NSLHD News July 17

Rehabilitation, Aged Care, Outpatients and Allied Health Manager Bronwyn Nolan and Ada Chan with the new kiosk

Hornsby leads the way in new patient queuing technology A new program designed to improve patient flow is being piloted in the Hornsby Ku-ring- gai Hospital’s Bernard Curran Rehabilitation Unit, the first of its kind within the Northern Sydney Local Health District. “Patients can also opt to receive updates regarding their appointment via SMS. The patient may choose to stay in the waiting room or wait elsewhere and return when they are called back to the clinic,” Ada said.

The hospital’s stage 2 redevelopment has created an opportunity to build an integrated outpatient clinic, centrally managed from a common reception desk near the new entrance foyer of the hospital. The Patient Queue Management System (PQMS) pilot implemented recently allows the system to be tried and tested prior to departments moving into the new Clinical Services Building next year. Patient arrival kiosks and calling screens will be installed and a new application will be used by clinicians and clerical staff to manage the patient journey. Patients with pre-booked appointments will register their arrival and confirm their details using the touchscreen on the patient arrival kiosk. A ticket will be produced with the patient’s appointment times and clinician details. HKH redevelopment ICT Project Manager Ada Chan said the new technology allowed patients to leave the waiting area and go to a café on-site or browse the retail stores, when they open in the new building.

“When the redevelopment is completed patients will have the option to enjoy the retail space, florist and coffee shop while they wait for their appointment in the new building. Wayfinding will be available on the arrival kiosk to help patients navigate through the new facility.” Patients will also have the ability to provide feedback on their visit at the kiosk. The kiosk has been programed with the top five languages for the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai area as identified through NSW Census data. “The PQMS will streamline communications between clinicians and clerical teams by enabling the instant exchange of details such as billing and upcoming appointment times,” Ada said. “By capturing patient feedback at each visit, the hospital has the ability to follow-up for continual improvement. Hornsby is the first hospital in the Northern Sydney Local Health District with this type of patient queue system. Depending on the trial’s success, the technology could be rolled out to other sites.

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