There were celebrations x3 yesterday at the Healthcare Transformation Awards finals in London.
Linda Denham, Adele Lee and Jo Spencer from ward 8A and our Digital Day Case Knee Pathway were Highly Commended in the Digital Innovation category.
And their highpoint of the day - very, very special coffees in their own images*. See photo.
Thanks to teamwork between all ward staff and therapists, some of our patients are able to have a new knee and go home on the very same day at CRH. Not that long ago patients could spend up to 6 days in hospital.
Our patients must fit the key criteria to be eligible (around 15-20% do) for the 1.5 hour op. This includes having someone at home with them, passing the physio and occupational therapy tests such climbing stairs and using crutches and are medically fit. The main concern of our patients is pain following surgery but with effective analgesia regimes the patients are able to manage their own pain relief at home.
They are given extensive information pre-surgery including joint school, where the digital enhancement comes in with the sensors fitted to their knee which helps the physio team monitor their recovery virtually without the need for hospital visits.
Patients are able to visualise their progress during the recovery period and communicate across the App with the physio team, gaining encouragement and advice if required. Using the digital technology enables patients to receive care closer to home and reduces the need for attending clinic appointments. Any equipment our patient requires is ordered prior to admission so preventing any delays at discharge. The patients are review by the ward team and anaesthetics.
Ward manager Linda Denham, adds: " Education and communication between everyone is the key to our success."
Patients feel they have more ownership of their health and care, for the pathway to be thrive they need to be as committed as the hospital team. On the day they leave us after surgery they receive a telephone check-up on the very same night and another the following morning.
Linda, adds: “We have all worked as a multidisciplinary team and have all been really involved. It was short notice and it’s a shame more of us couldn’t have been there.
She said added: “This is the way to go. We get everybody moving that bit more quickly these days. It is better for them and we’re reducing our lengths of stay too, without compromising patient care or outcomes.”
* The coffees are made with a special machine which converts a photo into a template for the cocoa topping!
