Currently, the Trust uses manual, labour-intensive processes to handle bed management across its wards. Flow, which is integrated directly into the Rio Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system, digitises this process – enabling staff to directly enter information into the application via a mobile device. Currently staff have to ring around hospitals for updates, handwrite notes on whiteboards, then enter the same information into the EPR, all of which can lead to a significant risk of mishandling and missing data. Flow eliminates this data entry duplication, and in doing so contributes to a better and safer experience for patients.
Flow will be used by staff throughout the Trust, including clinicians, bed management and operational teams. By simplifying the process, Flow will create the right environment for the Trust to standardise data capture, digitally manage the supply and demand of beds in real-time and provide information to support the delivery of safe and effective care to patients. The main benefit of this will be the significant amount of time saved for staff, freeing them up to spend more time with patients.
Sue Flynn, Head of IM&T at Somerset Partnership Foundation NHS Trust, says: “Having digital whiteboards will greatly improve the management of beds across the Trust’s hospitals, enabling best use of beds and effectively shortening the length of stay for patients.”
Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is also a user of the Servelec Conexes solution, a cloud-based interoperability platform that enables a safe, secure environment to share data between various systems. Sue continues: “Conexes will allow the Somerset Partnership to import information directly into Rio without staff having to duplicate data entry. This will improve workflows for staff across a wide range of areas. It will also provide a contextual launch into the new Somerset Integrated Digital Electronic Record (SIDeR), a health and social care integrated record solution for Somerset.”
Neil Laycock, Managing Director of Healthcare at Servelec says: “We’re thrilled that Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has chosen to implement the solution and in doing so becomes the first community site in England to use Flow.
“By removing that duplication of work, Flow is going to free up clinician time to allow them to look after patients rather than fill in forms and deal with disconnected systems. This naturally leads on to improved patient experience. If professionals are able to get more hands on with the patients in their care, they can be treated safely and more efficiently.”
Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has been a Servelec customer since 2001 when it implemented the Rio EPR system. Flow is due to go live in Autumn this year.
