In this article, MARK KIRPALANI, managing director at Capital Capture, looks at the challenges the NHS could face in transitioning to electronic paper records
While there is clearly a strong business case for introducing electronic patient records, for healthcare professionals on the ground the challenge of moving away from largely paper-intensive processes is understandably daunting
In January 2013, Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, set out the Government’s ambition to make the NHS paperless by 2018. Since then, attitudes have differed widely as to how achievable this will be, especially given the current paper-dependent nature of the industry.
Indeed, according to data obtained from a recent Freedom of Information request, around 61% of nurses still use handwritten notes, charts or verbal communication to share patient details, medication notes and discharge instructions.
What this shows is that, while there is clearly a strong business case for introducing electronic patient records, for healthcare professionals on the ground the challenge of moving away from largely paper-intensive processes is understandably daunting.
Any reluctance of clinicians to switch from paper records is understandable. A complete digital overhaul would undoubtedly be disruptive. And there are also other practical considerations: the format of paper itself is still extremely useful in clinical settings because the records are inherently portable. In addition, practitioners working with paper records don’t require special hardware to scribble notes or obtain a patient signature.
Meanwhile, there is also the small matter of the huge volumes of legacy documents – even if a full electronic system is implemented, the requirement to work with legacy paper records still remains.
In working towards more efficient, technology-enabled processes, hospitals and trusts should consider the use of document scanning and classification technologies as a viable way to improve information management, with minimal disruption to day-to-day practice
To help overcome some of these practicalities, this month the Government launched a further financing initiative. The Nursing Technology Fund is aimed at encouraging NHS organisations to bid for budget from a new £100m allocation so they can buy innovative technology to help better support NHS staff.
“Nurses and midwives chose their profession because they wanted to spend time caring for patients - not filling out paperwork,” said Hunt. “New technology can make that happen. It's better for patients too, who will get swifter information, safer care and more face-to-face time with NHS staff.”
In working towards more efficient, technology-enabled processes, hospitals and trusts should consider the use of document scanning and classification technologies as a viable way to improve information management, with minimal disruption to day-to-day practice.
The scanning aspect of the technology digitises paper documents, eliminating the need to continually transport what can be large, heavy files around hospitals. Using easily-configured classification software to automatically read and classify paper records, clinicians and administrators can look back at specific correspondence or case areas within a specific timeline, saving time and increasing access to information on an ad-hoc basis.
As part of the national programme for the rollout of electronic patient records, trusts will also need to digitise casualty admissions cards. This will enable authorised users within the organisation to access records efficiently from any PC within the department.
By automating the process gradually, it should be possible to bridge the gap between the current, largely paper-dependent healthcare sector and the potentially digitally-enabled, paperless hospitals of the future
Here too, the introduction of a basic imaging and document retrieval system can be an effective first step. For those yet to implement a trust-wide electronic document and records management system, this solution allows completed documentation to be scanned, indexed from pre-printed barcodes and stored in a document repository for easy future retrieval.
By automating the process gradually, it should be possible to bridge the gap between the current, largely paper-dependent healthcare sector and the potentially digitally-enabled, paperless hospitals of the future. Equally, this could help to overcome some of the barriers associated with adopting paperless document management, without causing significant or unnecessary disruption to everyday practice.
