Improved patient care and 1,500 hours a year saved at Doncaster & Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust with Digital Pen technology

The Doncaster & Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is improving patient care by speeding up the process of patient feedback after implementing a new Digital Pen and Paper solution from technology innovator Anoto and UK partner Ubisys. For an initial investment of £65,000, the solution has revolutionised the patient feedback process, saving staff up to 30 man-hours a week – around 1,500 hours a year.

Deployed across 57 wards and departments, a patient, carer or member of staff can fill in a patient experience form using the Digital Pen, dock it at a PC or laptop on the ward and every morning the data is uploaded, collated and then sent for real-time analysis and reporting. Patient experience has significantly improved in 45 of the 55 areas surveyed. In addition, the Trust has secured Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) funding valued at £913,000.

“We are constantly striving to do better – in terms of patient feedback, patient experience and patient care,” explains Heather Keane, Assistant Director – Quality, Doncaster & Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, who receives a daily patient feedback update.

“Our previous manual system was flawed, as it was very time-consuming and the information was often out of date by the time we received it – leading to delays in improvements to patient care. The new system means quick and easy recording of feedback with no disruption to patients and huge time and cost savings for staff. The pens are simple to use, require no training and are familiar to everyone who has ever used pen and paper.”

The Trust plans to continue the rollout, potentially up to 1,000 users. Designed for the hospital’s specific requirements, Anoto partner Ubisys installed its Ubisys Formidable platform on its own network and placed a pen on every ward.

“The joy of Digital Pen technology is in its simplicity – easy to install, easy to use and easy to become reliant on,” adds Ubisys Managing Director, Tarek Ghouri. “Our years of experience working within healthcare means we can focus on helping deliver improved patient outcomes by allowing healthcare providers to focus on their job – caring for patients – and less on administration. We are looking forward to completing the rollout at Doncaster and seeing further improvements.”

www.anoto.com/healthcare