Long-term care facilities are making great strides in using technology. In fact, many facilities are switching to Web-based clinical and financial systems, such as Classic Residence by Hyatt at Lakeside Village www.hyattclassic.com/lantana in Lantana, Fla., which was using a totally paper-based system until Oct. 2003. The clinical staff at Lakeside Village was performing manual assessments and handwriting notes and care plans. The 60-bed skilled nursing center, which is part of the continuing care retirement community, assigned one of its 17-person professional staff to manually compile MDS information, which was then submitted via a computer.

Then, in Aug. 2003, Classic Residence by Hyatt’s corporate office provided the staff with a demonstration of the new technology they planned to implement in all of the Classic Residence by Hyatt communities – Achieve Matrix.

“I liked it immediately,” says Marion Neuhaus, director of nursing for Classic Residence by Hyatt at Lakeside Village. “Matrix seemed very thorough and easy to maneuver.”

Achieve Matrix was the solution for Classic Residence by Hyatt at Lakeside Village. The Web-based clinical and financial system provides everything a long-term care facility needs to function efficiently.

“With Matrix, our information is more accurate,” says Neuhaus. “It notifies the user when a record is complete and won’t let you lock it down if it isn’t complete.”

According to Neuhaus, Matrix drastically saves time for DONs. She adds that she may have to tweak the state survey forms of census and condition (672) and the resident roster (802), vaccines and resident’s antibiotic use, but previously those tasks were handwritten. “It was a handwritten nightmare,” she says. “The sheer fact that these forms are available and automatically generate with resident information is fantastic.”

Classic Residence by Hyatt at Lakeside Village’s goal was to start using their new Matrix program by Oct.1, 2003. Neuhaus remembers that some of the clinical staff was hesitant to transition to a paperless system.

“It’s the approach of the DON,” she says. If the DON is on board and understands the system, he or she can reinforce the confidence of the clinical staff. “We provided nurses with the environment to learn how to point and click,” said Neuhaus.

The turning point for Neuhaus was in Sept. 2004 when hurricanes hit Lantana and the community lost power. “The clinical staff was looking for the red plug so that they could use their computers and the Matrix application,” she says. “At that point, I knew that we had total buy in, and converted to the technology age because the staff was comfortable with the system.”

The overall impact for Classic Residence by Hyatt at Lakeside Village is that staff, especially the DON, can work from anywhere and stay on top of brewing issues. Nurses are much more thorough with notes and security permissions allow select staff to view those notes at any time. The message board allows staff to stay up to date on what’s going on in the community or with a particular resident. In addition, staff can more easily track information and all reports are readily available with real-time information.

Not only does Matrix have an impact on staff, but Neuhaus has incorporated Matrix into the interview process and recruiting efforts. “When interviewing professional staff, it’s important to mention Matrix because it shows the commitment of Classic Residence by Hyatt to stay ahead of the technology curve,” says Neuhaus.

When asked if the system is user friendly, “Definitely,” says Neuhaus. “It’s the easiest system I’ve ever encountered. Someone that has never used a computer can use this system and use it well. Some systems are awkward, but Matrix is sequential.”

And her final note: “I love the system. I can’t say that enough.”