The role of interactive technology

in improving patient experience

Annette Walker MBE

Annette Walker MBE founded Elephant Kiosks in 2005 with the aim of designing and manufacturing inclusive, accessible and attractive touchscreen kiosks and units that would appeal to all user groups, regardless of technical know-how or physical barriers.

Previously Annette had founded Opportunity Links, a Social Enterprise specialising in the delivery of information to families through as many delivery channels as possible. It was through this work, which eventually became national, that Annette received an MBE in 2002.

The role of interactive technology in improving patient experience.

by Mark Worger

Last week we sponsored and exhibited at the King’s Fund’s Transforming Patient Experience Annual Conference. The biggest statement the conference made was that patient experience is absolutely central to the future of the NHS; not just as a ‘nice-to-have’, but as a must-have.

Why? The most powerful argument was made by the very first speaker of the day Jonathon Hope, patient and former Chair at Guy's, Kings' St Thomas' Kidney Disease Modernisation Initiative. Put frankly, he reminded us that the overwhelmingly majority of most patients’ lives are spent on their own, away from hospital and without care. The most important thing to any patient is to have the highest quality of life during that time. That doesn’t just mean having their medical condition treated, but that they feel positive and supported, are able to care for themselves and can live life to the fullest extent possible. This is as true for a patient with Kidney Disease as one with a broken finger.

To improve patient experience then, we must make sure a patient’s life outside of care is as of the highest quality possible. To do this…and here is the key…we must ensure a patient has the best possible experience while receiving care. Way beyond simply receiving medical attention, it needs to be an experience of being listened to, treated respectfully, given time, supported, provided with information, asked their opinion and so on. Only then will that patient be fully empowered to care for themselves and confidently live a high quality of life.

Clearly, improving patient experience is a massive issue. The patient experience event last week again made us think of what role we, as providers of interactive technology for patient engagement, have to play. Firstly, through surveys and other avenues for getting feedback, we can help track patients’ feelings about both their situation and the service they receive, at every stage of their journey. This can be in health settings via touchscreen kiosks, or in patients’ homes via smart phones, the web and community health workers with handheld tablets. Secondly, the same technology can help provide holistic information that can support a patient’s wellbeing, from details of local support networks to health leaflets in multiple languages. We’ve also got ideas on how this technology can be used for care planning and accessing services; areas which are largely unexplored. In truth our role is a very small part of a much bigger jigsaw. Hopefully though, it’s no less important and we still have our part to play!

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