Page 204 - Hospital Authority Convention 2018

Service Enhancement Presentations
HOSPITAL AUTHORITY CONVENTION 2018

F5.4 Healthcare Advances, Research and Innovations 09:00 Room 421

Application of New Technology to Enhance Efficiency in Prescription of In-patient Wheelchair Seating System
Leung YS, Yue SY, Lau M, Chan CK, Chang LM, Chong KW, Wat TH
Occupational Therapy Department, Shatin Hospital, Hong Kong
Introduction
Wheelchair Assignment and Seating Programme is an in-patient wheelchair seating prescription programme. Occupational
Therapists are prescribing tailor-made and adapted wheelchair with pressure relieving and postural support devices for
patients to sit properly during their hospital stay. In late 2016, a service review has shown that only 42.1% of the requests were
completed within two working days to meet the service pledge. The main reason of the delay was due to the communication
time lag on the stock condition at time of prescription.
A newly designed web-based mobile equipment loan system was launched on October 2017 for enhancing equipment
prescription and management process. The system consists of: (1) A comprehensive equipment data base; (2) a web-based
operation system; (3) electronic equipment prescription module; (4) electronic equipment maintenance record module; and
(5) mobile tablet computers for request and maintenance record entry. By using mobile tablet, Occupational Therapists can
easily prescribe seating equipment with access to the real time available equipment stock without delay. In addition, the
equipment condition and maintenance record were systematically managed in electronic records.

Objectives
The main objectives of the new web-based software module are:
(1) To reduce waiting time of wheelchair seating prescription;
(2) to enhance electronic maintenance and repair record;
(3) to generate monthly statistical report on equipment utilisation; and
(4) to improve staff communication.

Methodology
(1) Service efficiency was measured by comparing(1) waiting time of using old paper form workflow and new web-based
system; and
(2) processing time of generating monthly statistical report and maintenance repair record with conventional manual
counting method and the new system.

Satisfaction on using the new system was evaluated by the user evaluation survey.

Results
Starting from October 2017, the new web-based system, together with electronic maintenance and repair record, were
Tuesday, 8 May 2018 survey. Overall, the new module has shown positive results in service efficiency, daily operation effectiveness and staff
implemented. For service efficiency, the first two-day completion rate improved from 42.1% to 84.3%, and the mean waiting
time reduced from 3.7 to 1.8 days. The processing time on generating monthly report and maintenance record also reduced
from 75 to 5 minutes (93.3%). All staff shown high satisfaction and reported better communication in the user evaluation
satisfaction.

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