An IT system that helped to simplify one trust’s complex infrastructure onto a single platform is among the early entrants into the Technology class of this year’s Building Better Healthcare Awards .
Specialist managed service provider, Esteem, is hoping its work with The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will catch the judges’ attention in the Improving Productivity category, one of 16 awards up for grabs in this year’s competition.
The 2012 competition will recognise excellence in productivity, patient outcomes and the patient experience by the people, built environments and technologies that will help define and inspire the future of our healthcare systems.
In the Technology, Equipment and Medical Devices class there are three awards for Improving Patient Outcomes, Improving Productivity and Improving the Patient Experience .
Failure to cover all of the points laid out in the criteria could result in last-minute requests for further information or clarification, or your entry not being shortlisted. The judges can only make their decision based on the information put in front of them
In each case, the judges will be looking for an outstanding technology in the field of, but not restricted to, medical devices, information technology solutions, communications systems, building technologies, furniture and fixtures and fittings.
For the Improving Productivity category, entries will need to relate to innovative new technologies or improvements to existing systems that represent a significant improvement on the original concept. Entries should explain how the technology enables or encourages improvements or alterations to the way healthcare services are provided or delivered to enhance productivity. They must also describe how they work in practice within the therapeutic environment; how they address current recognised healthcare priorities; how they constitute value for money for the healthcare sector; and how patients, staff and other users were involved in the design process.
In the Improving the Patient Environment competition, the judging panel is again looking for new and unique technologies that have a direct impact on the patient experience. For example, entries may help to reduce the length of hospital stay, increase the home-from-home feel of the hospital environment, encourage sleep, reduce feelings of isolation, or improve communication and the understanding or procedures and processes.
If you have a piece of equipment you think could have a dramatic impact on Improving Patient Outcomes then you will need to explain to the judges exactly how it does this, for example reducing the risk of follow-up or reparative surgery, reducing scarring, minimising pain or reducing the length of hospital stays. Entries will also need to describe how the technology works within the therapeutic environment, how users were involved within the design process, and how it constitutes value for money.
In all three categories, judges will favour entries that are accompanied by user comment and feedback and those that show true innovation above and beyond what is already available. It is particularly important to use your 350-word synopsis to demonstrate how your entry meets the bulletpoints set out in the criteria for your chosen category.
Building Better Healthcare editor, Jo Makosinski, advises: “The 350-word overview of your product is your only chance to grab the attention of our judges. Therefore, failure to cover all of the points laid out in the criteria could result in last-minute requests for further information or clarification, or your entry not being shortlisted. The judges can only make their decision based on the information put in front of them.
“It is also important that the entry is completed by a senior member of the team as they are in the best position to describe the benefits and the thinking behind the innovation. In addition, entries need to be clearly written and succinct, dealing only with the details and impact of the technology and how it will demonstrate improvements on the ground. This should be supported by genuine comments from patients and clinicians. If these guidelines are followed then the judges will have sufficient information on which to make an informed decision.”
Entries need to be clearly written and succinct, dealing only with the details and impact of the technology and how it will demonstrate improvements on the ground. This should be supported by genuine comments from patients and clinicians
While the categories have changed for 2012 in line with the changing landscape of healthcare services in the UK, last year’s winners in the product categories provide some guidance as to what our panel of esteemed judges will be looking for. In 2011 they were The Derby Door, which picked up the Best Interior Product Award; Altro Digiclad, which won the Best Building Product Award; and Thopaz, which secured first place in the Product to Improve the Patient Pathway category.
To offer some additional guidance on how to complete your 350-word entry, below is a mock-up of the ideal submission using last year’s award-winning Thopaz system.
Building Better Healthcare Award Entry - Introducing Thopaz by Medela Healthcare
Thoracic drainages are used to remove air, liquids or solids that have collected in the intrathoracic space after injury, disease or surgery.
Designed in close collaboration with medical experts, and based on thorough research, Thopaz sets new standards in thoracic drainage therapy. The aim is to provide advanced treatment with easy-to-use systems that improve and simplify patient management while at the same time being cost efficient.
Based on the patient's air leak, regulated negative pressure is applied close to the patient's chest. A digital display shows actual and long-term data to allow for timely and objective decisions in chest tube management by healthcare professionals.
A recent study from St James's University Hospital in Leeds estimated it saved £18,005 when using Thopaz compared to traditional technologies.
In the past, patients would have been confined to bed so that a stationary pump could remove air or liquids from between the lung surface and the pleura. Now, with the new mobile drainage system, they can go for walks, which helps to improve their feeling of wellbeing and, more importantly, to improve overall circulation throughout the body.
Dr Mark Cregan, director of medical relations and evidence-based marketing at manufacturer, Medela Healthcare, said: "Using Thopaz compared to existing chest drainage systems is akin to the difference between squinting to read an old-fashioned mercury thermometer and taking an instant, precise digital reading. The objective data allows surgeons to make more-reliable decisions about when to remove the chest tube, allowing patients to leave hospital earlier.
“The system heralds a new era of understanding of the pleural cavity thanks to the digital data. As such, it is recognised by clinicians as holding the key to the future of post-operative thoracic care."
Dr Ludger Hillejan, chief of medicine at St Raphael Ostercappein Hospital in Germany, has used the system on his patients and said: “It enables patients to be more mobile and thus prevents thromboses and pneumonias. Patients regain their independence much sooner.
“The device is so easy to use that patients can remove the pump from the charging station themselves and leave their bed. In the past, they needed to call a nurse to do that, which many patients found awkward. Nursing staff can now take care of other tasks instead.”
Accompanied by clear images showing how the system works, and details of clinical trials and patient comments, this entry would tick all the right boxes and, in the 2012 competition, could also qualify for the Improving Productivity and Improving the Patient Experience categories. There is no limit to the number of categories you can enter or how many awards you can win.
Entries will only be accepted until the closing date of 30 June 2012 to allow the judges enough time to fully consider their decision, so be sure to get your entry in early so it can be reviewed and you can be advised if more details are needed.
Each entry costs just £95 plus VAT and our system will guide you through the process following registration. For further information, you can also contact the editor via email at jom@hpcimedia.com or call 020 7193 8083. Click here to visit the awards website and to submit your entry
Good luck