Dumfries deploys video conferencing
- 24 August 2009
NHS Dumfries and Galloway is expecting to save up to 8,000 hours a year in travel time after going live with a video conferencing system from Tandberg.
The system, which was supplied though the GCAT procurement scheme, cost £70,000 and is expected to save 4,000-8,000 hours of the time that consultants spend travelling, with additional reductions in travel expenses and carbon emissions.
The 25 unit system allows consultants to hold meetings through video calling as well as providing a link between the two A&E departments in Dumfries and Stranraer, which is more than two hours away.
It is also being used in the maxillofacial surgery department so that it can call on a much larger pool of expertise when needed.
Andrew Turner, information infrastructure manager for NHS Dumfries and Galloway, told E-Health Insider: “Video conferencing is going to have a big impact on a rural area like ours, where there are only 47,000 people living.
“Consultants frequently make four hour journeys to different hospitals; that’s four hours out of the day where they are doing absolutely nothing, it’s just crazy.”
The health board procured most of the units as part of the year end funding last financial year but only went live with all 25 units at the beginning of August 2009.
Turner added: “The video conferencing has spread through our business by osmosis, in a frankly unmanaged manner.
“At the end of last financial year, our board were presented with business cases for units from various departments. The IT department then became involved to support the growth and bring structure to the VC network.”
However, there has been some resistance to the uptake of the technology. “Some people are kicking back against it because they see the being able to take time out to travel and expense mileage as a bonus, a perk, and there are not many of those in the health service,” Turner said.
The trust is now looking to overcome issues with booking of rooms for video conferencing by putting in place a centralised booking system via a web browser. This will also allow the board to keep track of how often the system is being used and how much time and money is being saved.
NHS Dumfries and Galloway is also in the process of rolling out a voice activated directory from Telephonetics VIP, to reducing the amount of staff needed to man switchboards and eliminate the need for staff to remember colleague’s phone numbers.
NHS Grampian, NHS Fife and NHS Lothian are also using the system, which will allow across all use the voice directory system to call staff in other regions directly call staff in those locations.
