Sebasticook Valley Hospital Installs Patient Check In Kiosks to Streamline Care

Pittsfield, ME – Thursday, May 21, 2009 – Sebasticook Valley Hospital (SVH) President and CEO John C. May recently announced that the hospital has installed the KioHealth Patient Self Check-in kiosks in its main hospital facility. The SVH HealthPass Kiosk System works in conjunction with SVH HealthPass cards, which are barcode swipe cards used to identify patients.

The HealthPass Kiosk solution uses a self-service touch screen unit from SeePoint combined with the KioHealth Check-in program. The patient swipes the HealthPass card, verifies identity, updates any demographic changes, electronically signs required forms, and scans insurance cards – all via self-service. The information is immediately displayed on back office computers to inform and alert staff of patient arrival. The kiosk saves time for patients and is easy to use, keeping in line with the SVH initiative to assure access to high quality care to its patients.

According to Mr. May, “SVH is setting the course for healthcare in central Maine with the HealthPass Kiosk. Now, people who have a HealthPass card (over 20,000 cards have been distributed since 2008) can swipe the card when they come to the hospital for outpatient procedures or a visit to the emergency department, and after answering or verifying some information, they are checked in for care. The HealthPass Kiosk is a result of our ability to create a culture that demonstrates the best patient satisfaction and assures appropriate access to care throughout our continuum of clinical offerings.”

The SVH HealthPass Kiosk System is currently operational and accessible to the public. Peggy Romano, Director of Information Systems and Central Registration for Sebasticook Valley Hospital, explains “Patients are excited about the HealthPass Kiosk, and our staff already sees and appreciates how the kiosk can streamline the patient check-in process. Not only does the HealthPass Kiosk save time for our patients, it is a highly efficient system that protects their confidential patient information.”

SVH staff is available to demonstrate the use of the kiosk to first-time users requesting assistance. Those patients who need to speak to a Central Registration representative will still be able to do so at the hospital’s front desk.

The HealthPass Kiosk includes an integrated HIPAA privacy touch screen, is ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant, and is protected by antimicrobial technology. “These systems focus specifically on the particulars of the healthcare space, from both a hardware and software perspective. The turnkey KioHealth solution combines years of experience in the self-service and healthcare marketplaces. The results is a comprehensive, flexible product that automates front-office processes and provides tremendous benefits to the hospital,” says Rick Trojan, Vice President of Business Development for KioHealth.

Sebasticook Valley Hospital plans on placing additional HealthPass Kiosks throughout its hospital facility, including the Women’s Health Center and the Specialty Services Center. Plans are also being considered to offer the HealthPass Kiosks at Sebasticook Regional Family Care physician practice locations.

About Sebasticook Valley Hospital
SVH is a 25-bed critical access hospital in Pittsfield serving a region of more than 30,000 individuals, local business and industries and schools. It was established in 1963 by a group of community leaders, and has been an integral member of the communities it serves ever since. SVH is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, and is a proud member of the Eastern Maine Healthcare System. For more information please contact the Director of Marketing and Development for SVH at 487-3726 extension 222.

About KioHealth
A 10-year leader in self-service automation, KioHealth, a division of SeePoint, offers complete solutions dedicated solely to healthcare. KioHealth Solutions are one of the easiest to use, easiest to deploy and easiest to manage self service systems available in healthcare today.

For more information please contact KioHealth at 888-321-0999.

About SeePoint

SeePoint Technology is a leading provider of interactive, self- service kiosk systems that are ideal for entertainment, marketing and survey applications as well as retail services, ticketing systems, public information terminals and healthcare applications.

All of SeePoint¡¦s kiosks unite design, durability, reliability, flexibility, customizability and modularity to bring Internet based commerce and communication to the public.

SeePoint has provided interactive kiosk solutions to Banner Healthcare, Billabong, Champ Car, Fuji, the J. Paul Getty Museum, JPL, Neutrogena, Pfizer, Polaris ATV, the San Francisco International Airport, the States of New Mexico and Wisconsin and the United States Air Force.

SeePoint is a trademark of SeePoint LLC. Other company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.