Taranaki Base Hospital, NZ
The Taranaki Base Hospital situated in New Plymouth on New Zealand's North Island, provides a range of services to the local and wider community. The hospital has 220 beds that service over 107,000 people. As well as being supported by the Hawera Hospital, which has 20 beds, Taranaki is also responsible for running five regional health centres - Mokau, Stratford, Opunake, Patea and Waitara.
Staff at Taranaki realised that to enable clinicians in diverse locations to access patient related information in real-time, they needed to implement a web-enabled IT solution. So they worked in partnership with IBA Technologies to make this vision a reality by implementing New Zealand's first Patient Administration System (PAS) accessible through an Intranet web site.
The Challenge
With two hospital sites and five regional health centres, staff at the Taranaki Base Hospital have always understood the importance of streamlined and accurate information. They also realised the huge challenges in achieving this.
It was difficult for clinicians to access accurate patient information in real-time because each hospital department had its own way of storing and using information. This problem was compounded by the fact that information was held at multiple sites.
To provide clinicians and administrative staff with access to accurate, timely and meaningful information at the point of care, a new Patient Administraton System (PAS) was required.
The IBA Solution
In order to achieve its objectives, Taranaki worked in partnership with IBA Technologies to implement a web-enabled PAS. The hospital is now the first in New Zealand to make its patient administration system accessible to staff through its intranet web site.
IBA developed a system based on web processing technologies that is open, scalable and available to hospital staff anytime, anywhere.
The partnership approach that IBA and Taranaki adopted in developing this system was extremetly important, as Stephen Lynch, Sales Manager Australia and New Zealand at IBA explained: "IBA's proven technology solutions were vital in this implementation as the hospital knew that it needed a robust web-based solution to meet its objectives.
"But just as important was the need to provide the hospital with an IT system that met both its specific needs and the government guidelines.
"IBA was able to roll out the solution to 380 workstations across diverse locations, and by working in partnership with the hospital and gaining an understanding of its needs, we were also able to provide a solution that met with New Zealand's strict privacy laws."
There are approximately 1400 users of the IBA system at Taranaki and associated clinics - each of the 280 workstations has access to the network.
IBA's system incorporates integrated clinical and administrative modules, to support staff in their work. To keep in line with New Zealand's privacy laws, IBA also implemented different menu options into the PAS, allowing relevant and authorised access for different users - consultants, nurses, kitchen and admin staff.
Benefits
The benefits of the IBA solution have been extensive and appreciated throughout the Taranaki region.
Thanks to substantial training, up to 60% of nurses and 75% of case managers regularly use the IBA system on a regular basis. Staff find the new technology easy to use and that it saves a considerable amount of time, enabling them to focus more on the actual delivery of care.
Since the introduction of the new network, re-admission rates have dropped and customer satisfaction has risen.
Clinicians are able to call up test results in an instant to check their status. And laptop computers can be used at the bedside so that consultants and nurses can evaluate the latest information on a patient at any time.
After surgery, the surgeon's notes are types and attached to a patient's file. Ward nurses then receive the theatre notes electronically before the patient has even been returned to the ward.
When information is at the fingertips of medical personnel with such speed and efficiency, recovery and rehabilitation can be maximised while the chance of something being overlooked is minimised.
In addition, technology currently being implemented will allow referring GPs to have access to the Taranaki files relevant to their patients.
Paediatrician Dr John Duran comments: "I am able to pull up cumulative data which enables a quick summary of all tests.
"If an abnormal lab result comes through, previously I would have had to track charts out of medical records which can take a long time.
"I am also able to see who has looked at the results. It's good to check that junior doctors are following things up. Further, if I have referred a patient to a surgeon, I can see if and when the surgeon has looked at the patient. If a GP rings about a patient, I can pull up the medical letter and read it to the GP, where previously I would have had to call over for notes - and I can do all this from wherever I am in the hospital, or even from home."
The IBA solution has revolutionised the quality of service that is provided, not just to the patient, but to the patient's family as well.
Wendy Shaunessy, in charge of the patient enquiry scheme commented: "The new system allows us to give real-time information to relatives and friends from our screens. Ward staff can see the benefits and time saving and so are keen to update their patient's records."
IBA Technology has revolutionised the way in which Taranaki Base Hospital accesses and utilises its patient information systems. Plans for the future include placing digital pictures of wounds and visible symptoms on a patient's file. Such plans mean that Taranaki is fully equipped to deal with patient care in a streamlined, time and efficient manner.