Improving patient care through innovation

Jonathan Ken, MD
Assistant Medical Director, Adult Emergency Department
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

With a trial for a point-of-care device on the horizon, Dr. Jonathan Ken is hoping to improve patient care through innovation and process improvement.

“We’re studying the evidence behind new technology to make sure it is valid and beneficial for patients and the health system,” says Dr. Ken, medical director of the Adult Emergency Department at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. “That is one of the key advantages of working in an academic medical center.”

The upcoming trial involves a device that uses electroencephalogram (EEG) technology and artificial intelligence to screen adult patients for intracranial hemorrhage at the bedside.

“We’re looking for something that can quickly and confidently tell us there is no intracranial hemorrhage, that doesn’t require an increase in resources or change in infrastructure,” he says. “It’s one way we’re actively tackling the national issue of boarding and capacity in the emergency department by prioritizing initiatives that will drive better outcomes and reduce length of stay.”

Discovering these evidence-based resources wouldn’t be possible without the collaborative efforts of his team, according to Dr. Ken.

“I absolutely love working with the people around me. When everybody has a patient-centric mindset, everything just seems to fall into place.”

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