How big data can revolutionise NZ’s hospitals

Alcidion Group's software platform Miya Precision has gone live for the first time anywhere in the world, with successful launches at Palmerston North Hospital and Horowhenua Health Centre, part of New Zealand's MidCentral District Health Board (MDHB).

MDHB staff have already seen noticeable improvements to bed allocation, smoother patient flow, and a more efficient allocation of hospital resources.

Alcidion MD Kate Quirke said, "This is a really important project for Alcidion, with MidCentral DHB being the first roll-out of the next-generation Miya Precision platform, a ground-breaking approach to meeting the needs of healthcare interoperability requirements through the integration of data from any source, making it both useable and actionable, in real-time to improve patient safety and clinician experience.

Miya Precision is being used across 17 wards and the Emergency Department (ED) at Palmerston North Hospital, and two wards at Horowhenua Health Centre. It delivers real-time patient flow information and bed management updates to MDHB staff and can be accessed by clinicians using an iPad at the bedside, workstation, and patient journey boards installed in each ward.

The software has successfully integrated with five clinical information systems at MDHB, including WebPas, CareStream Radiology, Clinical portal and Pathology to provide clinical staff with detailed patient information displayed on the ward's journey board.

Clinicians at the bedside can use Miya Precision to view the patient's admission history, demographics and test results, making it simple and fast for them to make the right care decisions based on real-time information.

The Miya Precision platform provides MidCentral with an interoperability platform to which they can now add patient safety algorithms and apply artificial intelligence to improve patient outcomes.

Miya Precision's Hospital Operations Centre is also giving MDHB's Managing Nurses a high-level overview of hospital bed occupancy in real-time, with the ability to drill down into individual departments and wards for more detailed insight. This allows staff to quickly allocate the best beds for each individual patient, minimising wait times and keeping the patient journey as smooth as possible.

MidCentral DHB Executive Director Nursing and Midwifery Celina Eves has said feedback from staff is been positive.

"The information is displayed in an easy-to-read way and the system provides both charge nurses and nurse managers with the ability to see real-time updates on patient flow, which improves planning and ultimately ensures every patient is provided with the best care possible," said Eves.

Charge Nurse Sarah Donnelly said, "The mobile technology is a godsend on ward rounds and has helped improve patient flow in and out of the ward, making discharges more evident and timely. I love it and wouldn't be without it now.