Patientrack system planned for Wishaw
University Hospital Wishaw will become one of the first in the country to use a digital state-of-the-art system to identify patients with deteriorating health.
Doctors and other health professionals will use the Patientrack technology, successfully piloted at Monklands Hospital, to record patients’vital signs on iPads.
The main advantage over traditional paper chart records is that its specially designed software uses the information to alert medics if there is cause for concern.
Patientrack information is available digitally across the hospital so that clinicians can instantly see the condition of the sickest patients.
Following the successful trial period in five wards at Monklands Hospital, NHS Lanarkshire will roll it out across all three of its acute facilities at Monklands, Wishaw and Hairmyres. It will also be used in a number of community services.
The system was trialled at Monklands as its planned £400 million replacement will be Scotland’s first “digital hospital”. A location for the new facility, in either Gartcosh or Airdrie, has still to be decided.
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.”
Patientrack data is displayed in the innovative operational command centre at the Monklands Hospital.
It 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.
Anne Leitch, chief of nursing services at University Hospital Wishaw, said:“I saw Patientrack in operation when it was being tested at University Hospital Monklands and was very impressed by what the technology offers.
“We are looking forward to its introduction at University Hospital Wishaw as the state-of-the-art digital system will undoubtedly bring huge benefits for both patients and staff.
“The timescale for the implementation of Patientrack at Wishaw is not yet finalised but we are hopeful that it will be in place next year.”
NHS Lanarkshire acting director of acute services Judith Park said:“I’m delighted that we are introducing the Patientrack system, which will bring a fantastic technological enhancement to the care delivered at University HospitalWishaw.”