East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is the most recent acute services Trust to go-live with the Anglia ICE Desktop Clinical Correspondence Module.
The Trust identified an immediate need for a solution to provide accurate, timely and appropriate discharge related clinical correspondence to the local GP community. Given that the Trust had previously implemented ICE Desktop for the provision of GP test requesting and results reporting services with considerable success, it was a logical decision to extend functionality of the web browser ICE service to resolve their needs.
Earlier, the Trust had identified a need to address the quality of clinical correspondence being produced by the MAU (Medical Assessment Unit) within the organisation. Producing over six hundred documents a week at this location, it was critical that such correspondence was legible, clinically accurate, complete and reached GPs in a good time.
To achieve their goal the Trust added to ICE Desktop the Clinical Correspondence module as an upgrade to the system. This allowed the Trust to make available defined correspondence templates for completion by system users. Also, with the addition of a PAS PMI/ADT interface, automatic population of key episode information to a document template is enabled. A further component of each document template is a Pharmacy TTO (To Take Out) section, and by using this functional area of ICE Desktop the Trust has been able to implement a workflow process that satisfies strict requirements stipulated by the Pharmacy Department. As explained by Salim Badat an IM&T Programme Manager for the Trust;
“East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust has begun to revolutionise the discharge process for patients, starting in the Medical Assessment Unit, by consolidating the complex information into one Electronic Discharge Document. The project, which began in at the end of February 2008 standardises discharge information so that legible data about diagnosis, medication and repeat appointments can be inputted by nurses, pharmacists and consultants involved in a patient’s care. This document can then be sent to the patient’s GP and district nurse (if required) in a clear, efficient and timely manner ahead of the discharge letter.”
By utilising the messaging functionality within ICE Desktop completed discharge documents are transmitted to GP practices via the same mechanism as existing Pathology results messages. As Anglia’s Marketing Manager for this project, Dominic Dunn, has expressed;
“This joined-up approach with ICE Desktop produces clear, concise, standardised information and builds on existing information technology systems, preventing the need for mass retraining of staff. The system replaces an old triplicate carbon copy system where GPs would receive the bottom copy which was virtually unreadable yet contained vital patient information about condition and medication. The system also contributes to increased safety in prescribing as it facilitates improved monitoring of prescriptions”.
Having gone live with the MAU unit the Trust is now looking to extend functionality across the whole hospital by the earliest opportunity – and save a lot of postage stamps in to the bargain!
For more information please contact Sales@ahsl.com
Click here to download the ICE Discharge Mailer (PDF)