GDE goes live with System C e-observation software

Clinicians at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust have started using mobile electronic devices to record patient observations as part of the trust’s digital upgrade.

Around 500 members of staff on medical and surgical wards across can now use mobile devices to record patient observations rather than writing them on paper charts, following the go live of System C’s vitals e-observations software.

The software, previously known as Vitalpac, allows nurses to monitor and record a patient’s vital signs – such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiration and temperature.

In addition it can also automatically calculate the national early warning scores (NEWS), proactively warning staff of patients whose condition is deteriorating.

Chris Bourdeaux, CCIO at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It’s been great to see how quickly staff are picking up and adopting mobile apps specifically designed for hospital use, and it really brings home the potential of the GDE programme for transforming the trust and the way we work.

“We are moving at a tremendous pace and it is generating a lot of excitement.”

It is hoped that the software will be rolled out across the whole trust in the near future, though no deadline has been set.

The launch of the system is part of an intensive programme of technological innovations put in place following the trust’s selection as one of NHS England’s GDE sites.

GDEs have been chosen to spearhead digitisation across the NHS.

UH Bristol selected System C to provide it with a new PAS and EPR in May 11 and it officially went live in April 2012.

Markus Bolton, joint chief executive of System C, said: “It is really exciting to see all of our systems being rolled into a single trust like this.

“This GDE programme has transformed delivery, projects are better resourced and the trust is able to buy the components based on operational requirements as it needs them.”