[Skip to content]

.

Regional Innovation Fund 2009/10 Project: Planned Care 396

Electronic personal assessment questionnaire (pelvic floor) - Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

 

This project will use ePAQ (electronic Personal Assessment Questionnaire) to measure symptoms, quality of life and outcomes in pelvic floor medicine.  It is expected that the system will deliver increased patient quality and safety alongside significant improvement to the productivity of the pelvic floor clinic at King’s Mill Hospital, part of Sherwood Forest NHS Foundation Trust. 
 
The taking of clinical histories in pelvic floor medicine is normally undertaken during the clinic appointment by the consultant.  This takes up to 10 minutes of a consultation.
 
As well as taking up valuable clinic time, evidence demonstrates that the information provided by women can be problematic in that they are less likely to provide comprehensive information on their symptoms to another person in a clinic, than they would in a more private and relaxed environment.  This can lead to diagnoses and assessments being made that are not based upon complete patient information.
 
Using ePAQ to collect patient histories and updates instead of using time at the start of a clinic will provide women with a friendlier and easier way to convey their symptoms and condition.
 
  • The system is designed primarily as a clinical tool to facilitate communication between patients and clinicians and the system offers a user-friendly and meaningful measure of outcome, which can be applicable to clinical practice, service evaluation, audit and research.
  •  
  • The questionnaire can be used in the woman’s own home via the internet or at the hospital via a touch screen terminal in a private room, before the patient sees a health care professional.  In the case of internet usage, the innovation also offers the opportunity to replace a follow up appointment in clinic with a telephone consultation.
  •  
  • For women with urinary incontinence the assessment taken from the questionnaire can lead directly to conservative treatment (physiotherapy or bladder training) without the need to see the consultant first, thereby avoiding an outpatient appointment.  Some women may potentially be managed by primary care through use of this system.
  •  
  • The trust will purchase the questionnaires and use the hosting service provided by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.  Two touch screen terminals will be purchased for use at the hospital.
  •  
  • Once the system is in place the trust will implement its use via communications with patients, informing them of the availability of the system (at home or in the hospital) once their referral has been received.
  •  
  • The data that arises from the project will also be utilised for audit purposes and continuous improvement of the service.
 
  • A more relaxed and comfortable way to convey their condition, patients who complete the assessment at home can do this at a time to suit them and obtain help from whomever they choose.
  • A safer method for the patient to communicate their symptoms, as the approach will increase the comprehensiveness of their description.
  • A faster route to more conservative treatments, without the need to see a consultant.
  • A more inclusive approach that will benefit patients who are non-English speaking and/or have a disability, as they will have the opportunity for support from a translator/ carer in a relaxed environment and will not feel rushed.
  • As clinic productivity is increased, access times will reduce as a result of increased clinic slots, meaning patients with distressing conditions will be seen by a specialist sooner.
  • Some patients will be able to receive their consultation over the phone or possibly in primary care, reducing the stress and cost of visiting hospital.
 
  • A reduction in the repetitive and mechanistic element of a consultation.
  • Increases the role scope of nurses as they can undertake the first consultation for some patients.
  • Reduces the administrative burden of audit and research by providing electronic data that can be manipulated for the purposes of audit/ research studies

 

  • Improved patient experience
  • Increased clinical effectiveness
  • Enhanced patient safety arising from a reduced risk of mis-diagnosis.
  • Increased access to services by offering non-English speaking women and/ or women with disabilities the opportunity to describe their symptoms with the aid of interpreters and carers.

Productivity Impact

  • An increase in the number of patients who can be seen in clinic.  With one extra new and one extra follow-up patient included, this will equate to a productivity improvement of £220 per clinic (using 2009/10 PbR tariffs), equating to £8,800 per annum (40 weeks). 
  • The number of patients seen by a nurse and a physio will increase as a % of overall patients seen.
PC 396 Photo 2
contact innovator button resized

 Contact the Innovator

Mr Clive Pickles & Ian Hall

ian.hall@sfh-tr.nhs.uk

Download case study button resized

Documents to Download

Project Case Study

Poster from EM Innovation EXPO

See the project featured in the East Midlands Regional Innovation Fund Projects Brochure on Page16