Humber NHS Foundation Trust has inked a deal worth £1 million with BT that will see the trust roll out a new mobile service providing healthcare professionals access to real-time information about their patient where and when they need it, helping to transform patient care and the working lives of clinicians.
Staff will now be able to access patient records, view schedules and appointments and update notes while on their rounds, using a mobile device of their choice, such as tablets or smartphones.
Replacing paper records, the new mobile solution ensures that clinicians have the most up to date information at their fingertips whether in the office, on the go or at the patient’s home.
It will reduce the need to return to base, saving time and money travelling and allowing more time to be spent on patient care. It’s planned that the solution will be rolled out to 500 healthcare professionals, in multiple care settings, in the first phase from June to September.
Adrian Snarr, Director of Finance Infrastructure and Informatics, said: “We serve a population of 600,000 over a large geographic area. With more than 3,000 staff operating from 70 sites and many providing services in patient’s own homes, it was essential we were able to digitally capture information at the point of care. This mobile service allows our staff to gain instant secure access to the most up to date information stored on our electronic patient record system. This means our community teams for example, can plan their visits more efficiently and effectively to maximise their time with their patients.”
Ian Dalton, president of Global Government and Health, BT Global Services, said: “The NHS is facing huge financial challenges and we’re excited by the opportunities mobile working can offer organisations such as Humber NHS Foundation Trust to work smarter and more cost-effectively. Not only can it reduce travel and administration, freeing staff up to spend more time with their patients, but it can empower them to provide the highest quality patient care. This is clearly not just about technology, it’s about transforming care and services.”
Colin Reid, chief executive of TotalMobile, said: “I’m delighted to be teaming up with a company of BT’s calibre and its long history of providing innovative solutions to the NHS. This really is a win-win for patients, staff and the NHS. Mobile working is key to unlocking a number of efficiency benefits at a time when the NHS is looking to provide more for less while at the same time improving patient care and allowing NHS staff to spend more time with the patient”.
