Alberta Health Services Case Study

A photo of the Peter Lougheed Center Hospital emergency sign, and hospital building against a blue sky

About The Project

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Alberta Health Services, like other healthcare organizations around the world, faced unprecedented levels of human illness that impacted the healthcare system, creating financial pressures, supply chain disruptions, and capacity challenges. As a result, AHS leaders realized they needed new systems to improve communication in a variety of areas, systems, and facilities — supporting enhanced public messaging, real-time data sharing, and critical decision-making.

The Challenge

Over the years, AHS has undertaken many digital transformation initiatives that have resulted in a significant amount of new operational data and information. By 2021, AHS was managing unprecedented volumes of data. Through the Government of Canada’s Innovation, Science and Economic Development program [ISED], AHS was given an opportunity to improve the availability of its data and communications. AHS required a solution to improve:

• The availability of relevant and timely information in new locations

•General communications across geographic locations

• The central management of visual displays

• Role-based access for efficient content administration

With a single, unified and effective way to visually share and disseminate real-time data and information, AHS believed they could improve both quality of service and patient outcomes.

The Solution

In order to better manage the flow of visual display information and improve executive decision-making, AHS implemented Userful’s Visual Networking Platform under the ISED program. Userful is a single, centrally managed platform to distribute any visual content to any screen or device globally in real-time. AHS deployed Userful’s platform in their operations centers, meeting rooms, and public signage using LG webOS displays which have Userful Client application pre-installed. This allowed AHS to share information onto any Userful-enabled screen with one easy-to-use system. AHS deployed Userful for four unique applications for prioritized sites in Alberta:

1. Video walls for mission-critical operation centers

2. Public signage to inform staff, visitors, and patients

3. Meeting room dashboards for executive decision-making

4. Displays for data analysis and data visualization

Userful is unique in that it is a single solution that supports all of these applications and more. The entire platform is managed by IT, providing administrators full end-to-end control across the entire healthcare system. At the same time, functional departments retain control over the applications they need using role-based access control.

For example, Operations Managers at each site handle the content and screens for the operations centers. By implementing Userful’s platform and LG webOS displays, AHS operations centers have increased capacity to view relevant and real-time information. This supports:

• The efficient transfer of patients across the health system

• Monitor EMS activity traffic

• Evaluate Emergency department waiting times

• Access to decisions supports data analytics

The Result

Userful’s Visual Networking Platform allows AHS to easily display information where it’s needed and expand the number of screens as new visual needs are identified. Integrating with LG’s webOS screens further simplified the solution and deployment of visual assets while increasing flexibility as no additional signage players or other devices were required.

Patients and the public are now better informed about current public safety measures in effect when they enter a hospital. Data is being used to ensure patients are sent to the best facilities that are capable of providing care at any given moment. Real-time and relevant information is now available at executive meetings in easy-to-digest visualizations to ensure critical stakeholders are making informed decisions. With Userful, AHS is able to share real-time and relevant information province-wide to improve the quality of service for patients.