North West Midlands Cystic Fibrosis Centre uses PKB for better co-ordinated communication across a healthcare network
"The messaging has enabled transparency across the network so that clinicians can see what has been discussed and acted upon for individual patients." Erin Hodgetts, Cystic Fibrosis Operational Services Manager
Introduction:
The North West Midlands Cystic Fibrosis Centre, a beacon of care for both children and adults across North and South Staffordshire, Burton, Shropshire, and Wolverhampton, has embarked on a transformative journey. In a concerted effort to enhance the quality of care and streamline patient communication, the centre has integrated the Patients Know Best (PKB) digital tools into its operations, enabling better continuity of communication between staff and their patients. Patients are often cared for by multiple teams, in multiple places such as inpatient stays, outpatient visits and care whilst at home. The use of PKB provides a single health record and hub for all patient communication, supporting more co-ordinated care and allowing them to stay at home.
The Problem:
The teams at the centre faced significant challenges with multiple patient communication channels spread across different centres, including Stoke, Telford, Shropshire, and Wolverhampton. The existing communication methods were not streamlined, adversely affecting patient convenience and the continuity of care. Reliance on traditional methods such as phone lines, SMS, and email resulted in administrative burdens, duplication, poor data quality, and elongated response times to patient queries. This made it difficult for staff who predominantly worked shifts to keep track of communications with their patients. The fragmentation hampered the continuity of advice and care, impacting the overall patient experience and creating data security concerns.
The Solution:
In February 2023, the Cystic Fibrosis team decided to build upon the Trust's use of PKB for appointment notifications and appointment letters by using the secure messaging & library functionality of PKB. The rollout was ambitious, with all patients invited to join from the onset. The setup included three regional teams with dedicated professionals, ensuring two-way secure messaging and access to a digital library for supportive information. Clear communication about the new services was disseminated via the centre's website and social media, complemented by instructions for registration.
The implementation was thorough, with comprehensive guidance provided to patients for seamless transition. The approach was centred on not just improving the technological infrastructure but also on enhancing the transparency and efficiency of communications between healthcare providers and patients.
PKB has allowed professionals across the region to communicate with patients without having to have access to the individual hospital mobile phones. The messaging has enabled transparency across the network so that clinicians can see what has been discussed and acted upon for individual patients. Patients can also send pictures and documents to clinicians safely and confidentially which has improved data security processes. The service has received positive feedback from patients in the use of PKB and we're looking forward to new innovations with the app in the near future.
The Outcomes/Impact:
The introduction of PKB's tools has brought about a remarkable transformation. Secure, transparent, and efficient communication was established, resulting in a 91% reduction in SMS messages and a 44% decrease in incoming patient calls. A total of 24,563 messages were exchanged between professionals and patients, indicating high engagement and a shift towards secure messaging. Enhanced data security was another notable achievement, providing a more secure way to transmit pictures and documents.
Patients have expressed great appreciation for the new system, particularly noting the convenience of managing appointments and accessing information more readily. "The PKB system has made it easier to keep track of my health records and communicate with my doctors," shared one patient, reflecting the positive reception.
Learnings and Future Development
The comprehensive evaluation of this digital shift was conducted over a six-month period pre- and post-implementation, offering robust insights into its impact. The Centre's leap into digital healthcare with PKB has not only set a new standard in patient-centric innovation but has also paved the way for future advancements in patient care, underscoring the Centre's commitment to excellence and innovation in healthcare.
Due to the success of patients registration (87%) and engagement via secure messaging the Centre has decided to begin using consultations in PKB too. In particular the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 Questionnaire v4 which shares a list of symptoms and social/emotional consequences of a nasal disorder. This has been implemented as a patient initiated questionnaire. The team would also like to utilise the upcoming PKB automated questionnaires to automate the sending of and scoring within questionnaires.
Furthermore, in November 2023 PKB was used to quickly update all patients of an important notification message from UK Health Security Agency, which allowed the team to ensure they had maximised their communications and offer patients the ability to ask for more information if required.
The team are connecting with Cystic Fibrosis charities and pharmaceutical companies to provide an informative and educational platform through leaflets and videos which can be accessed via PKB. They are also liaising with connecting services such as Physiotherapy to provide an even more joined up service for their patients.
