Livingston HealthCare

Challenge

Livingston HealthCare in Livingston, Montana, takes its mission of exemplary patient care seriously and knows the importance of giving clinicians access to accurate, up-to-date information, whether in electronic or paper form. With a 25-bed hospital, a Level IV trauma center and a variety of other healthcare locations, the hospital knew the importance of ensuring its print environment was running at top efficiency.

When the time came to upgrade devices, the hospital knew it needed a complete evaluation of its entire output environment to determine if the right devices were in place for each area’s requirements. The hospital also wanted a clear understanding of how it was using output services and the costs associated with this usage.

After researching technology partners, Livingston HealthCare chose Lexmark devices and solutions. Lexmark solutions integrated seamlessly with the hospital’s existing healthcare system to ensure a smooth transition for users. In addition, customer service was a major deciding factor for the hospital, which needed fast, responsive service to support its clinicians and patients.

Solution

One initiative that has been successful for Livingston HealthCare is the addition of a printer in every exam room using Lexmark’s Tamper Resistant Prescription Printing solution. Prior to this, when a prescription was written for certain classes of drugs, the clinician had to use an expensive type of paper that was kept in a locked drawer.

Lexmark printers, however, use plain paper along with powerful safety features including microprint, security warning boxes, anti-erasure backgrounds and anti-liftoff components. Today, patients get prescriptions quickly from the clinician right in the exam room and be on their way.

“In our old facility, prescriptions had to be printed on special paper that was quite expensive, and we had to add a second, locked paper tray to every device that printed prescriptions,” explains Jody Duran, Information Systems Manager at Livingston HealthCare. “Lexmark was the only vendor to offer microprint capability so prescriptions can be printed on the paper we use every day.”

Another solution that has increased efficiency is Lexmark Managed Print Services, or MPS. This solution helps users gain new visibility into document processes by simplifying everyday business tasks. For Livingston HealthCare, it means the proactive management of toner and other printer supplies.

“We were always having to deal with keeping toner in stock for many different types of models, and our purchasing department stored racks of cartridges,” explains Duran. “After we went with Lexmark MPS, the department actually moved into a smaller space because they no longer needed to keep the cartridge inventory.”

Results

In terms of providing the best care for patients, Livingston HealthCare knows when a clinician can hand a prescription to a patient in the exam room and explain dosage information and instructions before they leave the facility, patient satisfaction increases. And proactive supplies management has taken the administrative burden off employees so they can concentrate on supporting patients and staff.

According to Duran, although the hospital’s employee base grown, the facility is still saving money due to efficiencies gained by Lexmark devices and solutions. “For the projected cost over our five-year term, Lexmark was 25 percent less than the next least expensive option, and with more services.

“What is also important to us is that Lexmark is going to grow with us,” adds Duran. “A year from now, or five years or ten years, these systems are going to be serving us as our patient base increases.”