Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is to introduce mobile phone appointment check-in and wayfinding in a bid to improve patient experience.

The technology will be introduced to outpatient clinics at the trust’s brand new hospital, the Royal Papworth Hospital, in September.

Outpatients will be able to download an app to check-in for appointments via their mobile phone upon arrival and will also be given access to a virtual map to help them find their way around the site.

Self-service kiosks will also be used to reduce check-in queues and allow patients to register their attendance, alongside digital patient calling screens that will replace the requirement for staff to call patients forward verbally, with an on-screen message.

Located at the heart of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, when completed, the new hospital will include five operating theatres, and two hybrid theatres; the largest sleep clinic in the UK, and a centrally-located outpatient unit.

Kerry Winsor, ICT programme manager at the trust, said: “These new systems should help our patients feel more relaxed and comfortable during their time in the hospital, by reducing the time they spend queueing and helping them find their way around easily.

“In terms of benefits to the Trust, the project will help us to produce a real-time, data-rich dashboard that will support our service managers in improving department performance, as well as supplying auditable data to improve quality, patient safety and create ongoing efficiencies.”

The project will be delivered alongside patient flow management specialist, Intouch with Health.

Mike Sanders, CEO at Intouch with Health, added: “Access to real-time information is vital for hospitals looking to improve performance and create the most efficient environment possible for patients and staff alike.

“This project will ensure that the team at the new Royal Papworth Hospital have access to that information, while delivering the best possible experience for visiting patients.”

As reported by Digital Health News, the trust went live with its new electronic patient record system, Lorenzo, in June 2017.