A rehabilitation unit at City Hospital in Nottingham is testing smart technology, including equipment tracking, AI CCTV and voice-activated environmental controls.
Linden Lodge is a 25-bed unit for patients requiring neuro-rehabilitation. Staff and patients have been heavily involved in developing the technologies to their needs, according to Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH).
Linden Lodge ward manager Sarah Davies explained that the AI-enhanced CCTV, which includes digital tripwires, is an important addition to keeping patients safe. “What we find is that a lot of our patients, because of their cognitive impairment, often try to abscond or leave the building,” she says.
“To maintain their safety, at the moment we have to place a member of staff with that patient 24/7. By using the technologies, we can digitally prevent that abscond risk, and give that patient more independence.”
In addition to the CCTV, the trials include:
- real-time asset tracking that allows staff to look on an app to identify where a piece of equipment is within the building;
- voice-activated environmental controls to support patient independence;
- intelligent patient terminals that can guide patients through additional rehabilitation exercises via games and other apps; and
- a twin of the building which allows staff to see which rooms are in use and to book rooms and equipment.
Patient and staff feedback
Lisa Yates, digital strategy lead at NUH, said: “We’ve worked closely with staff through focus groups and workshops, where we have discussed different types of technologies to get their input on how it would work best, before the technology was introduced. It was through this that we were able to understand how processes currently work and how digital processes can be used to improve those processes.
“Until the technology is implemented in a real, live patient environment, we don’t fully know how it is going to work, and we need that feedback from patients and staff.
“As a result, staff are excited by the technology as they have seen how their ideas have shaped the technology being introduced to meet their needs and make the rehabilitation experience better for their patients and their colleagues.”
The trials are funded by The Lister Alliance, an innovation programme developed and funded by Cisco’s Country Digital Acceleration initiative that works to support the government’s drive to transform the public sector with digital technology.
The learnings from Linden Lodge will inform the approach to the National Rehabilitation Centre, the £105m, 70-bed facility being built by the Vinci/Sir Robert McAlpine joint venture on the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate near Loughborough. The facility is due to open next summer.
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