Effective communication is a persistent challenge within the healthcare sector. The lack of an efficient system for the seamless transfer of crucial information has led to operational inefficiencies and compromised patient care. In response to these issues, NHS England issued guidelines in August 2023, highlighting the importance of Critical Decision Systems (CDS) and digital transformation. Alertive, a provider of a secure digital communication system tailored for healthcare professionals, is positioned to align with and address these guidelines.¹

Traditionally, healthcare professionals have relied on outdated methods such as paging or ‘bleeps’ to convey critical alerts and notifications. However, these antiquated communication methods have become increasingly ineffective as healthcare technology advances to meet patient needs. The new NHS England guidelines, encapsulated by the “Six Is” framework (Inclusive, Intelligent, Interpretable, Integrated, Impactful, and Interoperable), underscore the urgent need for modernised communication systems adaptable to today’s dynamic healthcare environment.

Inclusive:Alertive's flexible modes of communication cater to the range of communication preferences healthcare professionals need. The application can be accessed on any device, promoting inclusivity and enabling care coordination across the entire organisation. Intelligent: Alertive offers an intelligent contact directory enabling role and team-based communication, smart data routing through its orchestration engine, and insightful dashboards for communication pattern analysis, empowering coordinators and managers to enhance patient care. Interpretable: Alertive enhances transparency with features enabling users to monitor message states, delivery times, and responses, while also providing configurable response options and user activity status for meaningful feedback and improved interpretation of communication outcomes. Interoperable: Alertive's interoperability with various hospital systems, including electronic patient records and telephony, enhances productivity, reduces errors, and improves the audit trail of shared information. Leveraging Alertive's API to share data across applications demonstrates its commitment to interoperability. Impactful: The use of critical alerts, messaging, and task sharing ensures that important information reaches colleagues promptly, positively impacting patient care. The orchestration engine reduces delays in the patient pathway and adapts communication modes based on the urgency of the situation, potentially reducing patient risk. Integrated: Alertive's interoperability with hospital systems allows for real-time updates on resources, test results, and patient status ensuring that relevant information is available to users when and where they need it.
Alertive is perfectly aligned with the recently updated NHS England updates for CDS systems, as shown in the diagram.

Beyond its alignment with NHS guidelines, Alertive has demonstrated its ability to mitigate alert fatigue, a core concern in healthcare. Alert fatigue occurs when clinicians are overwhelmed with inappropriate alerts or excessive notifications, resulting in reduced response rates and diminished motivation (Khalifa and Zabani, 2016²). In a recent survey conducted at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the impact of Alertive on mitigating stress levels among healthcare staff is noteworthy. The survey results demonstrate that healthcare staff using Alertive reported levels of burnout 23.6% lower than non-users. When measuring levels of job-related stress, Alertive users reported scores an incredible 46.95% lower than staff who were not yet using the product. These statistics highlight the platform’s effectiveness in helping healthcare professionals navigate daily challenges and create a less stressful work environment.

NHS Trusts using the Alertive system have witnessed a substantial reduction in response times. Statistical data from Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust reveals that, on average, the time from delivering an alert to a response is just 2.2 minutes. Furthermore, 69.4% of alerts receive responses within 30 seconds of delivery, with 82% garnering responses in under 60 seconds. This is a substantial improvement compared to legacy communication solutions, with an average reduction of 8 minutes. 

Another tangible impact of Alertive is the reduced time required to access critical pathology results. Norfolk and Norwich University NHS Foundation Trust reported a 98% reduction in the time needed to obtain these vital results. This efficiency empowers healthcare providers to make informed decisions more swiftly, benefiting patient care.

The testimonials from customers further underscore Alertive’s impact. John Wintour-Pittom, Head of Operations Trust Telecoms & Thames Net Services at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, boldly proclaims the successful challenge of skepticism and doubt, stating, “When we started our journey, there was a measure of – ‘it can’t be done.’ Slowly, together, we are challenging that myth; it can be done, and we have done it!” His words reflect the achievements made possible by Alertive’s digital technology, which extends beyond routine and emergency messaging to include initiatives such as documenting attendance at ward rounds and improving workload analysis across different roles.


Sources:

  1. Alertive, 2023
  2. Khalifa M, Zabani I. Improving Utilization of Clinical Decision Support Systems by Reducing Alert Fatigue: Strategies and Recommendations. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2016;226:51-4. PMID: 27350464.
  3.  Alertive, 2023
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