ePaper Technology Has the Potential to Digitally Transform the Healthcare Industry

Connected, environmentally conscious, and innovative.

Those are the three words Inker John Marchesano uses to describe the future of healthcare.

Having been with E Ink for a little over two years – and coming from the background of working directly with hospitals and physicians – E Ink is a different field of work for John.

In this week’s “Ask an Inker” blog, John shares the exciting healthcare projects he’s working on at E Ink and what he sees the future of healthcare may look like.

Your previous experience focused on healthcare – and working directly with hospitals. How did you discover and land at E Ink as a strategic partnership manager?

In my previous roles in healthcare, I wore a lot of different hats; but predominantly, I worked directly with hospitals and physicians to help them adopt new technologies and digital processes. Giving providers new tools that directly impacted care and created better outcomes was really near and dear to my heart.

John Marchesano
Credit: E Ink

When I saw this role available at E Ink, it seemed like a natural fit in a different way. When you think about healthcare, you don't necessarily think of technology first, and my role at E Ink is to help healthcare providers understand how technology can improve their experience and then that dovetails to the patient. Technology can help them maximize limited resources and alleviate administrative burdens.

What pain points can ePaper technology help address in a healthcare setting?

 Healthcare professionals are constantly looking for new ways to innovate to address ongoing staffing shortages and reduce manual processes. For example, switching from pen and paper to using digital tablets can help healthcare staff keep track of information and keep that information digital from the start. Another example is implementing digital whiteboards and displays. It can provide personalized and relevant information that empowers patients to engage in their care – and as I said before, happy providers, happy patients.

Credit: Journal of Medical Internet Research

ePaper technology can seamlessly fit into a hospital’s digital infrastructure so hospital staff does not have to worry about compatibility, migration, and data privacy issues.

What’s important to know is that every hospital system is at a different level of sophistication regarding how they operate. So it’s crucial for us to work closely with our hardware partners and software integrators to develop customized solutions that fit their needs.

Tell us about the Brigham and Women’s pilot program testing ePaper whiteboards. What are the results, and how does ePaper technology impact the patient journey?

 Brigham and Women's Hospital recently conducted a pilot program to use digital whiteboards powered by E Ink in the emergency department (ED). The hospital deployed a 41-inch ePaper digital whiteboard in four rooms. The whiteboards displayed information such as the patient’s next test, status of their care, the care team, and more.

An example of information a patient sees on a digital whiteboard
Credit: Journal of Medical Internet Research

Brigham and Women's enrolled patients to understand and evaluate their experience. The feedback was compared with patients triaged to ED rooms without digital whiteboards. The study results provided some interesting data: 96% of surveyed patients stated that they preferred a room with a digital whiteboard, and 70% found the intervention “quite a bit” or “extremely” helpful in understanding their ED stay. The patients also reported that the screen was not distracting in their room. For the hospital staff, it also made it easier for them to deliver care, because they didn’t have to get bombarded with questions. The critical information was easily accessible in the patient’s room.

The results of the pilot program highlighted that digital whiteboards with ePaper screens improve patient satisfaction and overall experience, and provide more equitable access to patients’ health information.

Can you use three words to describe the future of healthcare?

The future of healthcare will be more connected than ever before. Digital tablets and devices keep the doctor and patient connected to make sure care is delivered regardless of the patient’s physical location. Telehealth will continue to advance with the help of technology.

Credit: E Ink

Secondly, the world is moving toward environmentally conscious practices across different industries, including healthcare. E Ink-powered solutions mimic traditional paper, but it propels digital transformation forward for hospitals. As the first display technology to receive the Dark Sky Certification from the International Dark Sky Association (IDA), green technology like E Ink ePaper is going to help hospitals transform in a more sustainable way.

Innovation is always at the forefront of healthcare. Hospitals need to be aware of what's coming down the pipeline in terms of new technology. Healthcare is a promise from providers and doctors to their patients, that they're going to take every step possible to improve a patient’s experience and care journey – and healthcare staff just need the right technology tools to make that happen.