The most Digitally Advanced Hospital in the NHS

And we’re proud to be a part of it!

This article published by Digital Innovation EU provides an illuminating insight into the journey undertaken by one of the leading health institutions in the world towards digital transformation. It is an interview with Glenn Winteringham, Group Chief Digital Officer at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, talking about Chase Farm Hospital, part of the Royal Free London (RFL) Group, which is now almost paperless with only consent forms still being paper-based.

Chase Farm Hospital – Royal Free London Group

The entire set up at Chase Farm Hospital is patient-centric with the Electronic Patient Record (EPR) the key to all activities. The EPR captures patient orders, results, prescriptions, vital signs and clinical documentation. Imprivata OneSign provides the tap in, tap out single sign on (SSO) solution that enables staff to login to multiple applications in just seconds (saving several minutes per login!). In addition, we were able to support Chase Farm Hospital in achieving HIMSS Level 6, a process that we are now going through with several other Trusts.

SSO is the tip of the iceberg

Recent coverage of time savings made at Alder Hey Hospital (130 hours per day saved with SSO technology – again, from Imprivata) hit the headlines, referenced in the Government announcement of £40 million investment to reduce NHS staff login times. The savings quoted are impressive, however, as RFL demonstrates, this is the tip of the iceberg as far as saving time and streamlining clinical workflows.

Some trusts have implemented SSO either in advance of, or as an integral part of an EPR deployment. However, where SSO becomes really powerful is the way that it opens up many more opportunities to harness technology, for example, the use of mobile devices at the bedside and out in the community. Several of the Global Digital Exemplar and Fast Follower Trusts are leading the way in this respect.

Mobile devices – banishing paper & safeguarding patient data

At Bolton NHS Foundation Trust they are using Imprivata on mobile devices used for eObservations. Vital signs are recorded by staff on shared mobile devices with just the tap of a proximity badge for the staff member to login and authenticate. Not only does this save time and reduce reliance on manual paper-based systems, but it improves the security of sensitive patient data, it provides an audit trail and the positive experience for the clinicians and care-givers means that they are more engaged with the technology and so far more likely to engage with the next new thing that comes along.

At Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Imprivata technology is used in the Renal unit where the streamlined SSO process made an immediate impact on productivity and was well received by staff. The success of deployment led the Trust to launch a further project within the Renal unit using Imprivata’s authentication management platform to securely access Welch Allyn’s patient diagnostic device quickly and easily. This is the first deployment of this type outside of the USA.

The Success Factor - Understanding clinical user requirements

At both Bolton and Leeds, Imprivata Mobile Device Access allows care professionals to record and store patient information at the point of care by tapping proximity badges. Clinicians have up to date information and patients receive the right level of attendance, based on their current status and clinical progression, significantly improving patient outcomes.

The success factor at Bolton, Leeds, Royal Free, Alder Hey and many of our other NHS clients, was our ability to work with clinician led teams to ensure that our solution worked in harmony with their existing clinical workflows. As a health sector only supplier, we invest heavily in seeking ways for Trusts to realise the value of their investments, at the point of care. We work with clinical staff early on in the implementation to fully understand their workflows, so that we can advise on how best to implement our solutions, to achieve fastest time to value. A case in point is our work at Royal Free where we were able to support them in achieving HIMSS Level 6 at Chase Farm Hospital.

For more information about how Imprivata can help your Digital Transformation journey contact us today info@imprivata.com

Fun Fact

Imprivata technology is used by 70% of NHS Trusts. In 2019 there were over 150 million Single Sign On application logins in the NHS using Imprivata technology saving well over 34,000 full days of clinician time.