West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has shared an update on digital progress covering EPR optimisation, AI workflow improvements, AVT deployment, and urgent treatment centre integration as part of its latest board meeting.
In January, the trust detailed progress on EPR optimisation including improvements to handover documentation, the launch of CDS iRefer in community and acute settings, and the broader roll out of Alertive. Smart Zone functionality had been rolled out to reduce alert fatigue by prioritising the most important alerts, it stated, and an electronic prescribing system is also now live in its virtual hospital and outpatients. In its latest update, the board shares that ambulance handovers have now been digitised via Cerner with the ambitions of improving clinical flow and audit capabilities.
On AI deployment, the trust notes the completion of its HYDE ambient voice technology contract for “enterprise-wide AI roll out”, with the appointment of a clinical lead for AI intended to strengthen and expand future automation projects. AI-driven clinical decision support for radiology referrals has also been introduced in the emergency department.
Progress has been made on bringing the urgent treatment centre onto Cerner, according to the board, with demo builds having been developed, and full system readiness expected for May in collaboration with digital, operational, and clinical teams. Significant work has been done around patient flow and digital systems, it continues, with a focus on identifying key operational risks early and prioritising mitigation plans with system partners.
Elsewhere, the trust reports that improvements are being made to cyber security training following a recent phishing campaign, plans are in place to recruit a new CNIO to drive the implementation and adoption of digital technologies impacting nursing across the organisation, and the development of a new clinical strategy has presented “an opportunity to optimise alignment” between trust digital and clinical plans.
Wider trend: NHS Trust digital transformation
HTN recently caught up with Daniel Ray, CTO at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s (BWC) NHS Foundation Trust, to learn more about what went into the development of the trust’s new digital strategy, covering key points, ambitions, and hopes for the future. Daniel shared insights into preparation work on infrastructure and data, strategy development and key themes, and more.
Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group has put forward its suggested timeline for a three-phase delivery of its EPR, with the first two phases to be delivered by April 2027. Elements of the programme have been rescheduled to prevent clashes with urgent and emergency care components during peak winter pressures, according to the board, who also stress that the programme is currently in a “critical phase”. Strong engagement and focus from operational teams and end users is required, it continues, with further workflows to be designed, gaps in the organisational development model being “urgently addressed”, and oversight of the programme to increase from this month forward.
The latest instalment of HTN’s Trust Region Series has focused on the East of England, taking a deep dive into what’s happening with digital and data across the East of England region. It explores digital strategies and priorities, pilots and innovations, case studies, and insights from the sector.
