Informatics to identify and inform best practice in out of hours secondary care Insight 2014

This Insight 2014 project will investigate the use of ‘locative and tasking’ informatics to learn more about clinical behaviour in out-of-hours secondary care settings, in order to drive improvements in safety, efficiency and effectiveness. The informatics system developed by the University of Nottingham team can capture data on clinical tasks, including the type, timing and location of activities, without the need for traditional direct observation.

The team will link the informatics system with additional hospital datasets to provide clinicians and service managers with high quality information for managing processes such as task allocation, clinical training and people management. The overall aim of the project is to reduce mortality in out-of-hours secondary care and improve patient outcomes.

Expected outcomes

The team will produce a protocol for implementing clinical workplace behaviour studies using technology toolkits, as well as an evidence-based toolkit for promoting best practice in out-of-hours care. The project is due to be completed in early 2017.

Contact details

For more information, contact Shaun Leamon, Research Manager at the Health Foundation, or Sarah Sharples, Professor of Human Factors at the University of Nottingham.