Authors (including presenting author) :
Chan SC, Wong MOC, Wong SM, Wong PT, Yip WK, Ng T C, Lee SM
Affiliation :
Community Psychiatric Service, NTEC
Introduction :
The Community Psychiatric Service (CPS) NTEC is embarking on a SMART initiative to revolutionize clinical operations. It is the first CPS team to implement a Mobile Clinical Management System (CMS) in daily clinical practice. This mobile system is a one-stop platform to enhance staff service efficiency and access to patient data during home visits while ensuring client confidentiality. It replaced the heavy burden of paper documentation before and after home visits and enhanced nurse-to-patient therapeutic time and intervention.
Objectives :
- Enhance data access, security, and clinical documentation. - Improve service effectiveness and monitoring. - Increase efficiency and reduce duplication of work. - Effectively manage and monitor a large patient caseload. - Promote patient safety through timely checks and input of injection records.
Methodology :
1. Development of a Rollout Timeline: Establishing a comprehensive preparation, training, and deployment timeline. 2. Infrastructure Preparation: Procuring necessary devices and software while coordinating with IT for technical support. 3. Training and Support: Organizing training sessions for case managers on device usage and security protocols. 4. Pilot Implementation: Testing the Mobile CMS with a selected group of case managers to monitor usage and identify areas for improvement. 5. Full Rollout: Based on feedback from the pilot phase, the Mobile CMS will be gradually expanded across all CPS offices.
Result & Outcome :
The rollout has produced positive results, even with the limitation of only 60 clinical iPads for 90 case managers, half of which are equipped with a keyboard. Following the system's implementation, a survey indicated a significant reduction in time spent preparing patient information before home visits, decreasing unnecessary paperwork. This translates to approximately three hours saved per month for each case manager, totalling 270 hours saved monthly across the team. Additionally, the initiative has advanced the transition to a paperless environment within the Community Psychiatric Service (CPS). From August to December 2024, the daily utilization rate of the iPads increased to over 70%. All case managers received training, with 50% incorporating the devices into daily operations. Most of these case managers are younger staff who frequently use electronic devices. The iPads are primarily used for accessing drug prescriptions, appointment schedules, and electronic injection records. All case managers agreed that using the iPads helps reduce the time spent preparing information before home visits. Feedback has shown strong acceptance of this innovative technology and its positive impact on everyday operations. While the initial phase highlighted the need for additional resources—such as more keyboards and devices for individual case managers—efforts are actively being made to address these challenges. Conclusion: This SMART project aims to transform CPS operations through continuous improvement in operations and technological advancements. The mobile system interface is user-friendly, which can significantly improve retrieving patient information during home visits and documentation efficiency and enhance patient safety by allowing real-time entry of injection records, ensuring strict adherence to clinical workflows. The result of this initiative demonstrated improvement in patient care and reflected the enhancement of work efficiency in CPS operations. We believe this project brought changes in service delivery and strengthened the relationships between case managers and patients. It ultimately leads to a healthier community.
