Vocera Communications, Inc. (NYSE:VCRA), a recognized leader in clinical communication and workflow solutions, today announced that the wearable Vocera Smartbadge has been named to TIME’s list of the 100 Best Inventions of 2020. Today, TIME revealed its annual list of the 100 Best Inventions that are making the world better, smarter, and even a bit more fun.

For 2020’s list, TIME solicited nominations both from its editors and correspondents around the world and through an online application process. It then evaluated them on factors including originality, effectiveness, ambition and impact. The results: everything from a smarter beehive to a greener tube of toothpaste to the technology that could catalyze a COVID-19 vaccine.

The award-winning Vocera Smartbadge enables hands-free communication and can be worn under personal protective equipment (PPE), minimizing the risk of contamination and helping preserve valuable PPE. A nurse, doctor, or care team member wearing a Smartbadge can initiate communication by simply saying, “OK, Vocera” followed by simple voice commands, like “call infection control team” or “call the emergency response team.” Clinicians can connect and communicate with the right person or group quickly and safely, saving critical time and resources. By simply saying a name, role or team, healthcare workers can collaborate completely hands-free, even in isolation, while scrubbed in, or wearing surgical gloves. During the coronavirus pandemic, hands-free communication technology for hospital workers is a lifeline to reach help and access resources without introducing the risk of infection.

The intelligent and durable Smartbadge was purpose-built for healthcare and integrates with more than 150 clinical and operational systems, including electronic health records, nurse call systems, physiologic monitors and more. A new category of wearable communication, the device combines the hands-free calling capability of the Vocera Badge with smartphone functionality to provide meaningful, real-time information to mobile workers. The device’s 2.4” touchscreen enables clinicians to receive prioritized clinical events, read notifications with patient context, and send secure text messages, to accelerate care and improve patient safety. Additionally, the Smartbadge has a dedicated, one-touch panic button so healthcare staff can get help quickly in emergency situations.

“It is an honor to see the Vocera Smartbadge on the TIME Best Inventions list, especially this year, when it is so important to keep healthcare workers safe while they care for patients during the pandemic,” said Brent Lang, chairman and CEO at Vocera. “Hands-free communication is critical for nurses, doctors, and other care team members to do their jobs, and 2020 has magnified how essential it is for the well-being of healthcare professionals on the frontlines.”

About Vocera

The mission of Vocera Communications, Inc. is to simplify and improve the lives of healthcare professionals, patients, and families while enabling hospitals to enhance quality of care and operational efficiency and humanize the healthcare experience. In 2000, when the company was founded, we began to forever change the way care teams communicate. Today, Vocera offers the leading platform for improving clinical communication and workflow. More than 2,100 facilities worldwide, including nearly 1,700 hospitals and healthcare facilities, have selected our solutions. Care team members use our solutions to communicate and collaborate with co-workers by securely texting or calling, and to be notified of important alerts and alarms. They can choose the right device for their role or task, including smartphones or our hands-free, wearable Vocera Smartbadge and Vocera Badge. They can create a richer, more human connection for patients and their loved ones before, during, and after care using Vocera Ease applications. Interoperability between the Vocera Platform and more than 150 clinical and operational systems helps reduce alarm fatigue; speed up staff response times; and improve patient care, safety, and experience. In addition to healthcare, Vocera solutions are found in luxury hotels, aged care facilities, retail stores, schools, power facilities, libraries, and more. Vocera solutions make mobile workers safer and more effective by enabling them to connect instantly with other people and access resources or information quickly. Vocera has made the list of Forbes 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America. Learn more at www.vocera.com, and follow @VoceraComm and @VoceraEase on Twitter.

Vocera® and the Vocera logo are trademarks of Vocera Communications, Inc. registered in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other trademarks appearing in this release are the property of their respective owners.

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