With the collaboration of Hospital Authority Head Office (HAHO) Information Technology Team, Kowloon West Cluster (KWC) Smart Hospital Project Team took the first initiative to design eBedpanel and eVital systems, collect clinical feedback across specialties, source installation hardware, scrutinize operation flow for risk mitigation and set up the first model ward in Princess Margaret Hospital for pilot live run of eBedpanel and testing of eVital signs systems in March and June 2019 respectively.
eVital and eBedpanel systems are corporate developed information technology (IT) systems, providing a digital platform to handle patients' vital signs data and exhibiting electronic real time display to replace paper vital signs documentation and bed-head signage showing care information to facilitate prompt patient assessment, risk alertness and care decision across disciplines. The team has spotted the great potential and advantages of the systems and decided to have mega-rollout, pursuing to smart hospital development in KWC through incurred benefit of improved patient experience and enhanced staff satisfaction in 2021-23, achieving the strategic goals of smart staff and hospitals in HAHO annual plan 2022-23.
The systems are time and cost efficient, maintaining standardization but balancing with customization in addressing special operational needs of frontline users. During COVID pandemics, systems also helped in infection control and time saving. The collaborative efforts of various stakeholders, including clinical staff, the IT Department and the Facility Management Department, were crucial to the project's success. Their commitment and support, along with management's guidance, led to the positive feedback and successful collaboration, culminating KWC the first cluster in the full completion covering approximately 4,500 beds and 120 wards and allied health sites in four acute hospitals by March 2023. Apart from patient care management, use of the systems also gained significant benefit on green management and cost saving of around 30% by two-year mega rollout.
