Technological Advances

Pioneering new technologies and services.

At Sharp HealthCare, we continually invest in advanced technologies and equipment. Some important technological investments include:

• Alaris Guardrails® Safety Software — This software is used with intravenous (IV) pumps that control the dose of IV medication. By alerting the nurse when the dose is outside the normal limits, this software significantly reduces medication errors.

• Barcoded Patient Wristbands — All inpatients receive barcoded patient identification wristbands. Barcoded information from the patient’s wristband is matched with barcoded lab orders, ensuring that the right test is done on the right patient. Sharp plans to broaden use of this technology to include medications as well.

• da Vinci® Surgical System — Sharp Hospital is the first in San Diego to use the da Vinci Surgical System — robotic technology that allows surgeons to perform complex procedures through small, minimally invasive surgical incisions.

• HeartMate® Left Ventricular Assist System — Sharp Memorial Hospital is the first California Hospital to surgically implant the HeartMate II Left Ventricular Assist System (LVAS) to treat severe heart failure.

• NESS L300TM — This innovation in functional-electrical-stimulation (FES) technology may allow patients with foot drop to recover lost mobility and recapture a more normal gait. This FDA-approved wireless technology uses low-level stimulation to activate muscles that lift the foot while walking. This tool is in use at the Sharp Memorial Hospital Rehabilitation Center.

• Novalis®-Shaped Beam Surgery System — The Cancer Center at Sharp Memorial Hospital is the first in San Diego to offer the Novalis-Shaped Beam Surgery device for stereotactic radiosurgery, a type of treatment that allows high doses of radiation to be given precisely to small areas of the brain.

• On-Watch Harm Monitor — This automated alert system is a powerful tool to improve patient safety. Doctors and nurses are immediately notified by computer of potential or actual harmful patient events. This tool is in use at Sharp Memorial Hospital and Sharp Grossmont Hospital.

• TomoTherapy Hi-Art System — Sharp Grossmont Hospital is the first center in San Diego County to implement the TomoTherapy Hi-Art System, a radiation treatment device with a built-in computerized tomography (CT) scanner. This system allows physicians to view a cancer in three dimensions so the radiation beam can be focused and delivered with extreme precision.