Enhancing Patient Engagement through Digital Tools
The NHS is exploring innovative ways to improve patient care and engagement. This customer story examines the successful implementation of digital tools by Akershus University Hospital (Ahus) in Norway, specifically through the use of CheckWare. The insights gained from Ahus can provide valuable lessons for the NHS in enhancing patient interactions and streamlining administrative processes.
Enhancing Patient Engagement through Digital Tools
Background
Akershus University Hospital (Ahus) has integrated CheckWare into its daily operations, particularly at the Department of Psychiatry and Substance Abuse (DPS) Nedre Romerike. CheckWare is a digital platform that facilitates patient self-reporting and remote monitoring, significantly improving the efficiency and effectiveness of patient care.
"It is particularly useful for patients with an assessment of autism spectrum disorder and ADHD because they are extensive investigations that require a lot of documentation. It is more efficient to have digital assessments that deliver the report into the EPR."
Implementation
At DPS Nedre Romerike, CheckWare has been used to send out pre-appointment assessments to patients. This allows clinicians to have a comprehensive understanding of the patient's condition before the first meeting, enabling more targeted and effective consultations. The digital assessments are also utilised throughout the treatment process to monitor patient progress and adjust treatment plans accordingly.
"I find that I save time on documentation and that I get an opportunity to 'check' the patient's progression by regularly sending out symptom measurements that come into the medical records. You don't have to find a paper version of mappings, and know that it is always available on your computer. You also save time on scoring results and any misscores are minimised."
Benefits
1. Improved Patient Engagement: Patients are more involved in their care through self-reporting, which enhances their motivation and ownership of their health.
2. Efficiency in Documentation: The digital tools have streamlined administrative tasks, reducing the time spent on documentation and journal entries.
3. Enhanced Treatment Outcomes: Continuous monitoring and timely adjustments to treatment plans have led to better outcomes, particularly for patients with complex conditions such as autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, and PTSD.
4. Resource Optimisation: The use of digital tools has resulted in significant time savings, allowing healthcare professionals to focus more on direct patient care
"It is useful to me that PTSD patients can be reassured that the treatment has had an effect when they see that they report lower symptom pressure. The results can also be used to adjust treatment that has no effect either for PTSD treatment or other treatments."
Conclusion
The experience of Ahus with CheckWare demonstrates the potential benefits of integrating digital tools into patient care. For the NHS, adopting similar technologies could lead to improved patient engagement, more efficient administrative processes, and better treatment outcomes. By addressing the challenges and leveraging the lessons learned from Ahus, the NHS can enhance its service delivery and patient satisfaction.
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Assessments are sent out prior to the first meeting with the patient, and this means that you have an impression of the patient's condition and know what the patient experiences as most challenging. This means that the therapist can organize the conversation accordingly and be more accurate.
Nils Arne Kværnhaug
Psychologist specialist
AHUS