Summary
MediShout, a first-of-kind App, helps resolve operational and facilities problems in hospitals by allowing healthcare staff and the public to report and track them. It is supported by QR code technology and integrates AI to predict future issues. MediShout was developed by an orthopaedic surgeon who subsequently participated on the NHS Innovation Accelerator programme in 2020. A 2023 evaluation shows MediShout delivers impressive non-cash releasing staff times savings, reducing time take to report an issue by more than 7 minutes.
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In collaboration with Health Innovation East, we’ve been able to show how utilising QR codes for facilities and issue reporting can help problems to be reported and solved promptly while empowering visitors and staff at all levels. This evidence helps us to justify expansion and support more NHS sites with streamlined reporting.
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Ash Kalraiya, CEO and Founder, MediShout
What the project involved
MediShout was founded by an orthopaedic surgeon after witnessing hospital infrastructure issues or logistical or technical problems having an impact on the hospital’s ability to deliver care, including sometimes cancelling operations. Without a standardised process to report and resolve problems colleagues were unsure how to get to solutions – meaning patients might not get the care they needed and the system missing treatment targets.
It provides a centralised system to report issues quickly – using cloud-based technology, it allows staff to flag any logistical issue that would otherwise delay them, adding photos if relevant. The algorithms ensure the correct person or group gets the information they need to fix it.
Additionally, MediShout uses artificial intelligence algorithms to predict future problems before they even occur and identify and prioritise the issues that would most affect patient care so these can be fixed first.
Health Innovation East began working with MediShout in 2019 by funding an economic evaluation to estimate the extent to which the app might benefit local services. The evaluation helped secure MediShout a place on the NHS National Innovation Accelerator programme in 2020. Across 2023, Heath Innovation East funded a time-in-motion study which further supported the company to generate evidence which can support its further implementation.
Outcomes
Studied at Addenbrooke’s hospital, Medishout yielded time savings for both staff members and the public. Such savings are estimated to lead to non-cash releasing staff time savings of £14,816 per year (across all floors). The evaluation confidently reports that MediShout can deliver benefit to the public, staff and the health and care system.
A benefit model was developed, based on all issues that could be reported by staff using MediShout at Addenbrooke’s – for the period January 2023 to December 2023 which showed:
- £14,816 – the average value of the non-cash releasing staff time saving (staff cost) – est. for all floors.
- 6 days – the average overall staff time saving, based on staff using MediShout.
- 4 days – the average overall time saving, based on the public using Medishout.
The most significant benefits were identified where issues yielded the greatest time saving or were the most reported. Issues such as blocked toilets or broken lights were seen to result in the greatest benefits.
Next steps
There is scope to develop MediShout for many issues outside just operational boundaries. Greater benefits were anticipated as use case and users increase and grow more accustomed to work with MediShout. Additionally, the evaluation empowered the MediShout team to showcase the advantages of incorporating MediShout in hospital settings, effectively communicating these benefits to potential commissioners.
You can find out more about the project on the Health Innovation East website.
