Alcidion's Patientrack software has been tested for the first time in an emergency department (ED) in Scotland
This test was performed by staff at the current University Hospital Monklands.
These tests are part of the digital planning for Lanarkshire’s new state-of-the-art University Hospital Monklands, when the existing site is replaced. This is aimed to happen by 2031, but has been hampered by the Scottish Government’s two-year freeze on NHS builds.
Planning for the future of University Hospital Monklands
Patientrack enables nurses to enter vital signs that are routinely measured at the bedside into small handheld electronic devices. The early warning score (EWS) is then automatically calculated and alerts are displayed if the patient's condition is deteriorating according to Trust protocol.
The trial of the Patientrack digital patient observations system is being spearheaded by the Monklands Replacement Project (MRP), NHS Lanarkshire’s vision for the replacement of University Hospital Monklands (UHM).
The new hospital will be Scotland’s first digital hospital when it opens around 2031 at Wester Moffat in Airdrie.
The new hospital will be Scotland’s first digital hospital when it opens around 2031 at Wester Moffat in Airdrie.
Monklands is the first ED in Scotland to use electronic observations as it works to ensure its digital systems align with plans for the new hospital.
Further, the technological approach reflects the process of innovation that’s at the core of phase three of NHS Lanarkshire’s Operation FLOW, which has a focus on transformation and reform.
Dr Gordon McNeish, UHM Emergency Medicine Consultant, said: "The new system moves away from using paper charts to record key clinical observations such as blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels and temperature. Instead, clinical staff enter these onto iPads as patients arrive in ED and are assessed in cubicles."
"The benefit of the system in an ED is that it automatically calculates a ‘National Early Warning Score’ (NEWS). The score helps us work out how quickly a patient should be seen and how frequently their observations should be repeated," McNeish explained.
Patientrack enables nurses to enter vital signs that are routinely measured at the bedside into small handheld electronic devices.
"Instead of having to check through individual sheets of paper to discover which patients are sickest, and when observations are due, there’s a large touchscreen monitor in the main clinical area. This hi-tech approach allows the co-ordinating team to see real-time observations, NEWS scores and outstanding tasks for all ED patients at the same time," McNeish continued.
“The system enables better allocation of resources to the sickest patients as well as oversight of patients in the waiting room who are waiting for space to be seen. The clinical team has been using the system for several months and has become used to this advance in technology, which has required a big change in how they work," McNeish concluded.
MRP redesign lead, Donna McHenry, who is co-ordinating use of Patientrack at the hospital, said: "The goal is for the new Monklands to be Scotland’s first digital hospital, using systems that allow the most agile technological assistance for patients, staff and visitors."
"That’s why the current Monklands site is leading the way in taking forward digital advances, such as Patientrack, which was previously introduced on wards and is now successfully working in ED," McHenry concluded.
Image: In front of the large Patientrack screen are (back) Emergency Medicine Consultant Dr Gautham Balachandran and staff nurse Meghan Ferrie and (front) Emergency Medicine Consultant Dr Laura McGregor [left] and clinical support worker Kate Stevenson Image credit: NHS Lanarkshire