information Management/Information Technology was recently awarded the 2012 Team of the Year Mercury award by Army Medical Command.

"I am incredibly proud of my team," said BAMC Chief Information Officer, Army Lt. Col. (P) David Broyhill. "This is a significant accomplishment for the entire BAMC IMD team. This award reveals their unbelievable support and devotion to making a difference. Their success in providing IM/IT services and technology is a critical component and contributor to the success of BAMC and Army Medicine."

The BAMC IMD team earned this recognition, in part, for its success with the new Virtual Kiosks, also known as Viosk. It allows the end-users to log on to any computers throughout the medical center without losing their documents, notes or applications they had previously worked on or had at a different desktop. The Viosk users also can log into the system in an average of 25 seconds versus a standard 3-4 minutes on a normal PC.

"For example," explained Michael McDonell, IMD systems engineer. "… a clinician takes notes on a Viosk desktop, walks away to a different location, logs on and that session will open right where the clinician left off. Another convenience is that it takes a few seconds to log on versus a longer wait time with a standard PC."

Currently, there are more than 550 BAMC Viosks throughout the medical center with a goal to replace all standard desktops with Viosk in the near future.

Not only can a Virtual Kiosk be customized to the end-user regardless of what system they use, but it also delivers the useful tools that aid the providers in their daily tasks.

"The engineers through the use of folder redirection were able to present the providers or administrative staff access to their documents, e-mails, and cloud printing -- making it simple to print on the go, "said Chris Kline, Systems Engineering and Integration IMD chief.

BAMC providers are praising the Viosk's convenient accessibility and its ability to enhance patient care.

"The Viosk system has improved the capability of providing seamless transitions in care and management of patients in a variety of environments and locations," said Army Lt. Col. Peter O'Connor, BAMC Otolaryngology-Head and Neck surgeon and Sleep Medicine physician.

"The ability of having my workstation follow me from clinic, office, and into the operating room along with other IT tools such as Dragon has been an improvement. I can efficiently move some of my admin workload to the point of care and efficiently accomplish now, what would otherwise be pushed off until non-clinical time and allow me to stay on schedule," he said.

"One of the keys to the technology is the support staff behind it. The teams of engineers and clinical systems managers have been supportive and very responsive," said O'Connor. "The emphasis of leadership and their willingness to be hands on allows for timely adjustments and management of technical issues."

Broyhill said the success of the virtual kiosks stems from the IMD team staff who exhibited professionalism, hard work and dedication throughout the full implementation process.

"The efforts of the BAMC IMD team has enhanced medical care and improved provider satisfaction at BAMC."