Evaluation of the use of Florence within NHS Highland

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Evaluation of the use of Florence within NHS Highland

posted 25 Jul 2018, 01:05 by Hollie O'Connell

Joanna Gilliat

TEC Project Support Manager

Flora Jones

TEC Project Support Officer

25 July 2018

NHS Highland covers a huge geographical area in the north of Scotland, much of it rural and very remote. The Technology Enabled Care (TEC) team in NHS Highland has been using Florence since November 2015, and has enrolled over 2400 patients on Florence since then. Patients with long term conditions such as COPD, Heart Failure and Diabetes are supported to self-manage by Florence, and patients with hypertension are diagnosed with Florence’s help, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The essence of the approach to Florence in the Highlands has been innovation, with the TEC team responding to needs identified by clinicians, and developing a diverse range of Florence protocols. In fact, NHS Highland probably has the most innovative range of Florence protocols of all our users.

Keen to provide evidence of Florence’s effectiveness, the TEC team undertook a significant evaluation exercise early in 2018, resulting in a report on the “Evaluation of the use of Florence within NHS Highland” covering use of Florence to support patients with;

Asthma,
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (starting the low FODMAP diet),
COPD,
weight issues,
suspected hypertension,
borderline personality disorder (attending a STEPPS class).

In addition, a set of individual evaluation summaries of a further 16 Florence protocols were produced.

The evaluation methodology included;

analysis of usage statistics,
responses to evaluation questions included in the Florence protocols,
responses to evaluation surveys sent out by post,
informal comments from clinicians,
case studies,
interviews with patients and clinicians.

Perhaps the most successful protocol developed by NHS Highland to date has been one used with severe Asthma patients, which has not only improved patients’ self-management and engagement with specialist services, but has also reduced A&E visits, hospital admissions and the need for outpatient appointments. The protocol is also being used to objectively measure patients` response to biologic therapies and to monitor patients during steroid weaning.

That’s just one of NHS Highland’s innovative uses of Florence. So – take a look at the evaluation reports and get a flavour of how Florence is being used to benefit patients in this remote and rural area.

Read the full "Evaluation of the use of Florence within NHS Highlands" report.