Our journey to becoming a paper-lite hospital accelerated with the arrival of an in-house developed digital record system.
With more clinical staff recording patient information in a digital format at the point of care, the earlier decision of a suitable portable device was achieved a few years ago with the first generation Tough-PAC® case. Having replaced paper observation charts with our own developed e-observation system, the challenge was to have suitable devices, other than laptops readily available. We soon decided that the application suited use of mobile carts for medication ward rounds and the Apple® i-Pad for risk assessments and clinical data collection.
“These cases have been well received and the more recent 2nd generation Tough-PAC were an instant hit with lighter weight, incorporating the newer i-Pad Air.”
The Walton Centre was no different to any other hospital in the need to use devices with an anti-microbial case in clinical areas, adding to this the importance of durability, safety and security of a product. The move towards digital records had created the need for review of different data collection methods on wards through i-Pads to accompany patients throughout their hospital journey.
Our nursing staff were concerned that a mobile device should not draw attention to it whilst maintaining responsiveness for a user if it was used in an enclosed case. One of the main draw backs of this had been the handling or potential damage to an iPad which could cause problems especially when accessing patient records in a fast pace environment or when a patient is in transit. The Tough-PAC was the obvious choice as it looked more a medical device hiding the features of our preferred software allowing for a much safer, cost effective and environment friendly transition towards a paperless department, said Katie Lawrence, Lead Nurse for POCU. The Trust currently has 160 iPad Tough-PACs. The neatness of hidden cables and an easy to clean glossy finish of the CS-4 product has been warmly received.
The latest iPod Tough-PAC product is allowing us to explore further options in the use of smaller handheld devices and could fit well for our nurses completing regular observations at patient bed side, said Nasser Shaikh, EPR Programme Manager.
“We have had no breakages of an i-Pad casing in three years, which is exemplary as they look like a clinical device.”
The Walton Centre is a specialist neurosurgical hospital located in Merseyside, England.
Our specialist staff offer a world-class service in diagnosing and treating injuries and illnesses affecting the brain, spine, peripheral nerves and muscles further supporting patients suffering from a wide range of long-term neurological conditions.
In 2016, the Care Quality Commission CQC awarded our hospital an outstanding rating and are one of 13 acute care collaboration vanguard sites to provide patients with a new model of care in neurology and spinal services. The Centre have built a number of in-house products available to purchase including Outpatient Self Check-In System, eObservation System and Asset Register.
