A national focus on reducing avoidable patient harm in NHS hospitals is to benefit from a new collaboration between two vital signs monitoring and technology specialists, which should significantly help doctors and nurses in their quest to deliver safer care.
Welch Allyn, a leading medical diagnostic device company that was recently acquired by global medical technology company Hill-Rom (NYSE: HRC), and Patientrack, a UK-based specialist software firm that has been helping the NHS improve safety and reduce harm, have today announced complete and efficient connectivity between the Welch Allyn Connex® Spot Monitor and Patientrack's software.
EWS (early warning score) systems, which rely on the accuracy of recorded data and the speed with which problems are flagged up and addressed, are widely used in UK hospitals to enable early intervention for patients showing signs of deterioration.
The Welch Allyn Connex® Spot Monitor (CSM) does away with errors resulting from manual transcription thanks to fully automated data capture. All major vital signs (blood pressure, temperature, pulse and oxygen saturation) can be recorded at the point of care in under a minute, removing the need for manual input, avoiding mistakes and allowing nursing staff to spend more time where it counts - caring for patients.
Data collected will now be instantly sent to the Patientrack software, which will interpret the information and calculate patients’ EWS automatically. Patientrack then detects patients at risk of deterioration and can be programmed to alert clinicians until action is taken and the situation resolved. The software also creates a rich patient level database so that interventions can be analysed to improve clinical processes and pathways, and support governance.
The seamless communication between the Welch Allyn CSM and Patientrack software is a further step towards the interoperability required within the NHS. Suppliers are increasingly being challenged to demonstrate a willingness to work together and achieve greater connectivity.
Alton Shader, president of Welch Allyn is confident that harnessing the synergy between the two companies will be good for patient outcomes by reducing risk and increasing staff productivity. "Welch Allyn already has a track record of excellent interfaces with over 90 different electronic patient record systems, adapting different technologies so they can talk to each other," he said. "This exciting project with Patientrack has huge potential, and is an excellent example of what can be achieved when two companies dedicated to enhancing patient outcomes pool their technological know-how."
Donald Kennedy, managing director at Patientrack, also highlighted the benefits of collaboration in delivering greater patient safety. "Providing timely, accurate data and putting valuable technology into the hands of clinicians is vital. Collaborating with Welch Allyn will help us do this even more effectively, as we work with hospitals across the country to help them deliver safer, more affordable care," said Mr. Kennedy.
Welch Allyn and Patientrack are currently piloting the technology, which offers hospitals added value, with data also used to map everything from performance improvement to care pathways.
About Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc.
Hill-Rom is a leading global medical technology company with approximately 10,000 employees worldwide. We partner with health care providers in more than 100 countries by focusing on patient care solutions that improve clinical and economic outcomes in five core areas: Advancing Mobility, Wound Care and Prevention, Clinical Workflow, Surgical Safety and Efficiency and Respiratory Health. Around the world, Hill-Rom's people, products, and programs work towards one mission: Every day, around the world, we enhance outcomes for patients and their caregivers.
About Welch Allyn
Since 1915 Welch Allyn has brought a unique perspective to developing diagnostic solutions by combining pragmatic knowledge with a visionary spirit of innovation and ongoing improvement. As a leading global manufacturer of physical examination instruments and accessories and EMR-connected vital signs and cardiac monitoring solutions, the company has a steadfast commitment to delivering superlative medical products, services and solutions that help healthcare professionals provide better care for their patients. Now part of the Hill-Rom family of companies, Welch Allyn is headquartered in Skaneateles Falls, N.Y. (USA) and employs more than 2,500 people in 26 different countries. Visit www.welchallyn.com for more information.
About Patientrack
Patientrack helps hospitals deliver safer care - which is also more cost-effective care - by ensuring observation and assessment protocols are carried out correctly and consistently, and by automatically calculating early warning scores and alerting clinicians when interventions are needed. Through early identification of deteriorating patients, and the promoting of necessary assessments, Patientrack helps hospitals meet national and local targets for improvements in patient safety, improving patient outcomes and supporting frontline staff, while at the same time cutting costs and reducing paper. Patientrack was developed in conjunction with health professionals and its effectiveness in delivering both patient safety and cost improvements has been proven in a peer-reviewed clinical journal.