Mid and South Essex NHS FT has launched an app for internal use for staff to report logistical issues.
Following a successful pilot the trust is rolling out Medishout, an app for staff to report anything from faulty equipment to something that requires immediate attention to fix.
The company was founded by former surgeon, Ash Kalraiya, following a morning of cancelled operations due to logistical issues.
Ash Kalraiya said “As a surgeon, I’ve been delayed by having lightbulbs in theatre being broken, equipment problems, and not having the right stock when I need it. So we created the app to report any logistical problems with estates, facilities or equipment.”
“When I was a junior doctor, I did a week of night shifts and the computer was broken in my office. At the end of that week, I asked the day team when it was getting fixed, but everyone just looked at each other as nobody had reported it.”
“I used to keep a list on my phone of everything that was wrong on my ward and I thought surely an app can send this information to the right person.”
By using MediShout, staff can report issues such as missing cannulas or leaking taps instantly rather than wasting time by contacting different helpdesks. The data collected allows issues to be prioritised and fixed according to impact on care.
A health economic impact report by Health Enterprise East estimated that using the app could save NHS organisations £1m annually and a case study at Watford General Hospital showed using MediShout saved every member of staff up to 15 minutes per day.
The company has grown to a team of eight and has been supported by the MSE Innovation Fellowship and has received mentoring from Southend Hospital’s Prof Tony Young who is the NHS national clinical lead for innovation.