Mash Patel – PRO-MAPP

Swansea Bay UHB’s collaboration with PRO-MAPP wins Technology and Digital Impact Award

Posted on December 11, 2024December 14, 2024 by Mash Patel

We’re delighted to see our collaboration with Swansea Bay University Health Board recognised for pioneering health technology in the field of pre-operative assessments in Wales. The team took home the Technology and Digital Impact award category at MediWales Innovation Awards, rewarding the efforts of Swansea Bay UHB and PRO-MAPP’s Orthopaedic Waiting List Initiative (OWLi).

This brief video outlines the basis of the OWLi project, and how it relates to the award nomination. Here’s more background details about our partnership, and why we’re aiming to better pathways for orthopaedic care in Wales and beyond with our digital platform.

Our collaborative approach

Planned care waiting lists have grown exponentially since the covid-19 pandemic – none more so that for trauma and orthopaedics. When patients stay on waiting lists longer, their health, and especially mobility with T&O conditions, declines and the lives of their families can be impacted. The cost on primary services may also increase, where the health economics has a direct impact on those patients being fit for the planned procedure.

To remedy this heavy operational workload on healthcare staff (and therefore speedy up pathways for patients), digital platforms are better using data to fast track those most in need of surgery, and to tailor prehabilitation support for every patient.

Monitoring patient health prior to surgery is key and undertaken by Swansea Bay UHB’s orthopaedics team, in collaboration with PRO-MAPP’s customisable digital solution. With the interactive platform, patients in waiting lists are able to self-report their health symptoms. With AI technology, the solution is able to profile then tailor pre-habilitation support services for patients, and recognises those with underlying health conditions that may require further treatment elsewhere. This ongoing process of monitoring and management assists both the patient and the Health Board/Trust, as patients can ensure that they are ready for their procedure, which has a positive mental impact and sets their expectations.

The results to date

The platform has been delivering for over two years where more than 3500 patients have been onboarded to benefit from its data-led insights. Already, those with significant conditions have been identified and supported to improve their health and halt the possibility of failed pre-operative assessments.

Over 200 patients identified as having a significantly high body mass index (BMI) have been triaged to specialist Prehabilitation AHP weight management services. 200 smokers have been flagged and referred to shared cessation support. More than 400 patients with pre-existing health conditions requiring new blood tests were alerted to update them prior to pre assessment, where these patients would have attended and failed pre-operative assessment otherwise. The clear benefits of this intelligent approach to waiting list management means that the platform and process is being looked at for other specialities

Charting our next steps

It is critical in a digital strategy to leverage and maximise the utility of the data, and the self-reported data within OWLi is checked regularly to enhance profiling and the accuracy of the analysis.

OWLi has collated complex comorbidity and anaesthesia data on patients, and is now delivering these results in the correct format (including RAG – Red, Amber and Green) to each team to review patients and their planned care accordingly. The countdown to pre-assessment is vital in planning RAG clinics to maximise patient flow and saving costs.

Working with Planned Care teams is also paramount to update waiting lists with relevant information, including care changes or whether a procedure was carried out privately. PRO-MAPP’s platform has the ability to adapt quickly, and deliver these beneficial services to teams that can ensure each patient is as fit and prepared for their procedure as possible.

About MediWales

The MediWales Innovation Awards are regional and divided into Industry Awards and Health Awards, open to applications from companies operating in (or with a footprint in) Wales.

2024 saw its nineteenth edition. Learn more about all of the category winners on the MediWales website.

The PACT programme: the next revolution for pre-surgical care

Posted on September 28, 2024September 30, 2024 by Mash Patel

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare systems worldwide faced unprecedented challenges, including surging waiting lists and operational inefficiencies. Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) rose to this challenge with an innovative solution: the Pre-Assessment Clinical Triage (PACT) programme, developed in partnership with digital health innovator PRO-MAPP.

To put the technology into action, UOH studied its impact on the care pathways for patients needing complex hip and knee joint replacement surgery, with orthopaedic services being an area of surgery blighted by backlogs.

Identifying the challenges

After the pandemic, OUH encountered a 35% surge in waiting lists. This was due to large backlogs, as well as new referrals, which meant that the the existing system was plagued with a number of issues:

An insufficient number of patients ‘fit’ to utilise theatre capacity
The identification of high-volume, low-complexity (HVLC) patients was inaccurate
Patients were repeating pre-assessment clinics (PAC) an average of 3.5 times before surgery
Administrative processes were paper-heavy
The visibility of patient status between appointments was limited

A more efficient operation was required to minimise the risks of repeated or unnecessary tests and appointments before surgery, which hinges on the collection of valuable data that can be lost with manual, paper-based systems.

Calling on PACT for a solution

In collaboration with PRO-MAPP, and supported by the NHS Adoption Fund 2022, OUH implemented Pre-Assessment Clinic Triage (PACT) – a digital application designed to maximise the number of patients undergoing telemedicine pre-assessment while awaiting surgery.

PACT includes a number of key features that look to holistically tackle the problems of burdened waiting lists, including a digital intelligence tool (featuring a comprehensive health questionnaire), intelligent screening and test recommendations, criteria to assess patient readiness for surgery, seamless integration with Electronic Patient Records (EPR) and Cerner systems. PACT also allows for accessibility both in waiting rooms, and at home, which has proven to have a transformative impact:

Improved Patient Readiness
The pool of patients fit for surgery increased dramatically, from 28% to 77%.

Reduced In-Person Appointments
Face-to-face appointments decreased by 75%, streamlining the pre-assessment process.

Enhanced Efficiency
Theatre efficiency improved by 10%, optimising the utilisation of valuable resources.

High Patient Satisfaction
100% of patients reported being ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with the new pathway, while 92% found the questionnaire to be ‘very easy’ or ‘easy’ to complete.

Significant Cost Savings
Analysis by York Health Economics Consortium revealed an annual saving of £749 per patient, representing a 35% cost reduction.

Environmental Impact
The programme led to an 8.8 tonne reduction in CO2 production, equivalent to nine return flights between Paris and New York.

Making costs go further is a major consideration in relieving the healthcare service. Through PACT, cost efficiency is achieved substantially, with the total additional income gained equalling £791,988. £371,183 came from new patients, while increased elective activity equalled £420,805. Moreover, the reattendance savings per patient amount to £331.26, based on the latest national cost collection data.

The Role of PRO-MAPP

As the technology vendor, PRO-MAPP played a crucial role in the success of the PACT programme in improving communication between healthcare staff and patients, identifying complex orthopaedic cases earlier in the pathway, and more:

The system was rolled out in just 8 weeks, with ongoing evolution to meet emerging needs
PRO-MAPP ensured a seamless, smooth integration with existing hospital systems, including Cerner
The intelligent screening and recommendation system powered by PRO-MAPP’s technology was key to improving patient readiness and reducing unnecessary appointments through data-driven insights
The ease of use for the digital application’s interface contributed to high satisfaction rates among both patients and staff

Powered by PRO-MAPP’s innovative platform, further innovations are now looking to be introduced. There are plans for divisional implementation across NOTSSCaN surgical services, trust-wide roll outs to centralise elective access, partnerships with PRO-MAPP for an intelligent Waiting List Manager (iWLM) and the implementation of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs).

After addressing the immediate challenges faced by OUH, PACT has set a new standard for pre-surgical care. As healthcare systems continue to evolve, collaborations like this between forward-thinking NHS trusts and cutting-edge technology providers will be crucial in shaping the future of patient care.

PRO-MAPP has also helped better identify complex patients and optimise patient pathways in a programme run by York Health Economics Consortium (YHEC), and has received recognition in the ‘clinical redesign’ category for our enhanced pre-op assessment project with OUH and Health Innovation Oxford & Thames Valley at the HSJ Partnership Awards. To find out more, get in contact with us.

Personalised Patient Pathways: going beyond operational healthcare challenges

Posted on July 25, 2024September 30, 2024 by Mash Patel

Healthcare systems worldwide are under increasing pressure to deliver improved patient outcomes while under strictly managed budgets. It takes innovative steps to maintain this balance, but emerging solutions are making the necessary leaps to move the industry forward.

PRO-MAPP stands out in this regard as a software platform specifically designed to change the game for patient care delivery. From personalising individual care plans, to driving efficiency and lowering costs for clinicians, here are five compelling reasons for why PRO-MAPP is revolutionising the healthcare sector through smart technology.

1. Addressing healthcare challenges

The hurdles faced by healthcare providers are escalating. Under the stress of rising costs, patients have high expectations in regards to their duty of care, and managing new systems to solve operational problems (including streamlining workflows and improving patient outcomes) can be convoluted. Traditional approaches to care delivery often lack the flexibility and precision needed to address the diverse needs of patients effectively.

Instead, PRO-MAPP offers a complete solution that enables healthcare professionals to design and implement bespoke patient pathways that are tailored to individual clinical needs, maintaining a consistently high level of detail for every case.

2. Data-centric decisions

All patient pathways are different and healthcare providers must juggle various clinical scenarios, ranging from routine procedures to complex treatments. There’s only so much oversight and multi-tasking a human can handle in a fast-paced environment.

But by leveraging advanced algorithms and data analytics, PRO-MAPP generates customised care plans that take into account patient demographics, medical history, and their healthcare preferences. With a personalised approach, each patient is ensured that their specific requirements are met through their care path and increasing satisfaction.

3. Enhancing clinical efficiencies

Healthcare providers are tasked with a range of operational considerations that can affect the efficiency of end-to-end clinical workflows. These can include care coordination, task assignment, and resource allocation across whole clinical teams, where collaboration is key to ensuring a streamline care journey for every patient.

Automating these administrative tasks allows healthcare teams to focus on what matters – improving the patient experience – by reducing unnecessary delays, distributing resources accordingly and increasing productivity overall. Going a step beyond, real-time tracking and monitoring features also allow clinicians to monitor patient progress and identify potential bottlenecks for them to proactively intervene when necessary.

4. Measurable cost reductions

In addition to improving patient outcomes and clinical efficiencies, healthcare organisations are under scrutiny to deliver tangible cost savings in the current financial landscape. Optimising many of the care delivery processes above helps to reduce any unnecessary variations in practice and utilises care givers and materials more effectively. This has a direct knock-on effect to lowering costs.

Studies have shown that institutions using PRO-MAPP experience measurable reductions in operational expenses, including shorter lengths of stay, fewer readmissions, and lower medication errors. Each of these cost savings translate into significant financial benefits for healthcare providers and contribute to long-term sustainability and profitability.

5. Embracing advanced IT systems

The healthcare industry has a history of investing billions in monolithic IT systems with limited returns on investment which cannot adhere to the needs of personalised care options easily. Traditional IT implementations require lengthy customisation and integration processes, ultimately delaying the all-important provision of healthcare.

A departure from this trend looks to offer a solution that is both cost-effective and a value-driver from day one. These new-look platforms, including PRO-MAPP, can not only be rapidly deployed, but scaled to meet the evolving needs of healthcare organisations over time. An intuitive interface and user-friendly design also minimises the need for extensive training, ensuring adoption is rapidly accepted among clinical staff.

All healthcare providers should seek to enhance patient care, streamline clinical operations, and achieve cost efficiencies, especially as it’s becoming evermore possible using technological breakthroughs specifically designed for the industry. By enabling personalised patient pathways, enhancing clinical efficiencies, and delivering measurable cost reductions, PRO-MAPP emerges as a transformative solution for modern healthcare delivery – not only a strategic decision to improve patient outcomes – but also as a significant step to provide long-term success and sustainability for healthcare organisations.

To find out more about PRO-MAPP’s solution for personalised patient pathways, get in touch with our team today.

Author: Mash Patel