Streamlining the reporting of operational issues through an app
Background
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSE) identified workforce improvement and releasing time to care as a strategic priority for innovation in 2018/9, and this formed a focus of their MSE Innovation Programme and MSE Innovation Fellowship.
One of the challenges they were looking to address included the management of administrative and complex corporate processes.
Situation
Hospital services rely on operational departments including estates, facilities, porters, IT and equipment manufacturers. Issues with faulty medical equipment, low stock and broken IT can occur on a daily basis making it harder for staff to deliver the best patient care.
Operational departments and equipment suppliers communicate in different ways, with no joined up approach to resolve issues. This wastes clinicians’ time and can lead to poorer patient care. In 2019 alone, there was a 32% increase in cancelled NHS operations due to problems such as faulty equipment.
Aspiration
To enable any member of staff to quickly report issues as they are found through an app which connects staff, suppliers, operational teams and systems. This will save time and enable issues to be fixed in a timely manner.
Solution and impact
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust worked with MediShout to roll out the MediShout App.
The founder of MediShout saw the applicability of MediShout to the Trust and was appointed to the MSE Innovation Fellowship in 2019. This enabled MediShout access to a safe test bed environment for their innovative app – they were supported with mentorship, senior sponsorship and help to navigate NHS policies, procedures and compliance requirements.
MediShout uses digital technology and AI to provide a ‘logistical brain’ to hospitals. It integrates all logistical departments, giving clinicians an app to instantly report issues and using AI to predict future problems.
This improves efficiency and prevents delays, enabling better care and cost savings.
MediShout is a one-stop app for staff to report and resolve any operational issue e.g. estates, facilities, IT, equipment, HR, stock, decontamination. Staff type in their issue, add a photo and press ‘Shout’.
The data is automatically triaged to the relevant service helpdesk, manager or supplier who can then provide real-time updates to users via the app, reducing the need for staff to spend time on the phone or trying to contact various helpdesks for different issues.
QR codes were added to assets like bins or hand-gel, meaning even patients and visitors can report issues. QR codes also track assets like reusable sharps bins to improve sustainability.
Each time a user sends a ‘Shout’, the app asks them the impact on staff and patient care. This enables organisations to identify the biggest bottlenecks to care. Additionally, AI-algorithms predict future issues, like faulty equipment or theatre demand, so services can be planned better.
In Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust over 7,000 staff are using the app with over 50,000 Shouts sent in 2021.
An independent health economic impact assessment by Health Enterprise East showed MediShout can save NHS Trusts £1million in efficiency savings annually.
- 97% of staff said MediShout gave them more time with patients
- MediShout helped MSE’s Covid-19 responses by enabling staff to complete their Covid Risk-Assessment through the app, and upload Lateral Flow Test results
- MediShout is helping departments to digitise their handovers and automate report generation for CQC
- MediShout is collaborating with theatre and decontamination teams to reduce cancelled operations and help Elective Recovery
Fantastic! The photos really help. I once wanted to report a broken lift, but couldn’t find the number, so I just took a photo of the lift with the surroundings and it got fixed.
MediShout is being used by a number of NHS hospitals including:
- Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
- Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Functionality
The app:
- Works on Apple and Android smartphones
- Can be used as a web-app on desktops
- Is cloud-based
- Integrates with helpdesks of hospitals or suppliers
- Has a dashboard to aggregate all data
- Can support inventory management
- Has passed NHS hospital information governance processes
Capabilities
- The app enables staff to report any operational issue via a single digital interface
- Staff can attach photos of the issue encountered
- Users get real-time feedback regarding the status of the issue reported
- The solution connects to operational departments or suppliers
Scope of capacity
Reporting issues, via the app or QR codes, should occur within the sites where the issues occur.
Reviewing the ‘Shout’ data can occur anywhere; by operational teams onsite within hospitals or off-site.
Key learning points
Digital transformation relied as much on human behaviour change as developing software.
It was critical to win the hearts and minds of relevant stakeholders as early as possible, in order to bring them along the journey with us.
Having ex-clinicians and hospital managers within the app development team helped with understanding the problems that needed solving, and how to communicate with end-users.
A tried and tested approach to ensure successful deployment helped with successful roll out of the app. This included:
- Training which was provided to staff in-person and with marketing materials
- Ward visits and observation of care in situ
- The identification of user-champions
- Set up of stands within hospital for staff drop-ins
- Promotional posters which were put up across hospital
- Support from communications team through inclusion in newsletters and intranet adverts
- There was also a partnership with wellbeing department to support staff engagement initiatives
Digital equalities
The technology is accessible via mobile devices, tablets, QR-codes, or desktop computers. Traditional methods of reporting issues are still available including by telephone and email.
Training which was provided to staff in-person and with marketing materials.
Key figures/ quotes
Charlotte Williams, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer (Mid and South Essex NHS Trust):
MediShout worked with several of our NHS Trusts to understand our culture and adapt their technology to fit with our organisation’s existing systems and flow
An independent health economic impact assessment by Health Enterprise East showed MediShout can save NHS Trusts £1million in efficiency savings annually.
97% of staff said MediShout gave them more time with patients.
Find out more
Key contact
Charlotte Williams, Mid And South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
charlotte.williams31@nhs.net
Ash Kalraiya, Co-Founder and CEO MediShout
NHS Innovation Accelerator Fellow
MSE NHS Trust Innovation Fellow
ash@MediShout.co.uk
Ali Bahsoun, Co-Founder and CPO MediShout
NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Fellow
ali@MediShout.co.uk
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Disclaimer
These case studies summarise user and patient experiences with digital solutions along the relevant care pathway. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the apps and digital tools referenced are not supplied, distributed or endorsed by NHS England or the Department of Health and Social Care and such parties are not liable for any injury, loss or damage arising from their use.
All playbook case studies have either passed, or are currently undergoing the Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC) assessment.
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Page last updated: October 2022