New system brings CQUIN benefit for Western Sussex

The trust is rolling out the Patientrack Early Warning Score, which is intended to help more quickly identity deteriorating patients or those who should be moved to palliative care.

The system has been introduced on all 38 wards across the trust’s two hospital sites. It allows clinical staff to electronically record observations at the bedside, using Acer handheld devices connected to the trust’s upgraded wireless network, before automatically calculating National Early Warning Scores.

Intensive care consultant Richard Venn said Western Sussex was now extending use of the Patientrack solution to provide support for CQUIN assessments.

He said: “While the key drivers for implementing the system were patient safety and quality of care, including avoiding unnecessary cardiac arrests and minimising the need for transfers to intensive care, we’ve been able to justify the cost of the system in terms of CQUIN targets.”

“For example, getting VTE prophylaxis right will very nearly pay for the solution by itself. Patientrack is also contributing to efforts at the trust to reduce lengths of stay,” he added.

Patientrack was chosen in a competitive tender process.