Ascom launches the core of its new solution for integrated workflow intelligence in Healthcare – the Ascom Myco smartphone

Ascom Myco (www.ascommyco.com) combines the capabilities of a smartphone with a set of features specifically designed for the healthcare environment, in particular for nurse communications and efficient management of clinical workflows. This premium product is a result of several years of research in healthcare throughout Europe and the United States. The smart device is purpose-built for the healthcare industry providing patient centric user experience, and has been pretested with numerous key users. Ascom Myco is one of the Group’s most import development projects in the recent years. First revenues are expected in spring 2015. 

Ascom Myco is the core of a new Ascom solution for integrated workflow intelligence. The mission is to bring the right information to the right person at the right point in time. Due to its multi radio access Ascom Myco can be used in the 3G network as well and therefore allows communication also outside the building. Combined with Ascom UNITE middleware, nurse call systems and third party apps, Ascom Myco is the driver to improve the quality of mission-critical communication and to make workflows more efficient. 

The Ascom Myco has all the standard features of a smartphone, such as a touch screen, 3G and Wi-Fi, but in addition it has a robust design for withstanding knocks and drops, and also moisture and dust for maintaining hygiene. It has a long battery life as well as a rapid battery swap feature to keep the phone powered up without waiting for recharging. The size and weight are optimised so it can be operated with one hand and is comfortable to carry around on long nursing shifts. 

Its range of communications capabilities make it a truly ground breaking product. Ascom’s long experience with voice over WiFi gives it a superior VoWiFi performance. A barcode reader enables patient and medicines identification for improved safety using current and coming technologies. Uniquely, the device has a top display that can show scrolling messages and a colored LED to show the priority of the message. 

Ascom Myco has an attractive total cost of ownership since it is built to last in the demanding healthcare environments. It is flexible and designed to easily integrate into the IT architecture of a hospital or a care facility. Ascom Myco will contribute to increase efficiency and thus to save costs in the healthcare industry. 

The interface makes it easy to filter and prioritise alerts, forward and escalate them, thus reducing the demand on the nurses. The nurse can see on the device what type of alert or alarm it is, the severity of the alarm, and which patient it is for, even when the device is in her breast pocket, as all necessary information is visible on the top display.  

“When developing Ascom Myco, our vision was to give nurses a chance to spend more time with their patients and thereby increase patient safety and satisfaction. To fulfill our vision we focused on three important areas: to reduce alarm fatigue, mobilize the information to the point of care and improve clinical workflows. By collaborating with healthcare facilities, “shadowing” nurses during entire shifts and applying user-centric design methods, we have developed Ascom Myco with the whole healthcare team in mind” says Claes Ödman, General Manager Wireless Solutions. “Nurses are the heroes in healthcare and they deserve their very own companion to assist them in their jobs, that’s why we named the smartphone Ascom Myco, where Myco stands for “My companion”, he adds. 

Ascom is a global solutions provider with comprehensive technological know-how in mission-critical wireless communication. The company focuses on the Wireless Solutions (an international market leader for high-value, customer-specific on-site communication solutions and workflow optimisation) and Network Testing (a global market leader in testing, monitoring, post processing, and performance optimisation for mobile networks) divisions. The Ascom Group is headquartered in Switzerland, has subsidiaries in 17 countries, business activities in more than 130 countries, and employs around 1,600 people worldwide. Ascom registered shares (ASCN) are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange in Zurich.