MyScripps Bedside App Helps Make Hospital Stay Easier
App helps patients connect with care and entertainment
As patients and health care providers become more tech-savvy, the hospital experience should evolve with the times. A new electronic tablet-based application called MyScripps Bedside is empowering Scripps hospital patients to be an active part of their care team by tapping into their health data, connecting with staff in real-time, ordering meals and choosing entertainment.
MyScripps Bedside, available in English and Spanish, is now accessible in all five Scripps hospitals. It’s a free service and can be downloaded onto any iPad or Android tablet, though patients admitted to a Scripps hospital are provided an iPad for use during their stay.
“The most critical component is giving the control to patients and their loved ones,” says Ghazala Sharieff, MD, MBA, chief medical officer, acute care operations and clinical excellence.
“They can decide when they want to review important information about their medications and their diagnosis. They can also order their own food based on the prescribed diet. In addition, the program explains who the bedside care team is and also has entertainment options.”
Access to health information
Via MyScripps Bedside, patients can log into their existing MyScripps account to see their inpatient dashboard for up-to-date details like their daily schedule, medications and upcoming hospital appointments, plus the latest on their vital signs, lab results and treatment plans.
“It’s important that you understand what your diagnosis is and that we answer any questions that you have before the point of discharge — questions like the purpose and side effects of any medications that you’re placed on,” Dr. Sharieff says. “We want to be able to explain all of that before you’re discharged home so that your loved ones and your caregivers can also have their questions answered.”
The MyScripps Bedside program doesn’t replace the call button for urgent matters. Rather, it allows patients to take notes, send messages to nursing staff or make non-urgent requests, like for ice chips or a warm blanket.
Expanded entertainment list
The in-room tablets also give patients a way to pass time during their hospital stay, whether that means reading educational materials about their condition, viewing relaxation content or watching a movie, Dr. Sharieff says.
“We have a wide array of entertainment opportunities, including videos and TV shows to help you pass the day,” she says.
Secure health app
Once a patient is discharged, the Scripps-owned iPad is wiped of their personal information. Though MyScripps Bedside isn’t available outside the hospital, nothing is lost — all relevant medical data, including important discharge instructions, can still be viewed in the MyScripps app.
This content appeared in San Diego Health, a publication in partnership between Scripps and San Diego Magazine that celebrates the healthy spirit of San Diego.