A hi-tech digital system that helps doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals quickly identify patients whose health is deteriorating is to be introduced by NHS Lanarkshire.
The Patientrack electronic observations system has been successfully piloted at University Hospital Monklands – one of the first hospitals in Scotland to use the innovative technology.
It will be rolled out fully at Monklands and also to University Hospital Wishaw and University Hospital Hairmyres, with some community services eventually included as well.
The trial of Patientrack was spearheaded by the project to build a new University Hospital Monklands, as part of its exciting ambition to create Scotland’s first digital hospital.
University Hospital Monklands chief of nursing services Karen Goudie, one of the team working on the Monklands Replacement Project (MRP), said: “Patientrack is a fantastic innovation that allows nurses at the bedside to record patients’ vital signs on iPads instead of using paper charts.
“Based on key factors like a patient’s pulse, temperature, blood pressure, oxygen level and breathing, the software automatically calculates an ‘early warning score’ and alerts clinicians if there is cause for concern.
“The system also gives assessments of a patient’s fluid balance and nutrition and generates an automatic referral to dieticians or other services if necessary.”
As part of planning for the new Monklands, the existing hospital is testing the use of an “operational command centre”, where large screens display live Patientrack data along with other key information such as emergency department activity, bed numbers and ambulance arrivals. Patientrack information is also available digitally across the hospital so that clinicians can instantly see the condition of the sickest patients.
Karen added: “Patientrack has been piloted on five wards and we’ve learned from our own experience and that of other UK healthcare providers that the system brings a number of clinical benefits. These include reduced harm from serious conditions such as hypoglycaemia, acute kidney injury and sepsis, and better outcomes for patients with acute illnesses.
“It also improves the staff’s sense of wellbeing and fulfilment because a digital system is more efficient and allows them more time with patients.”
MRP director Graeme Reid said: “The MRP’s goal is for the new University Hospital Monklands to be Scotland’s first digital hospital, using systems that allow a more agile response to the challenges the NHS faces, such as COVID-19.
“That’s why the current Monklands site is leading the way in taking forward technological advances, such as Patientrack, that will be a core element of our operational command centre and our plans for a new, state-of-the-art hospital to serve the communities of Lanarkshire for decades to come.”
NHS Lanarkshire acting director of acute services Judith Park said: “I’d like to thank colleagues at University Hospital Monklands for the work they have done to test the Patientrack system, which will now also be introduced at University Hospital Wishaw and University Hospital Hairmyres to bring the same benefits to patients and staff there.”
Our picture shows staff nurse Paul McLaughlin and clinical support worker Collette Anderson using the Patientrack system in the acute medical receiving unit at University Hospital Monklands.
