And Watson points out that the Silent Hospital approach has a much bigger potential beyond quitting call bells. By turning alerts into digital data, the platform provides hospitals with operational insights, tracking metrics like response times, the frequency of calls and the specific reasons patients press their buzzers, such as requests for food, drink or assistance going to the bathroom. This data allows wards to spot trends and triage calls more effectively, meaning the system can route non-clinical needs to support staff. Instead of sending a midwife to handle a routine request for a cup of tea, the system can route non-clinical needs to support staff, for example.
“If a patient can specify that they need water versus pain medication, you save dozens of wasted trips across the ward,” Watson says.
As the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group prepares to replicate the Silent Hospital program, Royal Cornwall has launched phase two of its pilot, expanding into the more acute prenatal services, and further digital innovations are in the works.
“We’re currently working on building a smart hospital designated for maternity services and acute gynecology, obstetrics and children’s services,” says Allen. “The Silent Hospital pilot is basically a proof of concept to have a look at different digital solutions that can go into this new smart hospital.”
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In turn, other hospital trusts across the U.K. and Europe are looking to Cornwall’s experience as a blueprint for their own smart hospital builds.
For Allen, the ultimate measure of success goes back to basic human physiology and creating an environment where patients can truly rest. “Making everything quiet helps staff concentrate better, but, most importantly, patients sleep better. And when they sleep better, they recover better,” she says.
Scrolling photos courtesy of: Terelyuk / Shutterstock, Meghan Huberdeau / Shutterstock and the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust.