Bedside technology provider Hospedia has bought patient flow and bed management supplier Extramed.
Hospedia provides bedside units for 75% of NHS trusts and more than 150 hospitals across the UK.
Although the units are mainly used for patient entertainment and communications, they can also be used for real-time patient feedback, electronic meal-ordering and clinical systems access.
Chief executive Tim Weil said Extramed’s patient flow management system enables hosptials to improve clinical coding, improve the management of care pathways and schedule discharge activities more reliably.
“With the acquisition of Extramed, Hospedia [is] taking a massive step forward in delivering the benefits of clinical support services at the point of care through the existing bedside systems,” he said.
Mid Essex NHS Trust is a customer of both Extramed and Hospedia.
“I can see huge benefits coming out of this combination that will support changes in patient care and efficiency,” chief operating officer Russell Harrison said in a statement.
“Our clinical teams are already engaged with both companies on helping refine their point of care propositions for the benefit of our patients and believe that this could benefit the wider NHS."
Extramed managing director, Patrick Kelly, said the company’s system is already able to integrate with virtually any existing IT system.
“Enabling access to these systems via Hospedia’s bedside platform allows us to deliver a far wider and better service to both patients and NHS staff,” he added.