Transforming the care of the NHS’s youngest patients

Milton Keynes University Hospital (MKUH) has successfully implemented a ground-breaking digital solution for infant jaundice charting, developed in collaboration with inicio health. This solution, known as the hyperbilirubinemia inicioPage, was launched in December 2023 (article here), achieving full adoption within just three days.

The initiative aimed to address the limitations of manual, paper-based charting for managing jaundice in newborns, particularly those born prematurely. Prior to the launch, 100% of charting was completed on paper, manually, leading to inefficiencies and potential clinical risk. The newly integrated digital chart within the hospital’s Oracle Cerner EHR has not only streamlined the process but also enhanced the quality of care for some of the NHS’s youngest patients.

Debbie Phillips, Chief Clinical Information Officer at MKUH, praised the project, noting, “I can’t remember launching anything before where there has been such a positive initial response from staff… All staff had to do was open the record, and the information was there to inform their actions immediately.”

The collaboration between MKUH and inicio health has ensured that the solution is not only clinically led but also iteratively improved to fully provide clinical decision support for earlier intervention. This partnership has led to the creation of a clinically safe and fit-for-purpose solution, designed to integrate seamlessly with existing workflows, thereby reducing the burden on clinical teams. The work has already been recognised nationally, as the project has been shortlisted for the HSJ Patient Safety awards, in the category of Improving care for children and young people initiative of the year (https://awards.patientsafetycongress.co.uk/shortlist-2024).

This successful deployment marks a significant step forward in MKUH’s journey towards a fully digital, paperless environment, improving both clinical outcomes and operational efficiency. inicio health are extremely proud to have built, tested and deployed this solution with such a forward thinking NHS organisation.

Amanda Sparkes, Co-founder and Chief Clinical Information officer remarked “the most exciting thing for me as a clinician and a nurse of the last 25 years is being able to work alongside nurses, clinicians, and CIOs that really understand the challenges of the frontline, who have to work and bear those risks every single day, which really can affect that psychological safety of staff, but then being able to build something with them, and design out those risks and those problems and give them a solution that works.

Looking ahead, inicio health is developing additional capabilities to enable automated reporting workflows. This enhancement will facilitate better transfer of care across different organizations and care settings, allowing clinical teams to easily share the digital chart with colleagues in community midwifery and primary care. Exciting plans are also underway to expand the solution beyond local borders, with early discussions in progress for deployment at the regional specialist Neonatal unit in Oxfordshire.