Technology is transforming the way that people work; helping organisations to improve efficiency, increase productivity and drive significant cost savings.
Many workers in the NHS need to be available around the clock, but are constantly on the move and are often away from a landline or computer. BT is enabling staff to work in any location across
the acute, community and mental health care settings using mobile technology.
BT's approach incorporates mobile devices with secure, wireless networks, which support a range of applications to handle patient information and allow treatment at the point of care – whether in the hospital or in patients' own homes.
In the NHS North Lincolnshire BT's Mobile Health Worker solution is helping community nurses to improve productivity and freeing up more time for patient care. BT provides the nurses with easy-to-use laptop computers giving secure access to critical patient information when visiting patients in the community, either at home or in a remote clinic. The mobile technology, provided as a managed service by BT, enables staff to securely access clinical records, email, support systems and databases at the point of care, regardless of time or location. Kathy Drayton, a district nurse in the NHS North Lincolnshire, explains: “Many of the patients seen in their own homes have complex health needs – and being able to access their medical records during the visit means you can make more informed decisions about planning care and treatment.” “Real time access to patient records, planned care and current health service provision can reduce the need for unnecessary referrals and hospital admissions.”