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IMS MAXIMS has announced the roll-out of its MAXIMS Nursing Module at Leopardstown Park Hospital. The Nursing Module has been described as ‘a dream’ to work with by leading staff at the Hospital based in Dublin. The system now provides a straightforward and effective way to monitor the care of patients, most of them elderly, with a range of physical and mental health needs.
The hospital was founded in 1917 to cater for soldiers disabled or wounded while serving with British forces, and still has a number of beds specifically for injured military personnel. These days it caters for around 190 patients, mostly older people requiring long-term, respite or day care. They are attended by around 130 nursing and caring staff.
The Nursing Module allows staff to record every interaction with a patient, starting with details of the initial screening and assessments made on admission. The system holds each person’s care plan and shows all the actions which have been taken, and need to be taken, to meet their needs. It encompasses the recommended Dublin Mid-Leinster Minimum Data Set and helps ensure compliance with HIQA (Health Information & Quality Authority) standards.
A major advantage of the system is that it has been designed from a clinical perspective, so staff find it quick and easy to use – training is minimal taking around half a day.
John Maher, ICT Manager, said: “The screens are very clean and intuitive, everything is compact, clear and concise – the staff love it, they have taken to it like ducks to water. It’s light years ahead of our old system and it’s a real pleasure to work with. In fact we like it so much we are now considering using other IMS MAXIMS solutions.”
The hospital also found that IMS MAXIMS was highly responsive to their needs, listening to requests and providing answers. One example is the development of a traffic light system to show when the three-month review of a patient’s care plan, required under Irish law, is due.
“We found that they really went the extra mile. When we asked for something they would come up with ideas for us,” adds Maher.
From a management perspective the Nursing Module is highly attractive. The care plans of every patient can be monitored and reviewed to ensure they are of the right quality and are being followed. A report building function allows data to be extracted and analysed for statutory reports and research.
Gerard McEntee, Assistant Director of Nursing, commented: “A care plan has to be commenced for every patient within 24 hours and this system allows us to show that it has been done. It’s highly effective at ensuring that we comply with all the regulations.”
“Beyond that it shows the quality of care that is provided in each patient’s plan. We now have a very clear assessment of each person’s needs and abilities, what they can and can’t do, and what we have to do to meet that person’s needs. It’s all about checks and balances and making sure we do everything in a timely way. And if a patient is being moved elsewhere a printout can be provided so the next healthcare provider can see at a glance how they have been looked after and what needs they have.”
Shane Tickell, IMS MAXIMS CEO, stated: “The Nursing Module is a comprehensive and easy-to-use solution which meets the needs of staff and patients in all sorts of different settings and healthcare systems.”
“We work hard to build positive and creative partnerships with our clients. The relationship we have developed with Leopardstown Park Hospital is a great example of the way we can work together to improve patient care by using software that has been designed with the user in mind and is tailored to each customer’s particular needs.”
