The Torrance Memorial Medical Center opened its new Melanie and Richard Lundquist Patient Tower last month.
The new facility, which has 446 beds, also has something that locals may not have experienced before – an interactive patient system (IPS).
According to RN Sean Yokoe, who manages the progressive care unit, the new technology is designed to provide patients with a more positive and comfortable experience, by allowing them to make the same personal choices available to them at home, on an airplane, or in a hotel.
When people are hospitalized, even simple choices, such as what to eat or what movie to watch, are often taken away from them. Yokoe observes that when patients are given back these choices, they feel empowered, which translates into them taking more interest in their cases. He believes that when patients feel they have input into their care, they are generally more satisfied.
Patients can listen to music, play video games, and surf the net. Eventually, the system will be expanded to allow patients to ask for additional services from the hospital, such as having a volunteer visit them, speaking with a spiritual counselor, or even having a visit from a dog.
The hospital could work with brochure printers to devise a booklet that describes the system, and distribute it to doctors' offices.
