Proposed Topic (Most preferred): :
Clinical Safety and Quality Service II (Projects aiming to enhance clinical safety and outcomes, clinical governance / risk management)
Proposed Topic (Second preferred): :
Staff Engagement and Empowerment (motivating staff / teamwork / work revamp tackling manpower issue / staff wellness / OSH / retention)
Authors (including presenting author) :
Tsang KY (1), Chan D (1), Yip KH (1), Lee H (2), Lu M (2), Chu B (2), Leung J (2), Wan CL (1), Kan HY (1)
Affiliation :
(1) Occupational Therapy Department, Kowloon Hospital (2) Kowloon Central Cluster Information Technology
Introduction :
Assistive devices prescription, loan, maintenance, inventory monitoring and record taking involved tedious procedures and considerable amount of time spent by clinical, clerical and supporting staff. A one-stop electronic assistive device management system (ADMS) Kowloon Central Cluster Information Technology (KCC IT) initiatives was therefore proposed in year 2020 in light of relieving non-clinical professional duties of therapists, improving operational efficiency, enhancing maintenance and inventory monitoring to ensure service quality and safety.
Objectives :
To enhance operational efficiency of assistive devices management with streamlined workflow, collation of real time information, better communication and automated reminders.
To ensure service quality and safety through enhanced logistics and accessibility to information, timely maintenance, close monitoring of assistive devices inventory.
To enable timely communication and endorsement of assistive device prescription in compliance with Occupational Therapy Good Practice in Prescription of Assistive Devices.
To reduce time spent in existing manual search, documentation, recording and reporting for OT, clerical and supporting staff.
Methodology :
Streamlining workflow with time and actual steps saved. Establishment of new functions with the electronic system to optimize communication and operational effectiveness and efficiency.
1) Resources saving estimation on prescription and loan modules through survey was conducted with Occupational therapists in all physical in-patient clinical teams and clerical staff in Occupational Therapy Department of Kowloon Hospital from 20th March, 2023 to 29th March, 2023. Reduction of time spent with the use of electronic system was surveyed.
2) Actual work steps eliminated in loan service was measured.
3) New functions with ADMS
Result & Outcome :
Total 527 transaction records in prescription module in the period 31/3/2023-31/12/2023.
Survey reflected the estimation of yearly time spent reduction with 38 hours for clerical staff and 131 hours for therapists.
Actual reduction of 8 work steps in loan service workflow.
New functions included
i. Automated reports generation of assistive device prescription, loan and maintenance history
ii. Automated reminder of overdue loan items, prescription endorsement, inspection and repair requests at a glance
iii. Automated relevant forms selection and generation
iv. Real time information i.e. photos, storage location, specifications, conditions and availability for assistive device inventory monitoring in the electronic system and online reservation of loan items.
v. Electronic inspection and maintenance record
vi. One-stop platform for assistive device prescription and endorsement by senior therapist.
Conclusion
The ADMS developed by KCC IT effectively relieved non-clinical duties, improved operational efficiency, enhanced communication, promoted compliance of good practice and ensured timely monitoring and maintenance of assistive devices.
