Patients will get home quicker in software rollout
TECHNOLOGY WILL HELP TO SPEED UP PATIENT DISCHARGE
GROUNDBREAKING new technology has been introduced to get Burton’s Queen’s Hospital patients home quicker.
A new digital system offering doctors, nurses and ward staff instant access to vital information about each patient is set to be rolled out.
Medics say the Extramed Patient Flow system will improve care and cut the length of inpatient stays – freeing up vital beds and reducing A&E waiting times.
Previously, staff – who are still having to handle extra covid pressures – had been using manual whiteboards to keep colleagues up to date with patients’ condition and treatment.
Gill Ogden, director of nursing at the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Staff are really excited about this technology coming to Burton, where we expect immediate differences for discharge and overall patient flow, with lots more functionality we will explore over time.
“Clinical teams at Royal Derby Hospital have really valued having information at a glance, and improved communication that Extramed has supported.
“Nurses on wards in Burton will be able to quickly see what is happening with the patient and what needs to happen to prevent delays in patients going home. That’s the right thing for many reasons.
“We operate a very busy hospital, and we need to free up space for patients coming in. And when patients stay in hospital for longer than they need, that isn’t good for them, with older patients experiencing deconditioning. If patients are ready to go home, that’s where we should be getting them.”
An agreement with Extramed, which is owned by smart health tech provider Alcidion, will see staff use the technology to “manage the patient journey more efficiently”, from admissions and ward transfers through to discharge.
Ms Ogden said: “Beyond staff on individual wards, bed managers can quickly identify available beds. And as a senior nurse, if I do a ward walk, I will look at Extramed to see which patients have a longer length of stay and ask colleagues about those patients.
“That means I can understand why delays are happening, whether that’s because hospital is the right place for a complex patient, or if there are delays in the healthcare system that we can do something about.
“Teams like pharmacy and physiotherapy that work across wards can see where their patients are with ease. The discharge team can see which patients are medically fit for discharge and make necessary arrangements within the hospital and for more complex discharges – with social services, for example.
“This is about making sure everything is done to get patients home safely and will help us to reduce delays and lengths of stay.
“Patients on emergency pathways are less likely to wait longer than necessary. And we will be able to get more elective patients in for procedures – which given the national elective backlog, is more important than ever.”
Extramed’s patient flow system is expected to be deployed at Queen’s Hospital Burton early next year.