14 December 2009

The Downe Hospital in Downpatrick is the first hospital in Northern Ireland to install the Savience appointment check-in system within its Outpatient Department.

Willie Barron, Assistant Director, Cancer & Clinical Support Services, states: “The Outpatient Department currently has approximately 25,880* outpatient attendances each year and the introduction of this new touchscreen system will alleviate unnecessary waiting times within the department and allow staff to focus more on the patients experience of our services.”

The system which is fully integrated with other hospital IT systems will assist in the delivery of patient records in advance of patients' planned arrival and will allow appointments to be quickly re-scheduled.  

The Savience appointment check-in system, which has been specially customised for use in the Downe Hospital, is very simple and quick to use. Patients can securely and confidentially check-in for their appointment at one of the two touchscreen kiosks located at the entrance to the Outpatient Department.  The system provides each patient on check-in with an appointment slip, which includes an appointment number for confidentiality, and directions on where to proceed.

Marilyn Prior Outpatients Manager in the Downe Hospital says that she and her staff are looking forward to using the new system. "Having seen it in action recently in a large teaching hospital in London, I have no doubts that the patients who attend the Downe Outpatient Department will find the system easy to use and extremely efficient.”

Roger Everitt, Managing Director of Savience said: “Downe Hospital is a fantastic new resource and we have been delighted to help ensure that patients have a stress-free welcome to its facilities. The Savience check-in system is much easier to use than cashpoint systems, for example, and our experience in hospitals across the UK has shown that it suits young and old alike. For children, it is often a welcome attraction that takes their minds off their injury or illness.”

The Savience Check-in system is now being installed in hospitals throughout the UK and beyond. By combining an understanding of patients’ perceptions and needs with a knowledge of NHS IT systems and the drive for greater efficiencies in health care, Savience has designed its resource-saving technology to fit virtually any health care facility whatever its size.

 * Outpatient figures based in attendances in year 2008.

Notes to Editor

Savience Limited is a UK-based software development company specialising in cost-effective, automatic check-in systems in the health sector. Its web-based and touchscreen reception technologies enable rapid and stress-free check-in at public and private sector hospitals, doctors' surgeries and dentists. Its check-in systems dramatically reduce queuing time for patients, free up staff resources, and can be integrated with established back office systems to provide a seamless patient pathway.

Savience clients include Kings Mill Hospital in Mansfield, Mount Vernon Hospital in Northwood, and Blackpool and Wyre NHS Foundation Trust. The company has recently appointed partners in other European countries.

For more details, see www.savience.com