Benefits of electronic charts in intensive care and during a world health pandemic: advantages of the technology age
Aims and objectives This study sets out to describe benefits from the implementation of electronic observation charting in intensive care units (ICU). This was an extension to the existing hospital wide digital health system. We evaluated error reduction, time-savings and the costs associated with c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2023-02-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open Quality |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/12/1/e001704.full |
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| author | Simon Ball Felicity Evison Laurie Lucas Tanya Pankhurst Richard Baker Suzy Gallier Jamie J Coleman Ian Young Anwar Shah Steve Ryan Helen Gyves David Rosser Chris Ragdale Louise Denner Laura Rathbone Deborah McKee Jolene Atia Mark Garrick |
| author_facet | Simon Ball Felicity Evison Laurie Lucas Tanya Pankhurst Richard Baker Suzy Gallier Jamie J Coleman Ian Young Anwar Shah Steve Ryan Helen Gyves David Rosser Chris Ragdale Louise Denner Laura Rathbone Deborah McKee Jolene Atia Mark Garrick |
| author_sort | Simon Ball |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aims and objectives This study sets out to describe benefits from the implementation of electronic observation charting in intensive care units (ICU). This was an extension to the existing hospital wide digital health system. We evaluated error reduction, time-savings and the costs associated with conversion from paper to digital records. The world health emergency of COVID-19 placed extraordinary strain on ICU and staff opinion was evaluated to test how well the electronic system performed.Methods A clinically led project group working directly with programmers developed an electronic patient record for intensive care. Data error rates, time to add data and to make calculations were studied before and after the introduction of electronic charts. User feedback was sought pre and post go-live (during the COVID-19 pandemic) and financial implications were calculated by the hospital finance teams.Results Error rates equating to 219 000/year were avoided by conversion to electronic charts. Time saved was the equivalent of a nursing shift each day. Recurrent cost savings per year were estimated to be £257k. Staff were overwhelmingly positive about electronic charts in ICU, even during a health pandemic and despite redeployment into intensive care where they were using the electronic charts for the first time.Discussion Electronic ICU charts have been successfully introduced into our institution with benefits in terms of patient safety through error reduction and improved care through release of nursing time. Costs have been reduced. Staff feel supported by the digital system and report it to be helpful even during redeployment and in the unfamiliar environment of intensive care. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d1ac5e3e3929487295c8c990b039816c |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2399-6641 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open Quality |
| spelling | doaj-art-d1ac5e3e3929487295c8c990b039816c2025-08-20T02:52:49ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open Quality2399-66412023-02-0112110.1136/bmjoq-2021-001704Benefits of electronic charts in intensive care and during a world health pandemic: advantages of the technology ageSimon Ball0Felicity Evison1Laurie Lucas2Tanya Pankhurst3Richard Baker4Suzy Gallier5Jamie J Coleman6Ian Young7Anwar Shah8Steve Ryan9Helen Gyves10David Rosser11Chris Ragdale12Louise Denner13Laura Rathbone14Deborah McKee15Jolene Atia16Mark Garrick17University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UKDepartment of Informatics, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK2 Clinical Systems and Development/EPR, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UKDigital Healthcare and Department of Renal Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK1 Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK2 Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UKUniversity Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UKIT Services, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UKAnaesthetics, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UKIT Services, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UKUniversity Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UKUniversity Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UKIT Services, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UKUniversity Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UKIT Services, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UKIT Services, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UKUniversity Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UKUniversity Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UKAims and objectives This study sets out to describe benefits from the implementation of electronic observation charting in intensive care units (ICU). This was an extension to the existing hospital wide digital health system. We evaluated error reduction, time-savings and the costs associated with conversion from paper to digital records. The world health emergency of COVID-19 placed extraordinary strain on ICU and staff opinion was evaluated to test how well the electronic system performed.Methods A clinically led project group working directly with programmers developed an electronic patient record for intensive care. Data error rates, time to add data and to make calculations were studied before and after the introduction of electronic charts. User feedback was sought pre and post go-live (during the COVID-19 pandemic) and financial implications were calculated by the hospital finance teams.Results Error rates equating to 219 000/year were avoided by conversion to electronic charts. Time saved was the equivalent of a nursing shift each day. Recurrent cost savings per year were estimated to be £257k. Staff were overwhelmingly positive about electronic charts in ICU, even during a health pandemic and despite redeployment into intensive care where they were using the electronic charts for the first time.Discussion Electronic ICU charts have been successfully introduced into our institution with benefits in terms of patient safety through error reduction and improved care through release of nursing time. Costs have been reduced. Staff feel supported by the digital system and report it to be helpful even during redeployment and in the unfamiliar environment of intensive care.https://bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/12/1/e001704.full |
| spellingShingle | Simon Ball Felicity Evison Laurie Lucas Tanya Pankhurst Richard Baker Suzy Gallier Jamie J Coleman Ian Young Anwar Shah Steve Ryan Helen Gyves David Rosser Chris Ragdale Louise Denner Laura Rathbone Deborah McKee Jolene Atia Mark Garrick Benefits of electronic charts in intensive care and during a world health pandemic: advantages of the technology age BMJ Open Quality |
| title | Benefits of electronic charts in intensive care and during a world health pandemic: advantages of the technology age |
| title_full | Benefits of electronic charts in intensive care and during a world health pandemic: advantages of the technology age |
| title_fullStr | Benefits of electronic charts in intensive care and during a world health pandemic: advantages of the technology age |
| title_full_unstemmed | Benefits of electronic charts in intensive care and during a world health pandemic: advantages of the technology age |
| title_short | Benefits of electronic charts in intensive care and during a world health pandemic: advantages of the technology age |
| title_sort | benefits of electronic charts in intensive care and during a world health pandemic advantages of the technology age |
| url | https://bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/12/1/e001704.full |
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