Thousands of patients see benefits as new digital system launches across six hospitals
Two Midlands trusts see the benefit for thousands of patients following the launch of a new digital health record system.
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB) and Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trusts went live with Nervecentre in February following ten months of planning and development.
The two neighbouring Trusts saw the first module of their new electronic patient record system (EPR) launch across six hospitals as part of a collaborative multi-year digital transformation programme.
EPR systems are a centralised way of holding detailed information about a person’s care and health, and the new system, Nervecentre, works best on handheld devices meaning colleagues now use mobile phones and tablets to document patient care.
The first module, called the Patient Safety Bundle, has seen more than 7,500 colleagues trained on using the system to enter patient observations and to escalate when patients need to be reviewed by a senior clinician.
The trusts have already seen a positive impact on patient safety, including early detection and intervention of sepsis, a serious condition, with nearly 90,000 sepsis screening notes added in the first 48-hours. This screening allows clinicians to identify sepsis in patients early, meaning rapid treatment supporting a faster recovery.
UHDB’s Chief Nursing Information Officer Stacey Hatton has also seen the impact of teams using handheld devices, rather than shared computers. “Our clinical colleagues are passionate about providing excellent care to our patients as quickly as possible. By having access to Nervecentre at their fingertips and at the patient’s bedside, clinicians have more accurate, real-time data and we are already seeing that colleagues are able to spend more time directly with patients providing quality care.”
The scale of the system’s use and impact in the first week alone was significant, with more than 435,000 patient notes created, over 100,000 observations taken and more than 137,000 tasks raised, supporting patients to have timely access to tests, treatment and medication throughout their hospital stay.
The system also automates some actions such as alerting senior clinicians to review a patient when their clinical observations are not as expected. Gemma Cort, Chesterfield Royal Hospital’s Chief Nursing Information Officer, explained: “Previously senior clinicians were contacted by a bleep in these instances. By automating these alerts, we are able to review deteriorating patients quicker, which allows us to implement care plans earlier for our patients.”
While the two Midlands trusts are collaborating to bring the benefits of a unified digital system to their patients and teams, the East Midlands region has seen a number of Trusts move their EPR to Nervecentre in recent years and are working together to share resources and advice through the East Midlands Acute Providers network (EMAP).
Debbie Loke, UHDB’s Executive Chief Digital Information Officer, explained the significance of this region-wide collaboration: “Our digital systems have a huge impact on how our clinical colleagues deliver care to our patients and our aim has always been to make real improvements to the day-to-day working lives of our colleagues.
“Going live with a clinical system like Nervecentre across six hospital sites for more than 7,000 colleagues is a significant step in our digital transformation journey. Colleagues across UHDB and Chesterfield Royal Hospital have worked together to bring these improvements to our colleagues, supporting safer and higher quality care for our patients and the communities we serve.
“We are grateful for the support of colleagues across both Trusts who have embraced this digital advancement and the East Midlands Acute Providers network, who assisted our clinical teams during the go-live period with Nervecentre experts based on wards providing direct help to colleagues using the system for the first time since their training. This is a truly collaborative approach across the entire region in a way that we haven’t experienced before.”
The Patient Safety Bundle marks the first stage of the Nervecentre implementation across UHDB and Chesterfield.
Jon Cort, Chesterfield Royal Hospital’s Chief Digital Officer, reflected on the impact Nervecentre will have: “The EPR system is a vital part of our digital transformation journey. It brings numerous benefits to our patients, improves the day-to-day operations of our healthcare professionals, and exemplifies our commitment to harnessing technology for better healthcare outcomes. As we continue to innovate and adapt, we look forward to a future where digital solutions play an integral role in delivering exceptional care to our communities.”