Background
Have you ever had your users cheer when you presented a solution at go-live?  That’s exactly what the community health workers did during the go-live training for CPC’s new OSCAR solution.

Colorado Prevention Center (CPC) is a Colorado-based, not-for-profit medical research organization.  They focus on community-based cardiovascular disease prevention and clinical research, primarily in the area of peripheral vascular disease, and are formally affiliated with the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Denver Health, and National Jewish Medical and Research Center.  CPC is dedicated to improving health through clinical research and integrating evidence into community prevention programs.  Their Colorado Heart Healthy Solutions (CHHS) is a community-based cardiovascular disease prevention program.  It is designed to target appropriate communities within Colorado, to identify at-risk individuals in those communities and to assist those individuals in decreasing five-year cardiovascular risk.

The Challenge
CPC had an existing solution with a number of problems:

• CPC didn’t own their own data so they couldn’t access real-time analysis and reporting
  
• The solution didn’t provide software updates so it was a burden on IT to make patches/new releases
  
• The solution didn’t provide synchronization so it was difficult to get database updates to each tablet
  
• The solution didn’t scale to allow CPC to grow their network of CHWs (Community Health Workers)
  
• CPC’s CHWs weren’t using a consistent solution across their network: some were paper-based and others were using one of two software applications

CPC approached Logical Progression because of our expertise in tablet software solutions and user experiences.   Using an agile approach, the project was completed in just three months -- including migration of the data from their existing system.  We coordinated with CPC to design/approve early screen prototypes, identify required fields for the database, and perform walk-throughs of the new solution to ensure all requirements for the project were met and expectations were in line.

The Solution
The new OSCAR solution we created consists of a Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) tablet client for the CHWs in the field, a web service for synchronization between tablets and the master database hosted at CPC’s data center, and an ASP.NET application for administering the agencies/events/volunteers, and producing reports.  The tablet client provided a number of unique features/benefits:

Client Highlights:

• Radically improved user interface and ease of use for non-technical CHWs
  
• Easy installation and updates via ClickOnce™ deployment
  
• Automatic synchronization of data with the web server via SSL communication
  
• Screens that toggle between English and Spanish depending on the client
  
• Graphical risk calculation that automatically adjusts the current value, as well as projected values
  
• Improved interview screens that show previous interaction values, as well as the delta in vitals
  
• Printable risk summary for the client
  
• Generation of MS Word referral documents for providers

Home Screen for Tablet Client

Client Interaction Screen with Vitals

Real-time Risk Graph

The web application provides the following features:

• Management of security, agencies, events, volunteers, medical resources and providers
  
• Dashboard for all CHW activity (last sync, total screenings, overdue retesting/follow-ups, % at-risk clients and incomplete interactions)
  
• Dynamic calendar generation for event schedule
  
• Custom reports

Web Portal Administration

Web Portal Reporting

Results/Benefits
The software was so easy for the CHWs to learn that it only required a one hour training session.   The users clapped at the end of the training session because they were so excited about the new solution.  One CHW called it “a Cadillac compared with the old solution.”

In such a few short months of use, CPC is already experiencing the benefits of the new solution:

• CHWs can access the full interaction history for any of their patients in seconds
  
• The patient interaction has been optimized for ease-of-use, real-time feedback with the interactive risk graph, prompts for follow-ups, and goal-oriented screens for better outcomes
  
• CHWs are getting their data submitted more quickly so that CPC administrators can generate reports and monitor progress more easily 

The executive team at CPC is really excited about presenting the solution to the governor of Colorado in the hopes of expanding the program into other parts of the state.

Technology
The CPC cardiovascular tablet solution utilized the following technologies:

• Microsoft .NET 3.5 Framework
  
• Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) for tablet client
  
• ASP.NET/AJAX for web application
  
• SQL Server 2008 Express (tablet) and Standard (web server)
  
• Toshiba Tablet PCs with Windows XP

About Colorado Prevention Center
Colorado Prevention Center (CPC) is a Colorado-based, not-for-profit medical research organization.  They focus on community-based cardiovascular disease prevention and clinical research primarily in the area of peripheral vascular disease, and are formally affiliated with the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Denver Health, and National Jewish Medical and Research Center.  CPC is dedicated to improving health through clinical research and integrating evidence into community prevention programs.  Their Colorado Heart Healthy Solutions (CHHS) is a community-based cardiovascular disease prevention program designed to target appropriate communities within Colorado, to identify at-risk individuals in those communities and to assist those individuals in decreasing five-year cardiovascular risk.  For more information, visit www.cpcmed.org.

About Logical Progression
Logical Progression is a software company specializing in elevating the visitor experience.  With over 20 years of experience, Logical Progression is an innovator in the healthcare tablet documentation market, building ink-friendly and intuitive user experiences.  Logical Ink®, the company’s core product, is a tablet-based charting solution used in hospitals and clinical trials.  The company also produces VisitTrax™, an enterprise visitor management solution. The company is based in Cary, NC. For more information, visit www.logicalpro.com.