Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) has achieved significant time savings across its wards by introducing automated vital signs integration into its Sunrise Electronic Patient Record (EPR), provided by Altera Digital Health. The trust now estimates a saving of 2.5 minutes per observation, equating to approximately 50% time saving for clinicians to record observations, freeing up hundreds of hours each year for direct patient care.
Traditionally, clinicians at MTW captured vital signs using portable physiological measuring devices and then manually transcribed results into the EPR. The process was prone to delays, transcription errors and inefficiencies.
Due to the limited availability of Computers on Wheels (COW) on wards and the difficulty of wheeling the device and a COW around a ward, observations were frequently written on paper and entered into the EPR later. This created systemic delays, often 45 minutes or longer, and increased the risk of error, reduced data quality, and delayed visibility of National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) alerts and prompts for follow on actions and escalation of care for deteriorating patients.
With the new solution, data is transmitted automatically and in real-time from bedside to EPR. Time-and-motion studies conducted by the trust revealed that observation documentation now appears in the EPR within approximately one minute on average, down from up to 45 minutes previously. This rapid data entry means clinicians no longer need to backdate entries or search for paper notes, enabling faster decision-making and patient escalation.
“This transformation is more than a technology change – it’s a cultural shift in how we deliver safe, data-driven care,” said Johanna Kelly, Chief Nursing Information Officer at MTW. “Our teams are empowered to act faster and more confidently with real-time information at their fingertips, improving both outcomes and experience.”
Shanese Rochester, Registered Nurse at MTW, said: “It goes straight to the EPR so there is no need to key in the information after taking the observations. It saves a lot of time not having to log into the EPR after doing the observations and that time can be used to provide other nursing care to the patients.”
For the patient, safety is improved with earlier identification of deterioration to enable faster escalation and improved outcomes. It is also enhancing experience with more informed and timely care discussions during ward rounds and reduced need for repeat observations due to errors or delays.
Designed in partnership between Altera, MTW and Baxter, using its Welch Allyn Connex Vital Signs Monitors, the automation has been honed to include positive patient identification and barcode-enabled user authentication in line with Scan4Safety principles. Trust-localised NEWS2 scoring and device-to-EPR automation ensure robust escalation pathways and reduced transcription errors.
Unexpected benefits have been identified in the form of an increase in the total number of observations recorded per patient in the EPR. During the training programme for the new solution, inconsistencies in how observations were measured were also identified and provided an opportunity to re-enforce best practice.
MTW’s automated vital signs model is now being shared with neighbouring NHS organisations as a regional exemplar. The solution supports interoperability, aligns with MTW’s Green Plan by reducing paper use, and improves compliance with national clinical governance standards.
Mark Hutchinson, Executive Vice President, Altera Digital Health (UK & EMEA), commented: “This capability has transformed how vital signs are captured, recorded, and acted on with a robust digital workflow. It demonstrates the power of digital transformation in improving patient care, enhancing staff efficiency, and pushing the boundaries of EPR capabilities. We’ve very much enjoyed collaborating with the trust and Baxter to reduce the administrative burden on clinicians so they can focus more on direct patient care. Looking ahead, we will be supporting other trusts with vital signs integrations and similar scalable, interoperable system optimisations that deliver significant benefits to patients and clinicians.”
