Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), and Wye Valley Trust have finished a major £2 million radiology service redevelopment programme. By significantly increasing imaging capacity and working together with Philips through a Managed Services Partnership, the Wye Valley Trust has been able to reduce its diagnostic backlog caused by pressures from COVID-19, while also resuming normal capacity and service for the 190,000 people living in Herefordshire.
In response to increasing demand for imaging services, including a 50-60% rise in Computed Tomography (CT), Wye Valley Trust and the Philips Managed Services Team co-created solutions for new patient pathways and flow, whilst also guiding on replacing outmoded and outdated rooms with remodelled layouts.
The Philips Compressed Sense software installation on the MRI replacement played a significant role in enabling the Wye Valley Trust to reduce its backlog and ensure continuity of service for patients. The trust has been able to scan at least an additional four patients per day, increasing its total throughput of patients by 10-15%.
These outcomes were part of an eleven-year Managed Service Partnership that Philips agreed with the Wye Valley Trust in 2018 to drive excellence across the radiology service and improve clinical outcomes for patients in the area. The redevelopment project was completed in stages to ensure continuity of service, with additional services introduced including MRI and a dedicated interventional suite, which were critical in helping to restore normal diagnostic capabilities.
“During one of the most testing times for the NHS, Philips’ flexibility and willingness to work together with the Trust to fulfil our needs and benefit patients has been paramount. They rapidly replaced 60% of the equipment inside the first two years of the partnership, which was vital for achieving our transformational milestones. Philips also brought in creative solutions to help us meet the immense demand for diagnostic services in a challenging COVID-19 environment” said Daniel Harding, General Manager Diagnostics, Wye Valley NHS Trust.
Stephen McMillan, Head of Solutions, Philips UKI commented: “Like much of the NHS, the Wye Valley Trust has been dealing with added pressures that COVID-19 has placed on hospital resources, including a huge backlog in diagnostic services and treatment. We have a genuine partnership in place with Wye Valley Trust that enabled us to work together to find creative, high impact solutions to support the trust and its patients. It is humbling to know that our collaboration has significantly helped to reduce diagnostic backlogs, allowing Herefordshire residents to benefit from these improved diagnostic services.”
Jane Ives, Managing Director, Wye Valley NHS Trust said: “At the heart of our Trust strategy is integrated care. Through collaboration, Philips and the Wye Valley Trust identified several improvement and education projects and inside the first twelve months, delivered an initial ‘fast-track’ programme to replace essential imaging equipment, optimising capacity. Our successes have not just been achieved due to new equipment. Improving pathways and optimising how our patients flow through our radiology department have been vital to our transformation.”
