Elective recovery in the South East

The University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust will keep patients informed through their patient portal. They plan to scale up the use of My medical record across surgical pathways and further integrate it with other clinical systems. It will also be used to provide a “virtual ward” setting for trauma patients ahead of surgery.

My medical record is a personal health record, successfully used by the hospital for several years to communicate key information and results directly with patients. It’s a secure, patient-owned record that can:

• support patients to co-manage their healthcare
• connect patients with their care team
• provide patients with information from the hospital
• reduce the need for hospital visits

My medical record has been very popular with patients. Roger Burns has spoken about the “peace of mind” it provides. He no longer has to anxiously wait for 3 or 4 days before ringing up for his results. Instead, he can check them “within a few hours” and can directly contact his team with any concerns using the app, knowing they will quickly reply.

My medical record also allows patients to add in their own information about their health. This includes details which may be monitored as part of their treatment such as weight or blood pressure. This can help to reduce the need for patients to attend outpatient appointments. Carin Dear, a consultant in critical care and peri operative medicine, explains how this has allowed them to “streamline” their surgery service:

“We can see if a patient is low risk, so we don't want to waste their time waiting to see a doctor who tells them they are okay and good to have surgery. We can also understand the patients who are most at risk, who do need extra support, and we can tailor the care pathway to fit their needs.”

The extension across surgical specialties will mean more patients will benefit from My medical record.