Emergency Alerts for Known Colorectal Cancer Patients

1. Emergency Alerts for Known Colorectal Cancer Patients Using In-house Existing Systems at SWBH NHS Trust PROCESS Email alert sent to Smartphone if patient admits as an emergency During the course of their treatment, cancer patients may be admitted as emergencies either for symptoms relating to their cancer or for a completely different reason. When a patient is admitted the CNS is immediately alerted by an email. Initial findings are that the alert system can improve patient journeys by encouraging timely interventions by the CNS with the additional benefit of averting admissions and reducing length of stay for patients who are admitted. The EPR Development Team used existing IPM/PAS technology to allow healthcare professional flags to trigger alerts on admissions. The emergency alerts have not required a third party software solution with the commensurate initial product purchase and licensing . CNS attends patient to resolve issues Patient receives timely treatment Speedy & supported discharge Median reduced from 13 Days to 1 Day (COLORECTAL) Average reduced from 20 Days to 4 Days Adrian Kearns Service Improvement FacilitatorPan Birmingham Cancer NetworkMobile: 07950 476174E-mail: Adrian.Kearns@westmidlands.nhs.uk BENEFITS Patient reassured by arrival of CNS Reduced LOS Reduction in costly Inpatient diagnostics Referral to appropriate outpatient clinics and primary care services

2. Spreading Emergency Alerts: Adapting the process for for Upper GI and achieving success PROCESS Email alert sent to CNS PC when patient admits as an emergency The Upper GI key workers are based just off their specialities ward and within easy access of the emergency departments. They were eager to try the emergency alerts after seeing the results the colorectal team had achieved. We had learned from the colorectal team that alerts did not require immediate attendance and the Upper GI CNSs wanted to receive emails as they had access at least every three hours. As the graph below shows, they have been able to replicate the results of the colorectal team. This use of in-house technology is now being rolled out across all Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals Trusts appropriate tumour sites and to alert for Neutropenic Sepsis patients The learning has also been shared with Walsall Manor Hospitals Trust and Heart Of England Foundation Trust who are in the processes of implementing similar alert systems. CNS attends patient to resolve issues Patient receives timely treatment Speedy & supported discharge Adrian Kearns Service Improvement FacilitatorPan Birmingham Cancer NetworkMobile: 07950 476174E-mail: Adrian.Kearns@westmidlands.nhs.uk Median reduced from 7 Days to 2 Days (UPPER GI) Average reduced from 14 Days to 2 Days BENEFITS Patient reassured by arrival of CNS Reduced LOS Reduction in costly Inpatient Diagnostics Referral to appropriate Outpatient Clinics and Primary Care Services