Case Study: MercyOne Elkader Medical Center achieves safer, streamlined staff communication and PPE savings with Stryker (Vocera Smartbadge)

MercyOne Elkader Medical Center Unifying staff through COVID-19 and beyond

MercyOne Elkader Medical Center, a 25‑bed Critical Access Hospital in Elkader, Iowa, needed a way to communicate safely and effectively during the COVID‑19 pandemic while clinicians worked in isolation rooms and wore PPE. Initial use of two‑way radios proved cumbersome, muffled and posed contamination risks, so leadership sought a more reliable solution.

They deployed the Vocera Smartbadge — a disinfectable, wearable communications device funded via CARES Act — to replace radios and enable hands‑free contact across care teams. The badges streamlined communication, helped staff locate the right nurse or physician quickly, reduced PPE use by cutting unnecessary room entries, sped response times, and improved both staff workflow and patient experience.

MercyOne Elkader Medical Center

Casey Dahlstrom

Clinical Nurse Manager