READING, England, November 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Vocera Inc. (http://www.vocera.com/about/contact.aspx) today announced the first shipment and immediate availability of the Vocera smartphone, the newest addition to the Vocera system of wireless, instant communication products. The new device, in addition to supporting all of the Vocera system's unique voice-driven features, works as a wireless telephone and offers advanced application support to deliver enhanced staff efficiency and expedited patient care.

As an extension of the Vocera platform, the Vocera smartphone, jointly developed with Motorola, Inc. based on its Total Enterprise Access and Mobility solution, offers the same one-touch, voice user interface of the Vocera communications badge. Combined with the power of the Microsoft(R) Windows Mobile(R) 6.1 operating system, doctors and other clinical staff now will be able to access business applications, such as clinical alarm/alert systems, asset tracking and medical reference software. The new platform also will provide access to corporate e-mail.

The Vocera smartphone offers healthcare professionals, particularly physicians who are accustomed to using a phone or PDA, instant access to staff and clinical applications whenever and wherever they are needed in the hospital setting. The Vocera smartphone supports traditional phone dialling, as well as the voice capabilities of the Vocera badge. It integrates wireless networking for instant voice and data communications with the functionality of a mobile computer in a rugged, versatile, yet portable, device.

The Vocera system is currently deployed within numerous NHS Trusts, including Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, and others. The smartphone is a shareable device optimised for shift environments. Users can be assigned a fixed phone number with permissions and settings attached to their system profile, rather than to an individual phone.

"The Vocera solution delivers instant communication of critical information at the right time, to the right person, anywhere in a facility," said Brent Lang, president and COO of Vocera. "We are expanding the Vocera solution with the Vocera smartphone to meet the increasingly complex communication needs of the healthcare industry. With these choices - the wearable Vocera badge and the new Vocera smartphone - we are bringing the benefits of instant voice access to new groups of in-building mobile workers."

By providing immediate voice communication among key resources, Vocera solves real business and communication problems in healthcare, hospitality, retail and other vertical markets where the traditional "call and wait" scenario is used to find resources or information. Organisations that deploy Vocera experience immediate communication, thereby streamlining workflow, enhancing staff productivity and improving patient care and satisfaction. Based on pre- and post-implementation studies, King's Mill Hospital found that the time to complete call backs with a doctor was reduced from 40 minutes to seconds and morning surgical wide bed state check was reduced from 45 minutes to less than 5 minutes. Both workflow improvements contribute to reduced time meeting patient needs.

About Vocera Inc.

Vocera Inc. provides wireless communication systems enabling instant voice communication among mobile workers for leading institutions and companies requiring enhanced customer service, productivity and teamwork. The AHA Solutions division of the American Hospital Association has endorsed the Vocera communications system for instant voice communication in healthcare. More than 600 hospitals and 400,000 users leverage Vocera to achieve improved clinical, operational and financial outcomes. The company, based in San Jose, Calif., sells to customers in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. For more information, please contact the company at +44-(0)844-335-1237 or online at www.vocera.co.uk.