The role of technology in patient care: a focus group to explore the role of the Hospedia patient bedside devices in electronic prescribing and electronic patient notes.
Become a member of our Focus Group on the role of new technology in bedside care.
We are recruiting Patient Adviser volunteers to attend a Focus Group session on the role of new technology in patient care. The Focus Group will look at two new developments - ePMA and e-Noting - and the potential use of the Hospedia Bedside devices.
What is ePMA?
Electronic Prescribing and Medicine Administration (ePMA) is a new electronic system for prescribing and administering patients’ medicines and will replace the paper prescription chart.
What is e-Noting?
Usually, when you stay in hospital or attend a clinic, doctors, nurses and therapists record some of the notes about your health and treatment in a paper file. Over the next twelve months the hospital will be replacing these paper notes with a new electronic noting system.
These systems will benefit patients through:
· A reduced need to repeat their medical or medication history or personal details
· Increased confidence that medical teams have access to their clinical and medication data
· Increased safety through improved legibility and ready availability of medication charts and notes
What are the Hospedia bedside devices?
Hospedia devices are by the side of most beds in the Hospital and currently they are used by patients as a TV or phone. The Trust is interested in expanding their role so that clinicians are able to access the ePMA and e-Noting electronic programmes by the side of the patient’s bed.
Become a patient adviser and join our Focus Group
We would like to invite you to join our Focus Group to discuss the two projects and the technology we are planning to use, and then explore the feasibility of using the Hospedia bedside devices in improving patient care. Although not essential, it would be useful if you have had first-hand experience of using Hospedia or similar devices while in hospital either to make telephone calls or to watch TV.
Transport to the hospital can be arranged and refreshments will be provided throughout the session.
What will the Focus Group cover?
The group discussions will be led by a member of staff from Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, with approximately 8-10 people in each group. Everything you say in the discussion will be treated in confidence and we will not disclose your identity outside the group without your written permission.
The Focus Group will cover:
· views on the current value of Hospedia devices
· how well the process for administering medication works
· what information patients want from clinicians about their notes and medication
· demonstration and feedback on the new devices for ePMA and e-Noting
Do I need to have special knowledge or skills?
You do not need to have special knowledge of health care, but you should have had experience of an NHS hospital, either as an in-patient or as the carer of a patient who has been an in-patient. . This could be as a patient, relative, carer, friend, patient advocate, volunteer or Trust Governor. It would be useful if you have had first hand experience of using the Hospedia devices during a hospital stay, either to make telephone calls or to watch TV. You will still be called a patient adviser, even if you are not a patient yourself.
You do not need any special skills but you should be able to:-
· communicate clearly with people;
· be open to the views of others and express your views clearly, but reasonably; and
· contribute your views to a discussion and give your feedback.
The commitment
We are looking for people who can spare two hours to attend a Focus Group session on the 7th October, at either 10.30am to 12.30pm or 5pm to 7pm. The sessions will be held at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Education Centre in York Road, London, SE1 7DU
I would like to become a patient adviser for the Focus Group - what do I do next?
If you would like to become a patient adviser, please complete the form on the next page and return it by no later than Friday, 13th September 2013:-
§ by email to
§ by post to Shirley North, Transformation team, 5th Floor, Hercules House, Hercules Road, London SE1 7DU
We hope to contact all applicants by no later than 27th September 2013 to confirm whether your application has been selected. Applicants will be selected on a first come, first served basis.
If you have any questions or you would like further information, please contact Shirley North on 020 7188 6042
Thank you for your interest and support! Please complete the form overleaf.
Patient Adviser Application Form – Focus Group 7 October 2013
Please complete this form if you would like to become a patient adviser on our Focus Group. The information you provide will be treated confidentially and used to contact you with regard to the Focus Group invites. You can complete this form on your computer by placing the mouse cursor on the grey shaded areas to type in details or by clicking your mouse cursor to tick a box.
A) Your contact details
Title (please delete as appropriate): / Mr Mrs Miss Other (please detail here)Your full name
Which borough do you live in? (please tick one box) / Lambeth / Southwark
Name of organisation you represent (if applicable):
Your Address:
Postcode:
Email address:
Telephone: / Mobile:
B) About you
I am a (please tick one box, as appropriate)…
patient / member of a community voluntary organisationfamily member / relative of patient / Carer
local resident / Other (Please specify in the space below)
Foundation Trust Patient Governor / Foundation Trust Public Governor
C) Which Focus Group would you like to take part in?
Please indicate which Focus Group you would like to take part in.
§ The first Focus Group will take place on 7th October 2013, 10.30am to 12.30pm at York Road (near St Thomas’s Hospital).
§ The date of the second Focus Group will take place on 7th October 2013, 5pm to 7pm at York Road (near St Thomas’s Hospital)
7th October 10.30am to 12.30pm / 7th October 5pm to 7pmD) Use of Hospedia
To help us plan our focus group, please tell us if you have used Hospedia (or a similar device) to watch TV or make phone calls during a hospital stay.
Yes / NoE) Transport, special requirements and other assistance
Please let us know if you require any assistance or have any special requirements.
Please arrange transport for me (please tick as appropriate)…From my home address to the hospital / From the hospital to my home address
Do you have any special dietary requirements? (Please tick as appropriate) / Yes / No
If yes, please describe below.
Please use this space to tell us about any other support or assistance you may require:
F) Why would you like to become a patient adviser?
Please use the space below to tell us briefly why you would like to become a patient adviser and attend the focus group?
G) Helping us to understand more about the patients and the community we serve
This information is used by the Foundation Trust to help us monitor the effectiveness of our equality and diversity policies and to help comply with legal requirements. Please take a few minutes to complete this section, to help us check that we are reaching all parts of the community.
Ethnic background (please tick one box)
White / Asian or Asian British / Black or Black BritishChinese or other ethnic group / Mixed / Prefer not to say
Age (please tick one box)
Under 18 / 18-34 / 35-54 / 55-74 / 75+Sexual orientation
How would you describe your sexual orientation?Bisexual / Gay man / Gay woman / lesbian
Straight / heterosexual / Other / Prefer not to say
Religion (please tick one box)
Christian(including Church of England, Catholic, Protestant and all other Christian denominations) / Muslim
Buddhist / Sikh
Hindu / Other religion, please state:
Jewish / Prefer not to say
Disability (please tick one box)
Do you consider yourself to have a disability that is recognised by the Disability Discrimination Act (1995)? / Yes / No / Prefer not to sayPlease return the completed form to:-
§ by email to
§ by post to Shirley North, Transformation team, 5th Floor, Hercules House, Hercules Road, London SE1 7DU
Thank you for completing this form!
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