In this case study, South-West London Integrated Care System (SWL ICS) Digital Pioneer Fellow Caroline Nyawira, Lead Nurse for Neonatal and Transition Care and Neonatal Quality Nurse Lead for SWL, explains how she is improving outcomes. neonatal care using electronic patient records. (EPR) Automation.
Project summary
Improving Neonatal Care through Electronic Patient Records (EPR) Automation aims to streamline neonatal care by automating the integration between Neonatal BadgerNet and Cerner Millennium using a custom chatbot (BOT). The main objectives are to improve data quality, save time and improve efficiency within the neonatal unit.
We developed seamless connectivity between BadgerNet (for maternity and neonatal records) and Cerner Millennium (a comprehensive EPR system) while implementing chatbots that interact with clinicians, nurses and administrative staff.
the project’s objectives
The project came about when NHS Digital allocated funding to small care-related initiatives with clear benefits for patients. BadgerNet has become the focal point, used widely across the UK as a data collection tool and source for national reporting. The primary goal was to resolve persistent data quality issues, in part caused by manual data entry into Cerner Millennium.
In November 2023, the project officially started with the support of an external BOT program provider, providing expertise and advice. We collaborated with several experts and teams to help shape the project. Among them, local experts in clinical informatics, who played a central role in the development of the project. This also involved an IT team which guaranteed the technical feasibility and smooth running of the project. Finally, a specialist specializing in neonatal data management provided essential information.
Some of the challenges encountered along the way include limited funds dictated by the scale of automation. Cerner Millennium’s reliance on manual entry led to inconsistencies and inaccuracies. Complex integration (i.e., coordinating BadgerNet and Cerner Millennium) required seamless integration between systems. Stakeholder alignment was also crucial, meaning we needed to balance the needs of clinicians, informaticians, and neonatal specialists.
Impact/Results
So far, the project has met its deployment date, with the first months having resulted in 90% accurate file processing. Overall, there were several positive outcomes for staff and patients, including:
- Improved automation
- Significantly improved data accuracy
- Reduction of errors caused by manual entry
- Increased staff efficiency (clinicians and administrative staff no longer need to duplicate data)
- A streamlined admissions journey leading to an overall smoother processing
- Increased staff satisfaction
- Reduced administrative burden and increased focus on patient care
The project’s cost-savings benefits include time and cost savings that are not yet quantified, although reducing duplicate data entry and improving efficiency will likely generate financial savings. In the future, the project’s impact is expected to multiply as automation expands to all lanes. We also plan to work with IT to calculate actual benefits and savings.
Next steps
As healthcare trusts adopt additional EPR systems (such as Epic and Cerner Millennium), BadgerNet will remain essential. We are focused on acquiring Cerner Millennium enhancements that will strengthen the integration between BadgerNet and Cerner Millennium, ensuring data consistency, seamless data flow between platforms, and real-time updates.
We also plan to leverage automation to provide clinicians with decision support. This will improve patient care through alerts, reminders and evidence-based recommendations. We aim to expand automation to cover more processes within Cerner Millennium, streamlining administrative tasks to free up time for direct interaction with patients.
In the future, we hope to expand our care across all neonatal care. To achieve this goal, we seek to collaborate with other neonatal units to share best practices and encourage the adoption of similar automation solutions. We also want to establish standard EPR integration and automation protocols to ensure consistency between the different units. Working closely with IT will allow us to calculate tangible benefits and savings, quantify time saved, reduce errors and improve patient outcomes.
By continuing to engage clinicians, nurses, and administrative staff to identify weak areas, we hope to refine the automation process and improve the chatbot’s capabilities based on user feedback. The project can be further improved as we continue to consider evolving needs, rigorous testing and validation to resolve remaining issues. We are also seeking funding for expansion and automation of expansion beyond the admissions pathway.
Caroline Nyawira is a member of the first cohort of the SWL ICS Digital Pioneer Fellowship program.
THE SWL ICS Digital Pioneer Scholarship Program supports changemakers employed by the NHS, local authorities and voluntary sector organizations in South West London to design and lead health and care transformation projects supported by digital innovation. Funded by the South-West London Integrated Care System, the program builds on the DigitalHealth.London’s Digital Pioneer Fellowship programme, but is aimed specifically at staff employed by the NHS, local authorities and voluntary sector organizations in the South-West. West London.
To learn more about other fellows in the first cohort of the SWL ICS Digital Pioneer Fellowship program, please refer to our directory of innovations.
