Dental News - Enhanced security, student experience among benefits of new cloud-based messaging

Dental Tribune USA

Wed. 30 March 2016

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LOUISVILLE, Ky., USA: The University of Louisville School of Dentistry has adopted a new cloud-based secure text messaging system to better coordinate patient care between nearly 1,000 faculty, staff and students. Among other features, the Lua Technologies system allows clinical staff members to send secure, HIPAA-compliant text messages about patient care directly to a student’s or faculty’s personal mobile device, allowing for a quicker response.

“We are in a great period of change when it comes to technology and its impact on how we care for patients,” said John J. Sauk, DDS, MS, dean of the UofL School of Dentistry. “As we educate the next generation of dental providers, it is imperative that we ensure students are using the latest tools to make patient care as seamless and supportive as possible.”

“Nearly 90 percent of health care communications are done over cellphones and tablets but only a fraction of those conversations are designed to keep the information secure,” said Michael DeFranco, founder and CEO of Lua Technologies. “It is leaders like UofL that will change the standard on how data should be provided in today’s mobile age.”

The UofL School of Dentistry educates about 600 students in general dentistry, dental hygiene and graduate programs, and requires a highly secure communications platform for faster information sharing for patient care. The school chose Lua for its secure text messaging functionality, unique desktop applications, file sharing, seamless transition between devices, interactive directories, and direct and group calling, as well as accountability across teams.

“Lua will boost efficiency of our operations, safeguard electronic patient information and streamline care coordination in a secure way. We expect our users, especially students, will immediately be drawn to the Lua solution,” said Christopher Morgan, director of Dental Informatics at University of Louisville School of Dentistry.

According to Morgan, staff previously relied on texting or consumer messaging apps to casually discuss non-confidential information with providers. However, to remain HIPAA compliant, they would need to wait for crucial person-to-person follow-ups or transfer electronic personal healthcare information (ePHI) over electronic medical record (EMR) messaging. He says the school lacked the ability to notify a student or faculty member when they were away from a clinic computer — for any message, especially an urgent message about patient care.

Lua operates within a suite of technology products used throughout the dental school clinics to speed up information sharing. In addition to secure texting, students and faculty can collaborate in-between classes or via the desktop app available on all dental clinic operatory computers. Further, the technology system will enable more rapid consultation from specialty experts to enable faster, more effective care for patients.

Lua supports dozens of health care organizations, ranging from biopharma, research and hospital systems, lab and test solutions, and educational organizations to Doctors on Demand solutions.

(Source: University of Louisville School of Dentistry)

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