New solution from IEG4 could save NHS £150m a year
Continuing Healthcare end-to-end digital solution to deliver efficiencies, reduce Delayed Transfer of Care and improve patient services
IEG4 has launched its Continuing Healthcare end-to-end digital solution, CHC2DST, to deliver efficiencies of over £1m a year for every Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in the country as well as improving patient care and reducing Delayed Transfers of Care.
Developed in collaboration with five Cheshire CCGs and Harrogate and District NHS foundation trust; IEG4’s cloud-based CHC2DST software improves processes and communication to enhance quality of care.
The software’s development was commissioned and funded by NHS England via its Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) for Healthcare, an Academic Health Science Network-led programme.
IEG4’s solution digitises the Continuing Healthcare assessment – a typically-paper-based process completed manually by health and social care professionals across multiple departments and organisations.
The paper supporting a single case can run to hundreds of pages with numerous stakeholder touchpoints, causing unacceptable delays and poor service provision to patients and carers alike.
CHC2DST aids communication across multi-disciplinary teams to improve decision-making speed and accuracy and reduce Hospital Discharge Delays.
The software eliminates delays due to incomplete paperwork or assessment information and enables effective work allocation and follow-up scheduling to improve accuracy and retrieval of completed CHC and DST.
Additionally, processing costs are cut by eliminating inefficiencies and legal appeals are reduced through better record keeping.
Charles MacKinnon, healthcare director at IEG4, said: “We’ve worked closely with Cheshire and Harrogate NHS organisations over the past eight months to develop our CHC2DST solution to revolutionise the continuing healthcare process.
“Promising huge benefits to patients, carers and health and social care professionals alike, we’re thrilled to see our solution launched to the wider market today.
“DToC numbers are often the stick used to beat the NHS and inefficiencies only exacerbate these numbers. We know that an individual CCG could save in excess of £1m per annum, before including the likely impact of reducing DToC and improving efficiencies through collaboration.
“But, more important than financial benefits, we know that the physical and mental impact of an extended stay in hospital can take its toll, not just on the patient, but, on those that care for them. CHC2DST offers a solution to address this.”
Tracey Cole, head of continuing healthcare/complex care at South Cheshire CCG, added: “We are excited to be partnering with IEG4. Improving discharge is not just about hospital efficiency. It’s about safer and better care.”
Neville Young, commercial director at Yorkshire and Humber AHSN, added: “We are delighted to support IEG4 in building relationships with the NHS to ensure the development and commercialisation of its continuing healthcare software solution is a success.”
Because IEG4’s software is cloud based, it is highly scalable with a low cost of implementation and ongoing adaption. CHC2DST enables mobile working for staff and can be used offline in areas of poor connectivity.
