Covid-19 use case and features library

Covid-19 test results and alerts

_{Published 17 Jun 2020}

New iconography for Covid-19 results status in CareFlow Vitals 

Release 4.2.5 brings the ability for CareFlow Vitals to display dedicated icons which indicates a patient's Covid-19 test result status, providing clear identification of the status in patient list views. The clinician is also able to filter on the Covid-19 result status i.e. all +ive patients. This iconography is also carried through to the alert summary screen and push notification alerts can be sent to CareFlow Connect. All of these features enhance the support provided to clinicians managing all patients, both ones with a confirmed Covid-19 status and ones without.

_{Published 21 Apr 2020}

CareFlow PAS Alerts generated for Covid-19 results using API

CareFlow PAS includes the ability to record and maintain alerts for a variety of events. Using a bundle of published APIs, a suitably enabled third party solution can automatically generate an alert or manage an existing alert.  St. Helens and Knowsley are using their infection control solution to call the CareFlow Alerts API in order to generate a Covid-19 alert within CareFlow PAS.  Clinicians are notified about the existence of the alert, whenever they interact with the patient's record within the EPR.  This feature efficiently and safely ensures clinicians are aware of a Covid-19 result. The Trust decided to use a feature of the API to give the alerts a two week expiry date, which means no further manual intervention is necessary. 

_{Published 2 Apr 2020}

Alerting clinical teams of a +ive Covid-19 result using CareFlow Connect

Kettering General are making use of +ive Covid-19 notifications generated by CareFlow Results Reporting, which can be distributed to clinical teams using CareFlow Connect with the use of alerts.  This capability means that care co-ordination can be fully mobile, as well as promoting efficient mechanisms for communication during this health crisis.

_{Published 2 Apr 2020}

Marking +ive Covid-19 test results as 'abnormal' with results policies in CareFlow Results Reporting

Certain report types are typically not flagged as ‘abnormal’ when sent from Pathology systems. This means clinicians are left to review all results in CareFlow Results Reporting, before any indication of abnormality can be identified. Kettering General are using the 'Result policies' feature in CareFlow to pre-define certain results, such as +ive Covid-19, as ‘abnormal’, after they have been received from Pathology.
Once the result is marked in this way, the results are highlighted in worklists throughout the product and filters can be created to specifically identify patients with a +ive Covid-19 result (abnormal).

_{Published 2 Apr 2020}

Raising user notifications for +ive Covid-19 results

CareFlow Results Reporting allows for notifications to be generated within CareFlow EPR when certain result and patient criteria that is defined within a result policy is met, thus enabling pop-up messages to appear and logon messages, whenever users interact with the solution.  This feature becomes specifically valuable when wanting to communicate +ive Covid-19 results. Kettering General are making use of this feature.

_{Published 2 Apr 2020}

Using Fixed List to manage patients with +ive Covid-19 results

Fixed lists within CareFlow EPR, together with results policies within CareFlow Results Reporting, allows an organisation to better manage patients affected by Covid-19. Patients can be automatically (or manually) added to a list and then manually removed (or automatically removed using a separate results policy), for example; a Covid-19 action list could be configured, with Results Reporting adding patients with a +ive result and when the necessary action has been taken, they can be removed.

_{Published 2 Apr 2020}

Notifying clinical teams of +ive Covid-19 results from 3rd party clinical systems

CareFlow Connect includes the ability, via a published CareFlow Alert APIs, to receive alert notifications for a variety of events and send notifications to CareFlow Connect subscribers.  Suitably enabled third party solutions can make use of these APIs in order to generate an alert.  For example, a pathology solution or a results reporting system could use the API in order to generate an alert for a +ive Covid-19 result and send a notification to a clinician’s mobile device. 

Oxygen census reporting

_{Published 2 Apr 2020}

A new data table is available in CareFlow Vitals

A new data table (Patients on oxygen - census) has been created within CareFlow Vitals (formerly VitalPac) which brings together data items useful for managing and reporting Covid-19 patients.  This enhancement also makes it easier for Trusts to report their daily Covid-19 SITREP.

Covid-19 patient status

_{Published 4 Aug 2020}

Patient status information keeping family members up-to-date

As well as using CareFlow Connect to minimise the risk of infection for clinicians, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board is using information held in CareFlow Connect to inform daily telephone updates to relatives on the condition of inpatients with Covid-19.  Critical care nurses who have been unable to work in critical care units during the pandemic have been able to access and use this information to inform their updates with family members, making communication simpler, quicker and safer.

Improved visibility of Covid-19 data & patients

_{Published 20 May 2020}

Patient tags facilitating efficient workflow and comms

Many of our CareFlow Connect customers are using clinical 'tags' in order to identify cohorts of patients affected by Covid-19 and facilitate clinical workflow.  'Tags' can be locally configured to suit specific needs and applied to a patient's record, allowing clinicians to easily filter team patient lists on a single or combination of 'tags'.

_{Published 12 May 2020}

Population Health offers improved monitoring and reporting of Covid-19

We have been working with Frimley ICS in order to develop enhanced features in our Population Health solution, as part of the shared care implementation of CareCentric.  Patient groups can now be filtered interactively to identify and highlight cohorts to be monitored more closely i.e. Covid-19 patients, those at risk from Covid-19 or those with other health conditions who may need increased attention.  Further, a new Covid-19 dashboard and data tables have been created which display the clinical codes GPs, Out of Hours providers, NHS 111 and Acute hospitals are attributing to patients. This uses new GP codes from EMIS, Vision and TPP, plus Acute ICD10 codes.  This is an important operational tool, but it also helps plan and even predict future demand.

CareFlow Vitals data in CareFlow Connect

_{Published 6 Apr 2020}

New integrated views of CareFlow Vitals eObs data in CareFlow Connect

A new tab has been added to CareFlow Connect, which displays a patient's electronic observations captured in CareFlow Vitals. A clinician can now view the EWS scores and the detail of the assessment from within Connect, without having to visit the Vitals app.  This is a time saving feature, as well as improving visibility of information across the patient's EPR, having additional value during times of heavy workload.

Rapid deployment for Bristol Nightingale

_{Published 11 Jun 2020}

CareFlow EPR has been deployed to support the setting up of the NHS Nightingale Hospital

System C has been working closely with NHS organisations from across the south west to implement CareFlow EPR at the NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol. CareFlow Connect and Clinical Narrative are supporting the regional referral and co-ordination process, supporting standardised paperless working, whilst reducing the risk of virus spread. CareFlow PAS has been interfaced with the hospital's critical care solution to eradicate duplicate data entry.

Child Protection data more widely available

_{Published 13 May 2020}

CP-IS data is now accessible with our Child Health solution

Following new guidance on the use of patient data issued by the government during the Covid-19 crisis, System C has been able to work with the NHS in order to deliver data extracts from the Child Protection Information Sharing (CP-IS) solution.  All Child Health customers now have access to CP-IS data, loaded into the system via extracts we receive on a fortnightly basis.  This information is helping safeguard vulnerable children during this 'lockdown' period.

Remote consultations

_{Published 20 Apr 2020}

Safer working through remote consultation support 

The Whittington are using CareFlow Clinical Noting to record telephone consultations, from which an appointment letter is generated for future care. This is reducing the number of face to face patient contacts and ensuring efficient triage and care, during the Covid-19 crisis.

_{Published 2 Apr 2020}

Reason for telephone consultation is now locally configurable

Trusts are now able to locally configure the 'reasons' for telephone consultations in CareFlow Maternity, allowing for the reporting of such activity.

Improved access to pastoral care

_{Published 29 May 2020}

Patients receiving end-of-life care referred sooner for spiritual support during Covid-19

The pastoral care team at Mid Essex Hospital are using information in CareFlow Vitals to identify patients for referral during their end-of-life care.  This information allows them to prioritise their ward/department visits, ensuring they offer spiritual support to all those who want it.  A research article in the Nursing Times has been fast tracked for publication, to reflect the importance of this feature during the current Covid-19 crisis.   The article highlights that one of the priorities of care for the dying person is to make spiritual support available for those who wish to receive it.

Consent model updates for shared care records

_{Published 2 Apr 2020}

Capturing new consent to access shared care records in CareCentric

Nottinghamshire Health and Care Portal Programme has asked for an alteration to be made to the consent model, which is displayed to a user when they access CareCentric. A new reason for accessing a patient's record, which reflects that the patient may not be present at the time of access, has been added to the system. This is relieving anxiety amongst the user community, when they have to record consent for accessing important information.
A number of organisations have used published guidance and removed the consent model completely using article 9(h) of GDPR, to support this decision. Direct patient care access is vital during the current Covid-19 crisis and this has accelerated the decision.

Picture messaging

_{Published 8 Apr 2020}

Clinicians using pictures to facilitate clinical decision making

Clinicians working in Vascular Surgery at North Bristol are using picture messaging in CareFlow Connect to monitor post-surgical patients. Having an easily accessible record of the wound means the patient is spared unnecessary discomfort from dressing removal.  The hospital at home team are utilising the mobile nature of the app and using picture messaging which is allowing swift intervention from senior colleagues.  It is hoped that a positive impact will be made upon reducing readmission rates, which is especially significant during the Covid-19 pandemic.  A study of benefits will be published later in the year.
Other clinical teams from across our user community use pictures of ICU and Anaesthetic charts and message these in Connect to aid clinical assessment of patients.
 

Support for vulnerable adults

_{Published 20 May 2020}

Liquidlogic facilitating communication and monitoring

In response to the Covid-19 crisis, Sandwell Council is using Liquidlogic to record initial contact with clients, allowing their needs to be clearly communicated with Wardens who are providing them with food parcels.  Dashboards within the system have been configured to display this data, allowing the Council to monitor activity.

_{Published 14 May 2020}

Liquidlogic supporting multi-agency contributions

In response to the Covid-19 crisis, St Helens Council is using the Liquidlogic Delegation Portal to accept referrals from external professionals for families who are ‘self-isolating’ and in need of support. This has allowed engagement with a new voluntary service, providing assistance to vulnerable citizens.

Handover support for clinical teams

_{Published 7 Apr 2020}

Safer working for staff in high turnover clinical teams

The Whittington are finding that the Handover function in CareFlow Connect is becoming more valuable for teams with high staff rotation, caused by the Covid-19 situation.  Continuity of care is being supported by electronic handovers, which are increasingly being conducted remotely as work pressures increase. Having access to current vital signs and early warning scores within the app is adding valuable clinical insight during these processes.

Electronic messaging reducing PPE use

_{Published 7 Apr 2020}

Smarter working facilitated by patient messaging

Nursing teams at The Whittington are getting advice from Consultants using messaging within CareFlow Connect.  Some advice for treating Covid-19 patients is being provided by Consultants via Connect, reducing the need to have face to face conversations and in turn, the need to don and doff PPE.

Outpatient clinics & appointments

_{Published 3 Apr 2020}

Locally configured clinic 'cancellation reasons' in PAS

Any Outpatient Clinic cancellations in CareFlow PAS (formerly Medway), necessitated by Covid-19 pressures, can clearly be identified for operational and reporting purposes through the configuration of specific 'cancellation reasons'.

_{Published 2 Apr 2020}

NUH using partial booking to manage cancelled outpatient appointments

CareFlow PAS (formerly Medway) includes 'Partial Booking' functionality which is being used by NUH for more tightly and efficiently managing patients who have had outpatient appointments cancelled and are awaiting re-booking. Partial Booking allows letters to be automatically generated and dispatched for groups of patients at various points in their waiting e.g. first invite letter, 2nd invite (reminder letter), discharge letter. This functionality is part of core PAS.

_{Published 2 Apr 2020}

Locally configurable outpatient 'hold reasons' in PAS

CareFlow PAS (formerly Medway) allows the recording of locally configurable outpatient ‘hold reasons’ e.g. 'Covid-19 admission', which allow an organisation to produce worklists based on these reasons. Local values can be configured to national values to maintain central reporting obligations.

Sharing data across modules

_{Published 2 Apr 2020}

Displaying information from Clinical Noting in worklists

A new feature is available within CareFlow EPR which allows specific data items captured in a Proforma or Clinical Note to be displayed in a worklist in CareFlow PAS and Emergency Care (formerly Medway). So for example, if a Trust has created a proforma to process aspects of a patient Coronavirus condition, then this data item can be included in an inpatient worklist or ED view. A single click link associated with this data item column will take the user into the proforma or clinical note.

Streamlining patient registrations in the ED

Third party systems integration

_{Published 2 Apr 2020}

Configuring TPIs in worklists, the navigation pane and the patient's homepage (ECN)

CareFlow EPR includes the ability to configure integration with third party systems.  This integration allows third party system to be 'called' from within a worklist, from a menu item in the navigation pane and from within the Patient's Homepage (their ECN).  Where the third party solution allows, the integration achieves single sign-on and patient context passing (the user will not have to search for the patient in the third party solution).  This capability can often assist with data sharing and supports more joined up workflow.

Electronic assessments

_{Published 2 Apr 2020}

Capturing electronic assessments to better share and analyse data

The Isle of Man Government has developed a Clinical Note which is being used to triage potential Covid-19 patients and track their pathway.  They are also planning to implement the feature within CareFlow EPR, which allows this data to be shared in worklists.