WiFi SPARK partners with Health and Care Videos to boost education and help lower re-admission rates
Educational videos empower patients, improve the hospital experience, and increase patient confidence
WiFi SPARK is partnering with Health and Care Videos to provide hospitals with a Health Information Video Library to improve patient education.
The videos, available via WiFi SPARK’s SPARK Media platform will provide patients with access to 450 educational films.
Hospital re-admission rates, on average, are costing the NHS £2.4billion a year.
The Health Foundation’s research also suggests shortcomings in patient education has contributed to the 33.7% increase in non-specialist re-admissions in the last 10 years.
And WiFi SPARK’s latest partnership with Health and Care Videos is helping hospitals to overcome the challenges associated with patient education.
Empowering patients and providing them with the tools they need to learn, is paramount to help relieve some of the pressure on hospitals today
The Health Information Video Library, made available via the SPARK Media platform, is home to hundreds of educational videos on a range of conditions and illnesses, helping patients understand more about their illness without relying solely on daily consultations and NHS staff.
The library also offers patients guidance on rehabilitation and how to manage their condition after being discharged to help prevent re-admission.
When linked to a hospital’s Patient Administration System (PAS), the SPARK Media platform will share notifications and links to relevant videos that will educate patients on why they have been admitted, and their condition.
For instance, a diabetic patient could be shown videos explaining the condition and its management, including guidance on daily blood tests, insulin, and the associated long-term health risks. Videos can also be available to patients on a ward-specific basis.
Ellen Jenkins, director of marketing and business development at Health and Care Videos, said: “Patients can often feel overwhelmed processing lots of information about their illness and aftercare, and may forget what their clinician has told them, or misplace information leaflets.
“It is for this reason that we developed Health and Care Videos.
“Having short, easily-accessible information videos to watch at any time, and share with family members and carers, can provide assured information that helps to alleviate anxiety and empowers patients to self manage their own condition.
We believe in the adoption of technology to improve the patient experience, and our new partnership is just one step in our mission to bring the patient experience into the 21st Century
“It is our experience that better-informed patients ask more-targeted questions during appointments and make less-frequent phone calls to departments.
“This leads to shorter appointment times and fewer visits, so increases the capacity of staff, improves workflow and reduces costs.”
Matt O’ Donovan, chief executive of WiFi SPARK, adds: “NHS hospitals are overcrowded and underfunded, and re-admission rates, along with a lack of patient knowledge, is adding to the strain on our NHS.
“Empowering patients and providing them with the tools they need to learn, is paramount to help relieve some of the pressure on hospitals today.
“Our partnership with Health and Care Videos provides patients with access to educational videos that can help them on their road to recovery and give them insight into concerns they may not feel comfortable asking doctors and nurses.
“We believe in the adoption of technology to improve the patient experience, and our new partnership is just one step in our mission to bring the patient experience into the 21st Century.”
Health and Care Videos has already seen an 80% reduction in angiogram pre-op clinic time, 500 hours saved a year in pre-diabetic consultations, 25% reduction in podiatry appointment times, and five minutes less time spent explaining inhaler techniques thanks to the videos.