Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Hospital trial for digital system to track ill health
University Hospital Monklands has become one of the first in Scotland to trial a state- of- the- art digital system which helps quickly identify patients whose health is deteriorating.
The Patientrack system allows medics to record vital signs on bedside iPads rather than paper charts – with software then using the information to issue alerts if there is cause for concern.
Following a successful test on five wards, it will now be rolled out fully across the Airdrie hospital, as well as to NHS Lanarkshire’s other two acute facilities at Wishaw General and Hairmyres, as well as some community services.
Monklands took part in the trial because its planned new £400 million replacement – the location of which is still to be decided – is set to become Scotland’s first “digital hospital”.
Now the new Patientrack data is displayed in the innovative operational command centre at the Monkscourt Avenue hospital which became Scotland’s first facility of its kind when it launched in December 2018 to provide a range of vital real-time information including arrivals at the emergency department, available beds, numbers of critical patients, and details of those en route in ambulances.
Karen Goudie, who is chief of nursing services at Monklands Hospital, said: “Patientrack is a fantastic innovation that allows nurses at the bedside to record patients’ vital signs on iPads instead of paper charts.
“Based on key factors like pulse, temperature, blood pressure, oxygen level and breathing, the software automatically calculates an ‘early warning score’ and alerts clinicians if there is cause for concern.
“The system also gives assessments of a patient’s fluid balance and nutrition, and generates an automatic referral to dieticians or other services if necessary.”
Karen, who is also a member of the Monklands Replacement Project team, added: “We’ve learned from our own experience and that of other UK healthcare providers that the system brings a number of clinical benefits.
“These include reduced harm from serious conditions such as hypoglycaemia, acute kidney injury and sepsis, and better outcomes for patients with acute illnesses.
“It also improves the staff’s sense of wellbeing and fulfilment because a digital system is more efficient and allows them more time with patients.”
Patientrack information is available digitally across the hospital so that clinicians can instantly see the condition of the sickest patients.
Judith Park, who is the health board’s acting director of acute services, said: “I’d like to thank colleagues at University Hospital Monklands for the work they have done to test the Patientrack system, which will now also be introduced at Wishaw and Hairmyres to bring the same benefits to patients and staff there.”
Monklands Replacement Project director Graeme Reid said: “The goal is for the new Monklands to be Scotland’s first digital hospital, using systems that allow a more agile response to the challenges the NHS faces, such as Covid-19.
“The current Monklands site is leading the way in taking forward technological advances, such as Patientrack, that will be a core element of our operational command centre and our plans for a new, state-of-theart hospital to serve the communities of Lanarkshire for decades to come.”