Talking HealthTech: 437 – Enhancing patient care through result tracking and management. Paul Deffley, Alcidion.

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, we take a deep dive with Paul Deffley, UK Chief Medical Officer at Alcidion, into how technology, particularly focused on managing test results, can elevate the standard of care provided by health services.

The importance of Efficient Test Result Management

In healthcare settings, the efficient management of patient test results is not just a matter of operational efficiency—it is a critical component of patient safety. With vast numbers of tests conducted annually, the sheer volume of data can be overwhelming for clinicians and healthcare providers. The launch of Alcidion’s new module, ‘Miya Results Tracking’, seeks to address these challenges. 

Understanding the Platform

The ‘Miya Results Tracking’ platform is designed to integrate information from various healthcare systems, creating a user interface that categorises results by urgency and acknowledgment status. This ensures that results requiring immediate attention are highlighted and addressed promptly. The flexibility of the system means it can be utilised by individual clinicians, teams, or governance bodies across multiple healthcare facilities. 

Visualisation and Prioritisation

Visual cues play a significant role in the user interface of Miya Results Tracking. The module uses colours and shapes to draw attention to results based on their criticality and time sensitivity, catering to clinicians with different data interaction preferences. Simplifying the visualisation of results is a step towards easing the cognitive load on clinicians, allowing them to focus on patient care.

The Importance of Acknowledging Results

A startling statistic that Deffley points out is that up to 60% of test results in healthcare systems may not be formally acknowledged. This does not just represent an operational oversight but could potentially lead to delayed diagnoses and patient harm. An effective results management system could substantially reduce the number of unacknowledged results and expedite necessary medical actions, ultimately improving patient outcomes. “Reducing the number of results that go unacknowledged is a tangible measure of success for the implementation of such systems,” Deffley states.

Operational and Governance Benefits

Deffley articulates a dual advantage to better management of test results: improvement in governance, and operational efficiency. Not only does the digital tracking of results offer a stronger governance framework for healthcare organisations, but it also ensures that clinical operations proceed without delay or oversight. By facilitating early interventions and reducing litigation risks associated with delayed diagnoses, digital solutions prove their worth in the healthcare sector.

A Global Challenge

The mismanagement of patient test results is not confined to any single region; it is a global issue plaguing healthcare systems. Alcidion’s Miya Results Tracking, which took inspiration from work in Australian healthcare sites, offers a solution that could be implemented across the globe. 

Future Developments and Ongoing Improvements

Looking to the future, Alcidion plans to deploy more innovative solutions, with one such being ‘Miya Emergency’, which is set to use the same principles of real-time analytics and integration as Miya Results Tracking. “Applying these real clinical supportive workflows will be a flagship moment for us,” shares Deffley with enthusiasm. By continuously evaluating and refining their solutions, the organisation aims to unlock further benefits and drive healthcare improvements on a global scale.

_{Source talkinghealthtech.com}