Case Study: Medway NHS Foundation Trust

Improving Capacity, Reducing Wait Times, and Returning Time Back to Care

Challenge

Medway NHS Foundation Trust faced significant operational and patient flow challenges stemming from a lack of automation and reliance on manual processes. The absence of real-time visibility across the hospital, coupled with dependence on manual whiteboards and verbal updates, created a heavy administrative burden for staff. Additionally, inefficient processes led to late day discharges and prolonged idle bed times due to nurse led cleaning.

These delays further contributed to extended emergency department wait times. There was a critical need for improved operations and patient fiow management within the hospital.

Solution

• The Trust implemented a Care Coordination Centre, powered by TeleTracking’s Operations 10 Platform, in October 2023. The Centre includes:
  • A centralised, holistic approach for bed management and patient fiowA dedicated team of nursing professionals and bed placement specialists
  • System Medical Director to oversee escalations and support relationships with physician teams
  • New workflows and expectations for transfer center staff to decrease leakage
  • On going education for transfer center staff, including implementation of call scripting
  • Patient placement coordinator role added to support efficient placement processes
• Integrated TeleTracking’s Real Time Locating System (RTLS) to support automated, real-time bed discharge
• Established a discharge lounge to support efficient patient discharge processes
• Introduced a dedicated bed cleaning team
• Leveraged TeleTracking’s data and analytics solution for live and interactive performance dashboards, creating situational awareness and highlighting patient fiow barriers

Results

With focused efforts on patient flow improvements, Medway NHS Foundation Trust has achieved:

• £1.2 million Return on Investment six months after go-live
• No cessation of elective procedures due to capacity constraints in Winter 23-24, and an ERFdelivery of 109%
  • YTD 24-25 ERF delivery of 116%
• Discharge lounge is releasing 200 additional hours daily
• Bed turnaround has improved to an average of 60 minutes from 150 minutes
• 50% reduction in ED patient wait times
• 60% improvement of confirmed discharges visibility
• 50 hours released back to ward nurses each day
• 2-3 hours released of early bed capacity per every RTLS auto-discharge

Characteristics that Drive Success

at Medway NHS Foundation Trust

• Shared visibility of demand and available capacity across the system
• Data driven decision making to drive outcomes and adoption
• Strong governance and leadership with clear accountability, reporting and escalation measures
• Outcomes and results focus demonstrate positive benefits for patients and staff

Medway NHS Foundation Trust Overview

Medway NHS Foundation Trust is based in Kent, England, serving the local community through Medway Maritime Hospital and several community health services. The Trust provides a wide range of acute, specialist and emergency care, including services in areas such as maternity, surgery, oncology and pediatrics. It is one of the largest NHS providers in the region, with a focus on delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. The Trust is committed to improving patient outcomes, enhancing operational efficiency and maintaining a strong emphasis on patient safety and staff well-being. As part of the NHS, Medway NHS Foundation Trust works closely with local partners to improve healthcare delivery and address the evolving needs of the population it serves.

Operational Platform: TeleTracking
EMR: Altera Sunrise
Total Acute Beds: 565
TeleTracking Partner Since: 2023