St. Lukes Hospital was recently awarded a $20,100 grant by the Polk County Community Foundation for Computers on Wheels (COWs) – a computer support system brought to patients bedsides that will further improve the quality of healthcare at St. Lukes Hospital.

With the Polk County Community Foundation grant, St. Lukes will purchase and deploy six COWs – computers on carts that can be taken to a patients beside and enable doctors, nurses and other hospital support staff to directly interface with patients while accessing their electronic medical records.

Staff will be able to record patient information, such as vital statistics and other test results, directly to the patients medical record. Implementing COWs into direct patient care is the first step in St. Lukes goal to convert to a paperless system with computer-assisted reminders, checks, and safeguards.

Polk County Community Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to advancing philanthropy and improving the quality of life for citizens of Polk County and the surrounding area.