With the average annual failure rates for non-ruggedized handheld computers hovering at 38 percent, it makes sense that a maker of ruggedized handheld devices would team up with a mobile clinical software developer and an end-to-end solutions Integration firm to provide healthcare professionals with access to electronic medical records anytime, anywhere.

Under terms of a deal that brings together Everett, Wash.-based Intermec Technologies, Wilmington, Mass.-based HealthWyse and Data Capture Solutions, headquartered in Manchester, Conn., the companies plan to leverage the durability of Intermec's CN3 ruggedized handheld computers, the ease-of-use of Healthwyse's integrated clinical and financial information system and Data Capture Solutions' support to do just that.

Compared with non-ruggedized handhelds, ruggedized models boast average annual failure rates of just 11 percent, according to VDC Research. More importantly, the companies claim the trio's combined offering has saved customers, like Caritas Home Care, an average of 98 hours of total annual time per healthcare professional.

Caritas, which covers eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, is said to be one of the first home care providers to use mobile medical software to record the care given, and to take notes, at the point of care.  The organization's IT managers recently installed the joint solution to make the most of their investment in HealthWyse's clinical and financial system while upgrading their consumer-style PDAs, which frequently broke down.

HealthWyse, an Intermec ISV, referred Caritas to Data Capture Solutions, an Intermec VAR and specialist in integrating mobile solutions for healthcare. Because HealthWyse runs on PDAs and laptops, Caritas was able to run a lengthy field-test of various mobile devices before choosing the Intermec CN3. The rugged mobile handheld's Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and WAN (3G CDMA/EV-DO or GSM/EDGE) radios provide mobile clinicians with immediate access to EMRs via the HealthWyse software.

The device's size also improves patient record keeping. Since it's small enough to be used at the point of care, procedure codes, notes and other activity can be added to EMRs in real-time.