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Panasonic “Saves the Day” at Masterpiece Retirement

Masterpiece case study

Instant communication between residents and caregivers are of utmost importance in retirement and assisted living communities. When Masterpiece Retirement was left without a patient communication solution just three weeks before their scheduled opening date, they turned to Panasonic for assistance. With the combination of a Panasonic PBX, digital communication terminals, and wearable pendants, the Panasonic Nurse Call System was able to offer real-time communication and location details, and proved to be the perfect unified communications solution for Masterpiece Retirement.    

Challenge

Masterpiece Retirement was in the final stages of completing a new facility in Medicine Hat, AB, in the fall of 2017 when they were presented with a problem that could have prevented them from opening on time. Just three weeks before their first residents were scheduled to move in, the company that sold Masterpiece a nurse call system, a critical part of their communications infrastructure, acknowledged that they could not provide the functionality that had been promised.

Solution

Through the suggestion of ProComm Technology solutions, a Panasonic reseller working with Masterpiece Retirement, they turned to Panasonic and selected the Panasonic Nurse Call solution which had only recently become available in North America. Teams from Panasonic and ProComm Technology Solutions rolled out the first Panasonic Nurse Call solution system in North America at Masterpiece Retirement in Medicine Hat.

Result

Masterpiece Retirement was able to open their Medicine Hat location on time with the KX-DTU100 that not only was installed in a matter of weeks to ensure the opening of the facility on schedule, but the system also exceeded expectations on performance and available features.

Turning to Panasonic for a Solution

Masterpiece Retirement owns and operates eight retirement and nursing care communities across Canada, including their newest location in Medicine Hat, AB that was scheduled to open in the fall of 2017. These facilities provide retirement living that spans a spectrum from full-time nursing care to retirement apartments and suites. Just three weeks prior to opening, Masterpiece was informed by a vendor that the nurse call system that had already been installed would not be able to provide the features that were expected.

Through reseller Pro Comm Technology Solutions, Masterpiece was presented an alternative option – the Panasonic Nurse Call solution. The system had recently become available in North America, and Masterpiece determined that the Panasonic Nurse Call solution had the features and functionality they were searching for. With just three weeks to get the system up and running, a team from Panasonic and ProComm Technology Solutions installed the Panasonic Nurse Call solution  , conducted webinars and held on-site training for staff. Much to the surprise of the executive team at Masterpiece, the system was up and running in just a few short weeks, allowing them to comply with provincial regulations and open on time.

I didn’t think that anyone would be able come in here on that short span of time. I was floored that could happen - that we could have somebody in three weeks provide us with what we were looking for.
Darlene Gallant Vice President of Care Services Masterpiece Retirement
It’s one of the best systems hands down that we’ve ever worked with and we’ll continue to use. It’s almost a shoo-in for all of the facilities that we use now. The pendants, the DTU100 units, it’s so seamless that we cannot find absolutely anything that we cannot do with this system.
Brandi Simons Senior Account Manager at ProComm Technology Solutions

Communication is Key for Masterpiece

The KX-DTU100 allows for staff and residents to communicate in multiple ways within the Masterpiece building. Every room is equipped with the KX-DTU100 box that allows residents to have immediate verbal communication with staff. Nurses are able to speak with residents through the rugged handheld phones they carry with them at all times, giving staff the ability to determine the nature and severity of each call. Additionally, residents are provided with wearable pendants that they can use as an alert in an emergency, which in turn provides details on their precise location so staff can reach them quickly.  The restrooms in each room/suite are also equipped with emergency pull cords.

“The number one thing that we were looking for is to make sure that we have that verbal contact with a resident from the point that they call to find out if it’s an emergency or not,” said Gallant. “If somebody was experiencing a half-fall, they’re able to call and say ‘I’m slipping’ and we’re able to get there quickly to prevent them from a fracture of a hip. We’re actually able to prevent people from full blown heart attacks, stroke. We’re able to provide that immediate treatment right away that they deserve to get.”

The software that runs the KX-DTU100 system also provides administrators at Masterpiece with real time accountability, giving them insight into response times to calls, identifying any significant delays and offering visibility into how calls are resolved. This data is available at any time, giving administrators valuable insights so they can provide feedback and training to staff and adjust protocols to provide optimal care.

Major Step Forward in Nurse Call Systems

The Medicine Hat location is Masterpiece Retirement’s eighth facility in their portfolio across Canada, and they have extensive familiarity with other systems. Based on their experience with Panasonic, the executives with Masterpiece will be moving forward the Panasonic Nurse Call solution. This will be their system of choice based on the features and functionality that deliver what they need, the quality of the product and service they received in an urgent situation. 

It allows that connection between our residents and our staff, and that’s a day-to-day, minute-to-minute operation that we have to have work perfectly. It allows us to do our operation properly. It allows our residents to live their lives without worry. It’s a great system.
Tim Galforth-Bles President, CEO and Founder of Masterpiece Retirement