Hospital system automatically alerts social services to status of
patients.
A Cheshire hospital has cut delays to patient discharges and
improved planning for community care thanks to a joint IT project
with social services.
The project between Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation
Trust and Cheshire County Council uses a SQL Server database and an
encrypted electronic link from BT to send hourly alerts to a PC in
a social services office.
Taking information from the hospital's patient administration
records, the system sends information about patients who are to be
discharged and who need care from the region's social services.
Previously nurses and social services staff had to fax or phone
information to each other.
Hospitals and social services departments have come under pressure
to share information more effectively to reduce "bed-blockers" - a
patient whose discharge from hospital is delayed because social
services does not have the necessary care package in place.
Under the Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc) Act 2003, health
services have to notify local social services of every patient that
may require social care after they have been discharged.
The Medisec software that automates communication between the
Countess of Chester Hospital and social services was originally
developed to allow electronic communications between GP surgeries
and hospitals using the NHS Net e-mail system. It had to be
modified for the joint project with social services, which is not
connected to NHS Net.
"The new computerised system is very user-friendly," said Audrey
Houghton, patient access manager at the hospital. "It means that
nursing staff can refer patients to social services at any time of
the day or night without having to wait for office hours.
"The standardised format also makes it much easier for them to
provide all the necessary details. Social services staff receive
complete, accurate information and have instant access to
changes."
Chester Council's social services executive member Lynn Hardwick
said, "This system has resulted in closer working between the
Countess of Chester Hospital and social services, and the main
beneficiary, quite rightly, is the patient.
"Hospital staff can now immediately refer patients to us who we can
help by making sure that their own package of care is ready for
their return home."