AT A GLANCE

CLIENT: Insel Gruppe, Switzerland

PLATFORM: Epic EPR

SERVICES: Workflow design, Optimisation

CHALLENGE: Create a workflow design to improve the efficiency of documenting Multidisciplinary Team Meetings (MDTs) to save time and improve patient outcomes within cancer care.

OUTCOMES:

• Time-savings, improved patient outcomes
• Potential for future reporting capabilities to support compliance and quality assurance

BACKGROUND

Insel Gruppe is one of the largest comprehensive medical care systems in Switzerland. It is a full-service medical care system, from primary care through to state-of-the-art medicine.

In 2024 they replaced around fifty systems with Epic EPR which now connects the entire Insel Group across disciplines and professions. Within a few months they upgraded to the May 2024 version of Epic and efforts are now directed towards the first optimisation projects of the system.

CHALLENGE

Multidisciplinary Team Meetings (MDTs) are legal requirements in cancer care (in the UK and Switzerland). They involve specialists from various disciplines (e.g. doctors, radiologists, pathologists) who meet to discuss and plan the treatment for cancer patients. All these meetings need to be documented which has historically been a manual (non-digital) process. The challenge was to improve this, which was addressed through the design and implementation of a workflow in the Epic EPR system.

SOLUTION

A unique workflow was created for cancer MDTs to streamline and standardise the process across 19 different specialties. The design aimed to make the MDT process more efficient and easier for the staff. The design supports various cancer specialties, from paediatric cancer to haematology, ensuring that the system can handle a broad range of patient cases.

Although not fully implemented yet, the workflow is designed to eventually allow automated reporting on MDT activities, which could significantly reduce the time required for compliance and quality assurance tasks, which is particularly useful in healthcare.

OUTCOMES

Automation and Time Saving

The new workflow automated the documentation process, particularly the listing of attendees and their specialisations, which used to be done manually on paper. This automation allowed for quicker documentation, freeing up time for staff to focus on other tasks.

Positive Impact on Patient Care

The improved workflows enable healthcare professionals to access relevant patient information more quickly.

Improved Communication Tools

In Switzerland, the letters sent by physicians to patients and other staff are an essential communication tool, but the content and formatting vary. A new letter template was created which provided multiple possible options for content to enable variation within a standardised format. This meant everyone was using the same process and system while delivering bespoke letters to suit different specialities’ requirements.

SUMMARY

By creating specific workflows within the Epic EPR system, staff can save time. Automating the documentation process reduced the manual effort of physically writing down attendees' names and specialisms at MDTs. This has made the process faster and more efficient, and frees up time for specialists to access information more quickly and spend more time on patient care.

This project highlights how thoughtful workflow design within the Epic EPR system can enhance efficiency and effectiveness in a critical healthcare process like MDTs, enabling staff to focus on patients.